Nau mai haere mai
Welcome
This site provides information about the Wellington Justices of the Peace Association, the services provided by a Justice of the Peace, where and how to find one and other helpful information. It is important to know that Justices of the Peace are volunteers who offer their services to the community. There is no charge for the services JPs perform.
If you need a JP, the easiest option is to visit one of the Service Desks we operate in Wellington, Porirua, Paraparaumu or Waikanae. Click the Service Desks menu item above to see the location of our Service Desks and the times they are open. These operate on a walk-in basis with no appointment needed. Or you can click the Find a JP button to make arrangements to visit with a specific JP.
The most common function of a Justice of the Peace is certifying copies of documents. We can also witness signatures on documents, take statutory declarations and affidavits and complete marriage dissolutions. Marriage dissolutions are not performed at Service Desks due to their complexity and time required. If you require a JP to execute a marriage dissolution, you should make a home appointment with a JP.
To make a home appointment with a JP, use the button below (or Google “find a JP nz”) to go to our national search engine. Here you can enter a suburb and get a list of the JP who may be available in that suburb.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to visit a Justice of the Peace?
Justice of the Peace Services are free.
JPs are not paid and are volunteers.
What does the JP need to know when making an appointment?
The JP should know what service(s) they are being asked to perform.
It is also polite to confirm contact details in case the client or the Justice becomes unexpectedly unavailable.
When you see the JP, in addition to your documents, please bring some form of ID with you such as passport or driver’s licence.
Do not sign any document prior to visiting the JP.
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What does it mean for a JP to certify a document?
When a document is certified by a JP, the JP is saying that they have been presented with an original document and that the copy appears to be an exact duplicate of the original.
Can I take copies of someone else’s documents to a JP to get certified?
That will depend upon the purpose of the document that is being certified. If the documents are being used to support a financial transaction including purchasing or selling a house, withdrawal of KiwiSaver or applying for a loan then the person whose identity is being verified will need to be present. The JP should be told the purpose of the document so they can apply the appropriate wording or stamps.
Do I have to make an appointment?
You do not need to make an appointment to see a JP at a Service Desk, but you do need to make an appointment if you want to see an individual JP. Please txt or phone individual JPs to make an appointment.
When you contact a JP to make an appointment, bear in mind that Justices are volunteers and may have other responsibilities or commitments (including employment).
Are there documents a JP cannot certify?
Many documents that JPs certify are destined to go overseas and the client needs to confirm with the receiving agency that a NZ JP can certify the document. Some documents require a notary to certify them and the client would need to confirm with the receiving agency that a NZ JP was acceptable instead of a notary. A Justice of the Peace for New Zealand cannot certify a copy of an Apostille.
