On this page:
- Australian Government notarial services
- Notarial service fees
- Australian Notary Publics and Justices of the Peace
- Verifying an apostille on a document
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Australian Government notarial services
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provides some notarial services. What we offer depends on whether you are in Australia or overseas.
We charge fees for our services.
Services in Australia
In Australia, DFAT can:
- issue apostille or authentication certificates to legalise Australian public documents
- issue a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI).
We deliver this service:
- through Australian Passport Offices country-wide
- by mail.
We don't witness signatures or certify true copies of documents in Australia. Even if you plan to use the document overseas.
In Australia:
- an Australian Notary Public can certify documents for use overseas
- a Justice of the Peace can witness signatures and statutory declarations.
See what documents we can legalise and how to request our services in Australia.
Services overseas
Overseas, Australian consular officers can:
- administer an oath or receive a declaration or affirmation
- issue a certificate or affidavit of service or attempted service of a document
- witness a signature or seal on a form or declaration
- prepare a declaration or other document
- verify and certify a copy of a document or part of a document
- sign a document, or affix a seal to a document or other article
- witness the execution of a will
- transmit a document or other article through official channels
- transfer funds through official accounts (excluding funds related to a deceased estate)
- prepare and issue an Apostille certificate
- prepare and issue an Authentication certificate
- prepare and issue a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage
- issue a DFAT Identity Certificate.
We deliver these services through our embassies and consulates.
We can certify copies of foreign documents if they are intended for use in Australia.
You may need a local notary public overseas to certify copies for use outside Australia.
See what documents we can legalise and how to request our services overseas.
Notarial service fees
Fee schedule from 1 January 2026. All fees are in Australian dollars.
Fees for notarial services increase in line with the consumer price index (CPI) on 1 January each year.
Services delivered in Australia and overseas
| Service description | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage | $181 |
| Document legalisation: Apostille | $105 |
| Document legalisation: Authentication certificate | $105 |
If in Australia, payment is by EFTPOS, MasterCard or Visa only. Cash is not accepted.
Services delivered overseas only
| Service description | Fee |
|---|---|
| Affix a seal to a document or other article | $90 |
| Administer an affidavit (oath, declaration or affirmation) | $90 |
| Certify a copy of a document or part of a document | $90 |
| Certify a photograph | $90 |
| Prepare a declaration or other document | $90 |
| Sign a document | $90 |
| Witness a signature or seal on a form or document | $90 |
If overseas, payment options will vary depending on local banking facilities. Contact the Australian embassy, high commission or consulate providing the service for details.
Australian Notary Publics and Justices of the Peace
Notary Publics
Australian Notary Publics can:
- certify original documents for use overseas
- notarise documents in preparation for use overseas
- witness signatures on documents for use overseas.
You can find a Notary Public using each state or territory listing:
- Australian Capital Territory Notary Public list
- New South Wales Notary Public list
- Northern Territory Notary Public list
- Queensland Notary Public list
- South Australian Notary Public list
- Tasmania Notary Public list
- Victorian Notary Public list
- Western Australia Notary Public list
DFAT has a database of signatures for Australian Notary Publics. We use this to verify a notarisation before we legalise a document.
Justices of the Peace
In Australia, a Justice of the Peace (JP) can help you with some services.
Contact a JP if you need an official to:
- witness an oath or affidavit
- take a statutory declaration or affirmation
- witness a signature
- attest to the execution of a document
- certify a true copy of an original document.
A JP's signature is recognised anywhere in Australia. However, JPs can't certify documents for use overseas. A Notary Public must do that.
Each state or territory publishes a list of authorised JPs:
- Australian Capital Territory JPs
- New South Wales JPs
- Northern Territory JPs
- Queensland JPs
- South Australian JPs
- Tasmanian JPs
- Victorian JPs
- Western Australian JPs
Learn more about authorised witnesses (Attorney-General's Department).
Verifying an apostille
Australian Government apostilles issued after 14 December 2015 can be verified online.
To verify an apostille issued before this date, contact your nearest Australian embassy, high commission or consulate or the Australian Passport Office.
For information about our legalisation services in Australia, email legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au or contact us online.
For information about our notarial services overseas, contact your nearest Australian embassy, high commission or consulate.
Read more
- How to request notarial services in Australia or overseas.
- How to apply for a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI).
- Understand how and when we may help. Read the Consular Service Charter.
See also
- Verify an apostille (DFAT).
- See a list of Australian embassies and consulates (DFAT).
- See the list of Australian Passport Office locations (Australian Passport Office).
- Learn more about authorised witnesses (Attorney-General's Department).
