How To Certify Documents In South Africa

Below is How To Certify Documents In South Africa

Take your original documents as well as the photocopies to your nearest police station, post office, or lawyer’s office. Ask them to certify the documents, and they will stamp them.

Who can certify documents SA?

To certify copies of the person’s original Advance Care Directive (ACD) you will need to be a person who is on the list of authorized witnesses (certifiers) which includes: health practitioners (doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, podiatrists, pharmacists, paramedics, ambulance officers, etc).

Where can I certify documents in South Africa?

You can have copies of original documents certified at any police station, at any time.

The certification of copies is done free of charge.

You must provide your own copies. The police station’s resources such as photocopy machines and paper are not for use by the public.

You must provide the original documents when requesting to have copies certified. Copies will not be certified if the original documents are not produced for verification.

Please be patient. Remember that the police station has certain priorities to deal with, and it might take a while before they can attend to you.

Alternatively, you can have copies certified at the following places:

Lawyers or notary public (who are members of a recognised professional body)

Actuaries or accountants (who are members of a recognised professional body)

Members of the judiciary 

Directors, managers or company secretaries of a bank or regulated financial services business.

How long do certified documents last in South Africa?

six months

A certified document will now be valid for six months for government job applications, the presidency has announced. In the past, government departments would reject an application if the documents attached were certified more than three months ago.