Statutory declarations and certified copies
When you're applying for registration, we may ask you to provide a Statutory Declaration, or a copy of a document that you’re relying upon as part of your application.
What are statutory declarations?
A statutory declaration is a legally binding document which may be used in legal proceedings in New Zealand under the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957. You must make the declaration in front of an authorised person, and its purpose is to confirm to us that what you've declared is true and correct. There is a specific Council form that you need to use for this purpose.
If you are in New Zealand, make the declaration in front of one of the following:
- a person enrolled as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court
- a justice of the peace
- a notary public
- the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court
- the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal
- a Registrar or Deputy Registrar of the High Court or a District Court.
If you are in another , you must make the declaration in front of one of the following:
- a judge
- a Commissioner of Oaths
- a notary public
- a justice of the peace
- any person authorised by the law of that country to administer an oath there for the purpose of a judicial proceeding
- a solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
- a Commonwealth representative.
If you are in a non-Commonwealth country make the declaration in front of:
- a judge
- a notary public
- a solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
- a Commonwealth representative.
Certified copies
A certified copy is a copy of a primary document, that has on it an endorsement or certification that it is a true copy of that primary document. It does not certify that the primary document is genuine, only that it is a true copy of the primary document. The Council accepts copies certified by:
- a Council staff member
- a Council-appointed registration agent
- a justice of the peace
- a Commissioner of Oaths
- a notary public
- a person enrolled as a solicitor or barrister of the New Zealand High Court or a District Court
- a Registrar or a Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court
- a New Zealand Police officer (Senior Sergeant or above)
- a Registrar or a Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal.
Please ensure that any certification (including any certification stamp content) is in English, to avoid having to get the certification officially translated.