Victorian statutory declaration: form and who can witness it
A Victorian statutory declaration is made under the Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018. Victoria has one of the widest witness lists in the country: pharmacists, nurses, dentists, conveyancers and many other registered professionals can witness one.
If you have struggled to find a Justice of the Peace, Victoria is one of the easier jurisdictions. The authorised witness list is occupation based and covers a broad range of registered professionals, plus accountants who belong to specified professional bodies.
The Department of Justice and Community Safety publishes both the form and a dedicated page for witnesses explaining their obligations.
This page explains the process and points you to the official source. It is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, speak to a lawyer, Legal Aid or a community legal centre.
Checked 14 August 2026. We re-check this page every six months, and sooner if a witness list changes.
The official form
We link the form rather than hosting a copy. Forms get amended, and an old one can be refused after you have filled it in and had it witnessed. Take the current version from the government page.
Who can witness a Victorian statutory declaration
The list is set by the Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018 and includes people currently licensed or registered to practise in these occupations:
- architect, chiropractor, conveyancer, dentist
- financial adviser or financial planner
- legal practitioner, medical practitioner, midwife, migration agent, nurse
- occupational therapist, optometrist, patent attorney, pharmacist
- physiotherapist, psychologist, trade marks attorney, veterinary surgeon
It also includes accountants who are a fellow of the National Tax Accountants' Association or a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the Association of Taxation and Management Accountants, CPA Australia or the Institute of Public Accountants, along with a range of other positions.
The full current list is on the Victorian witness page linked below. For how this compares with the other states, see who can witness a statutory declaration.
Before you go
- Fill in the declaration but do not sign it. The witness must see you sign.
- Take photo identification.
- If you are attaching documents, take them with you.
Common questions
Can a pharmacist witness a Victorian statutory declaration?
Yes. Pharmacist is one of the registered occupations on the Victorian authorised witness list. That is not true everywhere: NSW accepts only a Justice of the Peace, an Australian legal practitioner or a notary public.
Can I use a Victorian form for a federal agency?
Generally no. A federal body normally wants a Commonwealth statutory declaration. Ask the organisation that requested it, because they decide what they will accept.
Does my accountant count?
Only if they are a member of one of the specified professional bodies, such as CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, or a fellow of the National Tax Accountants' Association. Check the current list before you rely on it.
Where this comes from
Every rule on this page comes from the official source below. We link them rather than copy them, because a form or a witness list that is out of date is worse than no form at all. Check the source if anything here matters to your document.
- Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety, statutory declarations, the Victorian form and process.
- Information for authorised statutory declaration witnesses, the full Victorian occupation list and witness obligations.
- Who can witness a Commonwealth statutory declaration, the Commonwealth list, for comparison.
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