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Justice of the Peace certified copy vs a timestamp: what each one shows

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A JP witnesses signatures and certifies copies. A timestamp dates an exact digital file. They answer different questions, and many people use both.

Your files never leave your computer. With TimeBinder, each file is hashed locally on your own device. Nothing is uploaded or stored by TimeBinder.

Is a JP certified copy the same as a timestamp?

Short answer: no. A Justice of the Peace and a timestamp answer different questions. A JP can witness your statutory declaration, which is your own formal account of what you made and when. A JP can also certify that a copy matches an original they’ve seen. This is useful for identity and paperwork, and in Queensland the service is free. But a certified copy isn’t a record of the exact digital file, and a certified printout can’t show which version of a file existed.

A TimeBind shows that an exact digital file existed no later than a recorded time, and any change to the file gives a different fingerprint. It doesn’t confirm who you are or who made the work. Many people use both: a statutory declaration describing the work, with a timestamp certificate attached. This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, speak to a lawyer in your country. This page uses Queensland sources; JP roles and rules differ between Australian states and territories, so check with your own state’s justice department if you live elsewhere.

What is TimeBinder? TimeBinder is a blockchain timestamping service. It shows that a digital file existed no later than a specific time, and that it still matches its fingerprint, by anchoring the file’s SHA-256 fingerprint to the Bitcoin blockchain. Files are hashed in your browser and never uploaded, and each TimeBind comes with a Proof of Time Certificate that can be checked later. It does not prove who created a file or that its contents are true.

What a JP does in Queensland

The Queensland Government’s page on the services of a JP and Cdec says JPs and Commissioners for Declarations (Cdecs) “volunteer to serve the public by signing documents that need a qualified witness.” It lists what a JP (Qualified) can do, including “witness documents”, “witness statutory declarations”, “witness affidavits” and “certify a true copy of an original document”.

The service is free. The page lists “A free witnessing service”.
“You won’t receive legal advice”. JPs and Cdecs “are not legally qualified to advise you on your legal matter”.
A JP or Cdec “will ensure you understand the document you are bringing” and can refuse to sign if they’re not satisfied.
“A JP or Cdec will not witness a blank document”.

What a certified copy shows

The Queensland JP handbook chapter on certifying copies of documents explains what the JP is saying when they certify:

“You are stating that, in your opinion, the document is a true and complete copy of the original you have sighted. It is not certifying the original document is authentic.”

The JP compares the copy with the original, “making sure there are no alterations”, and endorses it with wording such as: “This is to certify this is a true and complete copy of the original, which I have sighted.” So a certified copy shows that a JP compared this copy with an original on the date they certified it and, in their opinion, the copy matched. It doesn’t show when the original was first made, that the original is genuine, or who created it.

Digital files. The handbook does describe a process for certifying a printed copy of an electronic document or a download from an official website. But the result is still a certified copy, and a certified copy isn’t a record of the exact digital file: it doesn’t let you later check whether a file on your computer is the same file, byte for byte. Queensland’s online witnessing service also excludes “certifying copies of documents”. If you need a digital file certified, ask the JP what they can do.

Statutory declarations: your formal statement, witnessed

The Queensland Government describes a statutory declaration as “a written statement that is declared to be true and correct in the presence of an authorised witness.” It adds: “Knowingly making a false statement in a statutory declaration can be a criminal offence.”

That makes a statutory declaration a serious document. It’s a good way to set out who says what: for example, that you wrote a manuscript, when you started it, and who you shared it with. But it’s still your own account. The JP witnesses you making the declaration. They don’t check that the facts in it are true, and they don’t examine any digital file you describe.

What a timestamp shows, and what it doesn’t

What it shows

That an exact file existed no later than the time recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain
That the file you have now still matches its fingerprint: change one character and the fingerprint changes
Up to 10 files in one TimeBind. Pooled TimeBinds (1 Token) are batched, usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity; ASAP TimeBinds (3 Tokens) get their own Bitcoin transaction

What it doesn’t show

Who you are: nobody checks your identity
Who made the file or who owns it
That the contents are true or original, or whether AI was used
It doesn’t witness a signature, and it can’t replace a certified copy where an organisation asks for one
How a court or anyone else will treat it

Pooled TimeBinds are verified through TimeBinder. ASAP TimeBinds can also be verified independently, from the certificate and the public Bitcoin blockchain. Checking is always free. TimeBinder works out a hash (a fingerprint of the file) on your device; your file is never uploaded. For a plain-English look, see blockchain timestamp evidence explained.

When a JP certified copy beats a timestamp (and when it doesn’t)

A JP is the better fit when

An organisation asks for a certified copy. A timestamp isn’t a substitute
You need a signature witnessed or someone present to see you sign
You need a formal statement of facts, such as a statutory declaration or affidavit
Your identity matters to the person receiving the document

A timestamp is the better fit when

You need to show that an exact digital file, such as a manuscript, design, photo, code or PDF, existed by a certain time
You want to date many versions of a file as you go, without an appointment each time
The question is “which version existed, and when?” rather than “who signed this?”

Using a JP and a timestamp together

They work well side by side, because each covers what the other can’t.

Timestamp the exact files first, for example your manuscript and early drafts.
Prepare a statutory declaration describing the work in your own words: what it is, when you made it, and which files you timestamped.
Attach the timestamp certificate as an exhibit or annexure, if the receiving organisation allows it.
Sign the declaration in front of a JP or Cdec.

The declaration explains, and the timestamp dates the exact files. Ask the organisation you’re dealing with what format it needs, and get legal advice if the matter is contested. This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, speak to a lawyer in your country.

Justice of the Peace certified copy vs timestamp: side by side

	JP certified copy	Statutory declaration (JP-witnessed)	Timestamp (TimeBind)
Confirms identity of the person	Indirectly	Yes. The witness must take reasonable steps to verify identity	No
Works with an exact digital file	Not really. The result is a certified copy	Describes it in words	Yes
Independent date	The date of certification	The date of signing	No later than the recorded Bitcoin time
Shows who made the work	No	It’s your formal claim	No
Shows the contents are true	No	It’s your statement that they are	No
Cost in Queensland	Free	Free (JP or Cdec witness)	Free plan: 1 Token a month. Paid Tokens priced in USD
Needs an appointment or visit	Yes, in person	Yes, in person or online with an approved witness	No
Better fit when	An official asks for certified copies	You need a formal statement of facts	You need to show an exact file existed by a date

Queensland sources checked on 30 October 2026. Founders protecting a plan before a pitch: see how to protect a business idea in Australia.

How to timestamp a file with TimeBinder

Three steps. Submitting takes a few minutes; a Pooled TimeBind is usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity, and ASAP is faster.

Drop your files
Add up to 10 files per TimeBind. Any file type and size works.
manuscript.docx · design.pdf
Hashed on your computer
Your browser works out a unique SHA-256 fingerprint for each file. Nothing is uploaded. The files never leave your device and TimeBinder never stores them.
fingerprint 9f2c…41ab · file stays with you
Sealed to Bitcoin
The fingerprints are anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain: ASAP (your own transaction, sent straight away) or Pooled (usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity). You get a Proof of Time Certificate, a PDF with a QR code and the Bitcoin transaction ID.
✓ sealed · certificate ready

Timestamp a file →

JP certified copy vs timestamp: FAQ

Can a JP certify a digital file?

In Queensland, the JP handbook describes how JPs can certify a printed copy of an electronic document or download. A certified copy isn’t a record of the exact digital file. Online witnessing in Queensland doesn’t include certifying copies. Ask the JP what they can do for your document.

Is a statutory declaration evidence of when I created something?

It’s your formal written statement, made in front of an authorised witness. Queensland says knowingly making a false statement in one “can be a criminal offence”. But it’s still your own account. A timestamp can sit alongside it to date the exact files. This is general information, not legal advice.

Is a JP the same as a notary?

No, they’re different roles. If a document is going overseas, ask the receiving organisation what kind of witness it needs. See blockchain timestamp vs notary for how notaries compare with timestamps.

Do JPs charge in Queensland?

No. The Queensland Government lists “A free witnessing service” among what to expect from a JP or Cdec.

Should I use both?

Often it’s sensible. The statutory declaration explains the facts in your words, and the timestamp dates the exact file.

What does a TimeBind cost?

The Free plan includes 1 Token a month, enough for one Pooled TimeBind of up to 10 files. An ASAP TimeBind costs 3 Tokens. Paid plans and extra Tokens are priced in US dollars, and checking a TimeBind is free.

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Date the exact file, then explain it

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