Statutory declarations

The person making a statutory declaration is called the "declarant".

When you write a statutory declaration, you should include:

• your full name
• your address
• your occupation
• a statement that you "do solemnly and sincerely declare".

Once you have included these 'formal' parts, you should then write the facts that you want to declare are true. You should:

• put each of the facts into separate paragraphs
• put the paragraphs in date (chronological) order
• finish with a statement that you "make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of the Oaths ​Act 1900"
• attach any annexures.

You should then make sure your statutory declaration is signed and witnessed as in the example below (but with your name and your witnesses' name instead).

For NSW forms, see NSW Statutory Declaration Forms on the Department of Communities and Justice website.

For Commonwealth forms, see Statutory declarations on the Commonwealth Attorney General's website.

From 1 January 2024, Commonwealth statutory declarations can be executed:

• in paper form and in person witnessing

• electronically and witnessed through an audio-visual communication link, or 

• online using myGov or myGovID. 

If you are completing a NSW statutory declaration, the following persons are authorised to witness your statutory declaration:

• a NSW Justice of the Peace
• a solicitor
• a barrister.

If you are completing a Commonwealth statutory declaration, approved witnesses include:

• a NSW Justice of the Peace
• a solicitor
• a barrister
• a medical practitioner or GP.

For a complete list of Commonwealth approved witnesses, see Approved witnesses on the Commonwealth Attorney General website.

For more information about the witnessing of documents, see Witnessing documents.

For an example on what to put in a statutory declaration, see the below: 

Declaration under the Oaths Act 1900, New South Wales, Ninth Schedule

I, John Yardley Smith of 12 West Street, Westown NSW, fitter and turner, do hereby solemnly declare and affirm that:

1. My full name is John Yardley Smith.

2. My date of birth is 12 September 1975.

3. On 22 April 1979, my father, Yardley Elliot Smith, and my mother, Gwendolyn Carmela Smith, were divorced.

4. On 3 March 1985 my mother, Gwendolyn Carmela Smith married David St John Parker.

5. From 3 March 1985 I adopted the surname of my step-father and became known as John Yardley Parker.

6. On 4 June 1992 I applied for my NSW driver's licence in the name of John Yardley Parker. I was issued with a NSW driver's licence with the number 1000888.

7. In or about July of 2001, I began to use the name of John Yardley Smith again.

8. I am the John Yardley Parker named in the driver's licence issued in NSW with licence number 1000888, expiring on 18 October 2023.

And I make this solemn declaration, as to the matter (or matters) aforesaid, according to the law in this behalf made- and subject to the punishment by law provided for any wilfully false statement in any such declaration. 

Declared at Sydney on 18​​​​​​​​​ September 2023 [signature of declarant] John Smith

in the presence of an authorised witness, who states:
I, Barry Butt, a solicitor, certify the following matters concerning the making of this statutory declaration by the person who made it:[* please cross out any text that does not apply] 

1. *I saw the face of the person OR *I did not see the face of the person because the person was wearing a face covering, but I am satisfied that the person had a special justification for not removing the covering, and

2. *I have known the person for at least 12 months OR *I have not known the person for at least 12 months, but I have confirmed the person's identity using an identification
document and the document I relied on was: [describe identification document relied on] a driver's licence.

Barry Butt [signature of authorised witness] 18 September 2023 [date]