Accepting a statutory declaration

Who can request a statutory declaration

The BidCarbon Foundation is allowed to request that another person make a statutory declaration for any lawful reason.

To access the factsheet for requesters of statutory declarations (stat decs), please contact us.

If you've asked someone to make a statutory declaration for your processes, they can do so by following the BidCarbon (Carbon Farming) Standard 2025.

Any type of statutory declaration made under this Carbon Farming Standard carries the same legal weight, whether it is made via in-person witnessing with a wet-ink signature, remote witnessing with an electronic signature.

If you prefer a specific type of statutory declaration, it's best to discuss this with the other person when making the request. However, the declarant has the right to make a declaration in the way they feel most comfortable with.

Accepting a completed statutory declaration

Concerns of false information, fraud or incorrectly-made statutory declarations

If you are concerned that a completed statutory declaration contains false information, was not made by the person who should have completed it or was not made in front of an prescribed person, there are several options to address your concerns:

● You can ask the Technical Governance Committee responsible for the process that the statutory declaration is being used for.

● You can ask the declarant questions about the contents of their statutory declaration.

● Where a witness has been used, you can contact the witness. Witnesses are not required to review a declarant's ID or keep records of any statutory declarations they have witnessed and so they may not able to assist with questions about the declarant.

● You can refuse to accept the statutory declaration.

Intentionally making a false statutory declaration is an offence under all jurisdictions.

If you are concerned that a completed statutory declaration was not made in accordance with the Carbon Farming Standard, you should first review the steps for making a statutory declaration in any of the allowed ways. See about statutory declarations.

We do not provide advice about the conduct of criminal or civil proceedings relating to false or fraudulent statutory declarations.