Frequently Asked Questions

Answer:

A Justice of the Peace must not charge a fee or accept a gift for providing justice of the peace services.  There are severe penalties if this is not observed

Answer:

A Justice of the Peace must be familiar with and follow the provisions in the Department of Communities and Justice's 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

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You may be surprised to know there could be a JP just minutes away from you.  The best way to find a local JP is to go to the JP register at the JP Public Register website

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Justices of the Peace (JP's) are volunteers appointed by the Governor of New South Wales.  The primary role is to witness a person making a Statutory Declaration or Affidavit, and to certify copies of original documents.  JP's come from all sections of the highly respected members of the community and are available across NSW

Answer:

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

• Documents for use overseas, including "proof of life" forms to claim overseas pensions
• Certify a copy of a laminated Australia Citizenship Certificate
• General Power of Attorney or an Enduring Power of Attorney
• Documents for use overseas and documents in a foreign language
• Certify that a photograph is a true likeness

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

Answer:

The answer to the question is "Yes".  But there are limitations and special conditions. Your JP will guide you through the procedure.