FAQ's

A Justice of the Peace must be familiar with, and follow the provisions in the NSW Department of Communities and Justice publication, "Justice of the Peace Handbook 2022", and any guidelines issued by the Minister with respect to the exercise of specific functions by the Justice of the peace, under the Act.
Additionally, NSW Justices of the Peace must pass a knowledge test with a 100% accuracy every 5 years to maintain their registration

You may be surprised to know there could be a registered JP just minutes away from you. Additionally, there are a large number of Community Signing Desks throughout NSW in Libraries, Community Halls, Shopping Centres, and Malls. There is a full list of locations on this webpage (Find a JP local to me) There is also a direct link to the NSW Department of Communities and Justice Website for the Public Register Click here .

Justices of the Peace (JP's) are volunteers appointed by the Governor of New South Wales.  Their primary role is to witness a person making a Statutory Declaration, Affidavit or other legal documents, and to certify copies of original documents. JP's come from all sections of the public and are highly respected and trusted members of the community. They are available across NSW. A more comprehensive description can be found on this page (Click here)

There are a number of instances where a NSW Justice  of the Peace is not authorised to witness documents. They are mainly:

1) Documents for use overseas, including "Proof of Life" forms to obtain overseas pensions
2) Certify a copy of a laminated Australian Citizenship Certificate
3) General Power of Attorney or an Enduring Power of Attorney
4) Documents for use overseas and documents in a foreign language
4) Certify that a photograph is a true likeness

There are other conditions not explained here. Your JP will help you find the answer