This guide details the process of getting a document certified. There are certain processes in which a certified document is required. Certification must be done within 12 months by approved certifiers, including professionals like dentists, lawyers, police officers, or authorized officials, who must write specific certification statements, sign, and date the documents.
Verification procedure
Clients need to provide a certified copy of a primary ID document from Part I. If they do not have a document from Part I, they will need to provide the documents listed in Part II or Part III.
PART I – Acceptable primary photographic ID documents
Select ONE valid option from this section only
| Current Australian State/Territory driver’s licence containing a photograph of the person. |
| Australian passport (a passport that has expired within the preceding 2 years is acceptable). |
| Card issued under a State or Territory for the purpose of proving a person’s age containing a photograph of the person. |
| Foreign passport or similar travel document containing a photograph and the signature of the person.* |
OR
PART II – Acceptable secondary ID documents - should only be completed if the individual does not own a document from Part I
Select ONE valid option from this section
| Australian birth certificate |
| Australian citizenship certificate |
| Pension card issued by Department of Human Services (previously known as Centrelink) |
AND ONE valid option from this section
|
A document issued by the Commonwealth or a State or Territory within the preceding 12 months that records the provision of financial benefits to the individual and which contains the individual’s name and residential address. |
| A document issued by the Australian Taxation Office within the preceding 12 months that records a debt payable by the individual to the Commonwealth (or by the Commonwealth to the individual), which contains the individual’s name and residential address. Block out the TFN before scanning, copying or storing this document. |
| A document issued by a local government body or utilities provider within the preceding 3 months which records the provision of services to that address or to that person (the document must contain the individual’s name and residential address). |
| If under the age of 18, a notice that: was issued to the individual by a school principal within the preceding 3 months; and contains the name and residential address; and records the period of time that the individual attended that school. |
OR
PART III – Acceptable foreign photographic ID documents - should only be completed if the individual does not own a document from Part I
Select ONE valid option from this section only
| Foreign driver’s licence that contains a photograph of the person in whose name it is issued and the individual’s date of birth.* |
| National ID card issued by a foreign government containing a photograph and a signature of the person in whose name the card was issued.* |
*Documents that are written in a language that is not English must be accompanied by an English translation prepared by an accredited translator.
How to certify documents
To create a certified copy of the document(s), one of the persons listed below must write the following on each page of the document(s). For multiple page documents, certification on the first page must state how many pages it is to cover; each page is also required to be signed off by the certifier.
| The words: "Certified true copy of the original" | Qualification of approved certifier, e.g. Dentist, Justice of the Peace, etc. |
| Signature of approved certifier | Date |
| Printed name of the certifier |
Documents must have been certified within 12 months of us receiving it.
The following persons can certify document(s):
• An officer with, or authorised representative of, a holder of an Australian financial services licence, having 2 or more years of continuous service with one or more licensees
• Chiropractor
• Dentist
• Justice of the Peace
• Legal practitioner
• Medical practitioner
• Member of the Association of Taxation and Management
• Accountants
• Nurse
• Optometrist
• Pharmacist
• Physiotherapist
• Police officer
• Psychologist
• Veterinary surgeon
Other persons:
• Agent of the Australian Postal Corporation who is in charge of an office supplying postal services to the public
• Australian Consular Officer or Australia Diplomatic Officer (within the meaning of the Consular Fee Act 1955)
• Bailiff
• Bank officer with 2 or more continuous years of service
• Building society officer with 2 or more years of continuous service
• Chief executive officer of a Commonwealth court
• Clerk of a court
• Commissioner for Affidavits
• Commissioner for Declarations
• Credit union officer with 2 or more years of continuous service
• Employee of the Australian Trade Commission who is:
(a) in a country or place outside Australia; and
(b) authorised under paragraph 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and
(c) exercising his or her function in that place
• Employee of the Commonwealth who is:
(a) in a country or place outside Australia; and
(b) authorised under paragraph 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; and
(c) exercising his or her function in that place
• Fellow of the National Tax Accountants’ Association
• Finance company officer with 2 or more years of continuous service
• Holder of a statutory office not specified in another item in this list
• Judge of a court
• Magistrate
• Marriage celebrant registered under Subdivision C of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961
• Master of a court
• Member of Chartered Secretaries Australia
• Member of Engineers Australia, other than at the grade of student
• Member of the Australian Defence Force who is:
(a) an officer; or
(b) a non-commissioned officer within the meaning of the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982 with 2 or more years of continuous service; or
(c) a warrant officer within the meaning of that Act
• Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants or the National Institute of Accountants
• Member of:
(a) the Parliament of the Commonwealth; or
(b) the Parliament of a State; or
(c) a Territory legislature; or
(d) a local government authority of a State or Territory
• Minister of religion registered under Subdivision A of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961
• Notary public
• Patent attorney
• Permanent employee of the Australian Postal Corporation with 2 or more years of continuous service who is employed in an office supplying postal services to the public
• Permanent employee of:
(a) the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority; or
(b) a State or Territory or a State or Territory authority; or
(c) a local government authority;
with 2 or more years of continuous service who is not specified in another item in this list
• Person before whom a statutory declaration may be made under the law of the State or Territory in which the declaration is made
• Registrar, or Deputy Registrar, of a court
• Senior Executive Service employee of either:
(a) the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth authority; or
(b) a State or Territory or a State or Territory authority
• Sheriff
• Sheriff’s officer
• Teacher employed on a full-time basis at a school or tertiary education institution
• Trade marks attorney
• Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
• a person who is enrolled on the roll of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory, or the High Court of Australia, as a legal practitioner (however described)
• an officer with, or a credit representative of, a holder of an Australian credit licence, having 2 or more years of continuous service with one or more licensees
• a person authorised as a notary public in a foreign country