Statutory declarations: who can witness yours, and why VIC differs from NSW

The witness list is longer than most people think — and using the wrong one can void your declaration.

By LawsFinder Desk

What this means for your paperwork

A statutory declaration is only valid if it is witnessed by an authorised person. The Commonwealth list (pharmacists, teachers, police officers, and many more) is broad — but Victoria and NSW each run their own list for state matters, and they are not identical.

Who is affected Anyone signing a stat dec for a state matter (tenancy, name-change evidence, local council matters) rather than a Commonwealth one (Centrelink, immigration).

What to check before you sign - Confirm whether your declaration is Commonwealth or state — the form itself says which Act it is made under. - Commonwealth declarations can now also be witnessed electronically in many cases. - If the witness is not on the right list, the receiving agency can reject the declaration and you start again.

LawsFinder's library has the current VIC and Commonwealth templates with the witness rules explained field by field.