Confirming the legitimacy of your documents
Do you need to get your documents certified? Find out what to do and who to turn to.
What is a ‘Certified Copy’?
A certified copy is a photocopy of an original document that has been ‘certified’ by an authorised person (‘certifier’) as a true and accurate copy of the original.
To certify a photocopy, the certifier must have the original document and photocopy physically in front of them. They then compare the original and the copy, and if they are identical, the certifier will mark the copy as ‘certified’, using particular wording (see below).
This process means that when you provide a ‘certified’ copy of your document, Macquarie knows that it is a true copy of the original because it has been verified by an independent and authorised person.
How to get your document certified
Take your original document and a photocopy of it to a person authorised to certify documents (see below). The certifier will compare both documents, and if they are identical, they’ll certify that the photocopy is a true copy of the original document, either by writing on, or stamping the document.
On the front page of each photocopied document, the certifier must include:
- The statement: "I certify that this is a true copy of the original document sighted by me."
- Their signature
- Their full name
- The date of certification
- Their qualification or occupation (which makes them eligible to certify documents)
- Their registration number (if applicable)
- Contact details (eg. business address, phone number, or email)
The certifier’s credentials must be verifiable if required. Certifications without sufficient identifying information may be rejected.
If the document has more than one page, the certifier must check every page of the copy to ensure that it is identical to the original document. The certifier must then:
- Include the full certification above on the first page; and
- Sign or initial every subsequent page
Persons authorised to certify documents in Australia
Documents can be certified by a Justice of the Peace (JP) or someone currently employed as one of the following:
- Accountant – a member of a recognised professional accounting body or a registered tax agent
- Australia Post employee (must be a manager or a current permanent staff member with at least 5 years continuous service)
- Bank manager
- Credit union branch manager
- Commissioner for declarations
- Legal practitioner, barrister, solicitor, patent attorney, trade marks attorney
- Engineer (registered as an engineer under a law of the Commonwealth, a State or Territory)
- Judge, magistrate, registrar, or court clerk
- Marriage celebrant registered under Subdivision A of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961
- Minister of religion registered under Subdivision A of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961
- Medical practitioner, chiropractor, dentist, doctor, optometrist, psychologist, pharmacist, physiotherapist, midwife, occupational therapist or registered nurse
- Police officer
- Postal manager
- Principal, or teacher at an Australian secondary college, high school or primary school (employed on a full-time basis)
- Defence force officer
The certification must be carried out by an independent third party. Don’t use a certifier who may have a perceived or actual conflict of interest (eg. you, your spouse, your family members, or your friends, should not certify your documents).
Justice of the Peace (JP) requirements
If your documents are being certified by a registered JP, they must include their registration number and specify the state in which they are registered.
To find a Justice of the Peace in New South Wales, Australia, you can search the online JP Public Register.
Need help on campus?
Service Connect can help certify documents in person for the following internal university purposes*:
If you're on campus and need assistance with document certification for these internal university purposes, visit Service Connect, located on the Ground Floor of 18 Wally’s Walk, Wallumattagal Campus, Macquarie University.
Please ensure that you bring your original documentation. The Service Connect team will make a photocopy for you and certify the copy.
*Please note that this is not a Justice of the Peace (JP) service. Certification by the Service Connect team is only for internal Macquarie processes and cannot be used for external applications or official purposes outside the university.
Certifying documents outside Australia
If you're overseas, most Australian embassies, high commissions, and consulates can certify documents intended for use in Australia.
For more details, visit Smartraveller.
Documents not in English?
Most Macquarie University applications and forms will require the documentation to be provided in English. If the original document is not in English, it must:
- Be translated professionally by an accredited translation service; and
- The translation must be accompanied by the professional letterhead of the translator.
What if my documents are not properly certified or translated?
Macquarie University reserves the right to refuse documentation on the grounds of incorrect, or incomplete certification or translation procedures.