Taking your oaths

What are the Oaths of Office?

Before you can begin performing Justice of the Peace (JP) functions, you are required to take the Oaths of Office before a Magistrate or Registrar of the Local Court. 

The three oaths are verbal declarations about your behaviour as a JP. They are the last step in the appointment process. Your appointment as a JP will not be final, and you will not receive a JP registration number, until you have taken the oaths.

You’ll need to take the oaths within four months of your appointment date. If you don't take the oaths within this time, your appointment will automatically lapse and you will have to start a new application.

After you have taken the oaths, we’ll email you to confirm your appointment as a JP including details of your JP registration number and the dates of your term of appointment.

How do I take the Oaths of Office?

You can take the Oaths of Office at any NSW Local Court. Each Local Court has different arrangements for taking the oaths. Please note the Local Court has made changes to its operations to reduce the risk of the spread of Coronavirus. For more information, visit the Local Court website. 

A list of Local Courts and their arrangements is available below.

If an appointment needs to be made via email, you can use a copy of our email template.

Attending outside of these arrangements may result in personal inconvenience if you are asked to re-attend in line with the arrangements.

Need assistance?

Contact the NSW Courts Service Centre team at nswcsc@justice.nsw.gov.au. You will receive a prompt response by using the above email. Calling Court Services by may result in long delays.

Local Court arrangements

You can use the below template to request an appointment for taking your Oaths of Office.

1. Click the email address of the Local Court you would like to make an appointment with. A new email should automatically open with the subject line populated. 

If a new email does not open, log in to your email account and start a new email. Then copy and paste the email address and add the subject line:

Appointment for Justice of the Peace Oaths/Affirmation.

2. Copy and paste the following text into the body of your email. Make sure to fill in your contact details (name, contact numbers and email) and sign the email with your name. 

To the presiding Registrar,

I am seeking to take the Justice of the Peace Oaths of Office / Affirmation. I understand an appointment is essential.

Please contact me to confirm an appropriate appointment date and time.

My contact details

Name:

Phone number:

Alternate number:

Email:

Yours faithfully,

[Insert name]