Certifying documents

You may need to provide certified copies of original documents when you apply for registration, renewal, endorsement or for other purposes. 

Our online and paper-based application forms explain which documents must be certified copies.  

A 'certified copy' is one that has been verified as being a true copy of an original document by a person authorised to certify copies of original documents. A list of authorised people can be found at the bottom of this page. 

Documents must be certified in person, they cannot be certified over an audiovisual link (e.g. Zoom or Teams).

Instructions for certifying documents 

We have a PDF that you should download and take with you when you see an authorised officer to have your documents certified. 

Certifying documents instructions (296 KB, PDF) 

Documents without a photograph 

Single-page documents without a photograph must have the following written on them by an authorised officer.  

• This statement: ‘I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original’ 
• The date 
• The authorised officer’s name 
• The authorised officer’s contact phone number 
• The authorised officer’s occupation or profession (and profession number if applicable) 
• The authorised officer’s stamp or seal (if relevant) 

Documents with a photograph 

Any documents containing a photograph (e.g. a passport or driver's licence) must have the following written on them by an authorised officer. 

• This statement: ’I certify that this is a true copy of the original and the photograph is a true likeness of the person presenting the document as sighted by me’ 
• The date 
• The authorised officer’s name 
• The authorised officer’s contact phone number 
• The authorised officer’s occupation or profession (and profession number if applicable) 
• The authorised officer’s stamp or seal (if relevant) 

Important note for NSW applicants only

In NSW, justice of the peace cannot certify that photos are a true likeness. To get photo ID documents certified, NSW applicants need to take their documents to another authorised officer on the list of authorised officers.

Documents with multiple pages 

If your document has multiple pages, the authorised officer needs to initial each page and number each page (e.g. page 2 of 5) as well as writing the above text on the first page. 

What does an authorised officer need to do to certify my documents?

In the presence of the applicant the authorised officer should: 

• inspect the original document to ensure that it is an original document 
• inspect the copy to ensure it is identical to the original document 
• compare your face against the photograph on any identity documents to confirm that you are the person pictured
• write the relevant text (described above) on the copy.