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The Laws of Zambia

Copyright Ministry of Legal Affairs, Government of the Republic of Zambia

REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

THE AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS ACT

CHAPTER 75 OF THE LAWS OF ZAMBIA

CHAPTER 75 THE AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS ACT

THE AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS ACT

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1. Short title

2. Interpretation

3. How documents executed outside Zambia are to be authenticated

4. Authentication by magistrate in Her Britannic Majesty's dominions

5. Saving as to affidavit sworn before a Commissioner of the High Court

CHAPTER 75

The Laws of Zambia

Copyright Ministry of Legal Affairs, Government of the Republic of Zambia

AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS

An Act to provide for the authentication of documents; and to provide for matters
incidental to or connected with the foregoing.

[21st February, 1914]

1 of 1914
42 of 1957
57 of 1964
Government Notices
222 of 1964
497 of 1964
Statutory Instrument
72 of 1964

1. This Act may be cited as the Authentication of Documents Act. Short title

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires- Interpretation

"authentication", when applied to a document, means the verification of any
signature thereon;

"document" means any deed, contract, power of attorney, affidavit, or other writing,
but does not include an affidavit sworn before a Commissioner of the High
Court.

(As amended by S.I. No. 72 of 1964)

3. Any document executed outside Zambia shall be deemed to be sufficiently
authenticated for the purpose of use in Zambia if-

(a) in the case of a document executed in Great Britain or Ireland it be duly
authenticated by a notary public under his signature and seal of office;

(b) in the case of a document executed in any part of Her Britannic Majesty's
dominions outside the United Kingdom it be duly authenticated by the
signature and seal of office of the mayor of any town or of a notary public or
of the permanent head of any Government Department in any such part of
Her Britannic Majesty's dominions;

(c) in the case of document executed in any of Her Britannic Majesty's
territories or protectorates in Africa it be duly authenticated by the signature
and seal of office of any notary, magistrate, permanent head of a
Government Department, Resident Commissioner or Assistant
Commissioner in or of any such territory or protectorate;

(d) in the case of a document executed in any place outside Her Britannic
Majesty's dominions (hereinafter referred to as a "foreign place") it be duly
authenticated by the signature and seal of office-

How documents
executed outside
Zambia are to be
authenticated

(i) of a British Consul-General, Consul or Vice-Consul in such
foreign place; or

(ii) of any Secretary of State, Under-Secretary of State, Governor,
Colonial Secretary, or of any other person in such foreign place who
shall be shown by the certificate of a Consul or Vice-Consul of such
foreign place in Zambia to be duly authorised under the law of such
foreign place to authenticate such document.

(As amended by No. 42 of 1957, G.N. No. 222 of 1964 and S.I. No. 72 of 1964)

The Laws of Zambia

Copyright Ministry of Legal Affairs, Government of the Republic of Zambia

4. Notwithstanding anything in the last preceding section contained, it shall be
sufficient authentication of a document executed in any part of Her Britannic Majesty's
dominions for use in Zambia which affects or relates to property not exceeding in value or
amount four hundred kwacha if there be appended to or endorsed on such document a
statement signed by a magistrate of the part of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions in which
such document is executed-

(a) that the person executing such document is a person known to him; or

(b) that two other persons known to him have severally testified before him that
the person executing such document is a person known to each of them.

(As amended by S.I. No. 72 of 1964)

Authentication by
magistrate in Her
Britannic Majesty's
dominions

5. An affidavit sworn before and attested by a Commissioner of the High Court
beyond the confines of Zambia shall require no further authentication and may be used in
all cases and matters in which affidavits are admissible as freely as if it had been duly
made and sworn to within Zambia.

(As amended by S.I. No. 72 of 1964)

Saving as to affidavit
sworn before a
Commissioner of the
High Court