Important changes

The Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018 makes a number of important changes to the law in Victoria, including:

  • expanding the list of authorised witnesses in Victoria to be consistent with the Commonwealth
  • revising standard forms for statutory declarations and affidavits which include instructional guidance
  • simplifying language for deponents when making declarations/oaths or affirmations
  • providing for ‘reasonable modifications’ for people with disabilities (s 15)
  • clarifying the involvement of people who assist a person to make a statutory declaration (s 32)
  • modifying approaches for illiterate, blind or cognitively impaired persons completing affidavits (s 28) and statutory declarations (s 3(c)).

Guidance is available

To assist authorised witnesses, guidance materials are available on the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS):

Downloadable resources

You can download and use the following resources. Over time, HJSS will add information and resources in response to your queries.

Please note that a transitional period from 1 March 2019 to 31 December 2019 is in place. If older versions of the statutory declaration form are used, and if the authorised witness was listed under the  Evidence Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1958 to witness that document, the process will be valid only during this period.

COVID-19 remote witnessing and signing resources

Certificates of Currency

Guidelines