18. Interstate and Overseas Documents
Justice of the Peace Handbook
On this page
In Victoria, JPs are appointed under the Honorary Justices Act 2014. As JPs ordinarily reside in Victoria, your main function is to witness documents in Victoria.
18.1 Other States and Territories of Australia
When the documents are to be used in Australia, you can witness many documents created under the laws of the Commonwealth, including documents made under the following Commonwealth acts:
Most organisations will provide instructions or guidelines as to who can witness a document and by what method.
If a person requires a document to be witnessed for use interstate, and the document does not expressly state that a Victorian JP may act as a witness, you or the person requiring the document should enquire directly with the organisation that requires the document.
Other Countries
You should be cautious about witnessing documents for use in other countries. Whilst some overseas countries accept JPs as witnesses, others are not familiar with the concept of a JP. Unless you can establish that you have authority to witness, you should refer the person to a Notary Public or to the embassy or consulate office of the document issuing country.
Check before you witness
Although it is the responsibility of the person making the document to ensure a JP is authorised to witness a document, it is worth checking. It is an inconvenience if an interstate or overseas document has been witnessed by a JP and an interstate or overseas authority has not accepted it.
Updated 18 August 2025
About the VIC Government
- The Premier and ministers
- Find a Vic Gov department, agency or service
- Strategies and policies
- Inquiries and royal commissions
Grants and programs
Jobs and careers
Arts, culture and heritage
Business and the workplace
- Mentally Healthy Workplaces Framework
- Portable Long Service Authority
- Victoria’s racing industry
- Workforce Inspectorate Victoria
- Liquor licensing, sale and supply
Communities
- Children
- First Peoples - State Relations
- Finding records
- Gender equality & women’s leadership
- LGBTIQA+ equality
- Multicultural communities
- Seniors Online
- Veterans support and commemoration
- Volunteering in Victoria
- Youth Central
Education and training
- Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority
- Early childhood education – information for professionals
- Kinder: Best Start, Best Life
- Education – information for parents
- Schools.Vic - information for schools
- Education grants, programs, awards and events
- PROTECT
- TAFE, training and universities sector
- TAFE Victoria
- Victorian Skills Authority
- Apprenticeships Victoria
- Learn Local
Environment, water and energy
Finance and economy
Health and social support
- Family violence reform
- NDIS Worker Screening Check
- NDIS and disability services and support in Victoria
- Patient Review Panel
- Transforming Trauma Victoria
Housing and property
Law and justice
- Adoption
- Births, deaths and marriages
- Honorary justices
- Machete ban
- Safeguarding Victorians against terrorism
- Stolen Generations Reparations Package
- Victims of Crime
- Victorian Racing Tribunal
Safety and emergencies
- Emergency Recovery Victoria
- Victorian Emergency Relief and Recovery Foundation
- Emergency Recovery Resource Portal
- How well do you know fire
- Fire Services Reform
- Water safety
- Marine Search and Rescue
Science and technology
- Data sharing and open data
- Data.vic - discover and access Vic Gov open data
- Developer.Vic - portal for API developers
- Go.vic URL shortener
- Vic Gov IT project dashboard
- Victoria’s free public wi-fi network
- Cyber security in the Victorian Government
Sport and recreation
Traffic and transport
- Cameras Save Lives
- Transport Fines
- Getting Around
- Transport Planning
- Transport Future
- Climate Change and transport
- Future Directions For Transport
- Transport projects
- Ports and Freight
Working in the Victorian Government
- Single Digital Presence home
- Accommodation and Library Services
- Executive employment in the Victorian public sector
- Budget, procurement and funding
- Careers in the Victorian Government
- Council and Regulator Toolkit
- Guidelines for working in government
- Join a government network
- Standards and guidelines
- VicFleet CarPool
- Victorian Government style guide