What does JP mean in Sri Lanka?

JP stands for Justice of the Peace. It is a statutory appointment made by the Minister of Justice under section 45 of the Judicature Act, by notice published in the Gazette. A JP mainly attests signatures, witnesses statutory declarations and certifies copies of documents. It is an unpaid public office, not a job or a judicial post.

How do I apply to become a Justice of the Peace in Sri Lanka?

Apply in writing to the Secretary, Ministry of Justice. The Ministry assesses the application and, if it succeeds, the Minister appoints you by notice in the Gazette. The appointment is not complete until you take the oath or affirmation of office before a judge. Contact the Ministry of Justice for the current form and requirements before applying.

Is a Justice of the Peace the same as a Commissioner for Oaths?

No. They are separate appointments with different requirements. The Ministry of Justice lists them separately, and its Commissioner for Oaths requirements include an enrolment certificate certified by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, which means that appointment is for Attorneys-at-Law. A Justice of the Peace does not have to be a lawyer.

Do I need an MP's recommendation to become a JP?

The Judicature Act does not require one. A recommendation from a Member of Parliament is widely described as part of how applications are supported in practice, but it is not a statutory condition of appointment. Ask the Ministry of Justice what it currently requires rather than assuming.

Is a Sri Lankan JP appointment valid across the whole country?

Not always. Section 45(2) of the Judicature Act lets the Minister appoint a person as a Justice of the Peace either for the whole Republic or for a particular administrative district. Check which applies to your appointment, because it determines where your attestation is valid.

How long does a Justice of the Peace appointment last?

There is no fixed term written into section 45. In practice the appointment continues while the holder remains of good standing, and it can be revoked. Treat any specific expiry period quoted online with caution unless it is on your own appointment letter.

How to Become a Justice of the Peace in Sri Lanka (JP Application)

A Justice of the Peace in Sri Lanka is appointed by the Minister of Justice, by notice published in the Gazette, under section 45 of the Judicature Act. You apply in writing to the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice. If the appointment is made, it is not complete until you take an oath or affirmation of office before a judge.

That last step is the one most guides leave out, and it is statutory rather than a formality.

What JP means

JP stands for Justice of the Peace. It is an unpaid public office, not a job, a salary or a judicial position. A JP does not sit in court or decide cases.

The everyday functions are:

attesting signatures on documents;
witnessing statutory declarations and affidavits;
certifying copies of original documents as true copies.

People often need a JP for bank paperwork, visa and immigration documents, pension and grant applications, and school or land records.

Who appoints a JP, and under what law

The governing provision is section 45 of the Judicature Act. Three parts of it matter to an applicant.

Section 45(2) — appointment by the Minister. The Minister may “from time to time by notice published in the Gazette, appoint such persons as shall be named in such notice to be Justices of the Peace for the Republic of Sri Lanka or for any administrative district as to the Minister shall seem expedient.”

Two things follow. The appointment happens through a Gazette notice, not a letter alone. And it may be island-wide or limited to one administrative district — worth confirming, because it sets the geographic limit of your authority.

Section 45(1) — people who are JPs automatically. The President, the Speaker of Parliament, Ministers of State and the officers listed in the Fifth Schedule to the Act are ex officio Justices of the Peace. They hold the office by virtue of their post and do not apply for it.

Section 45(4) — the oath. Every appointed JP “shall take and subscribe or make and subscribe an oath or affirmation of office” before a Judge of the High Court, District Judge, Judge of the Family Court, Judge of the Small Claims Court, Magistrate or Judge of the Primary Court. The judge records it and sends a copy to the Registrar of the Supreme Court. This subsection was replaced by Act No. 34 of 2022, so older guides may list a narrower set of judges before whom the oath can be taken.

Eligibility

The Act does not set out a checklist of personal qualifications for an ordinary JP appointment — it leaves the choice to the Minister. What is consistently expected of applicants is:

Sri Lankan citizenship;
good character and standing, with no criminal record;
a record of service or standing in the community that gives the Minister a reason to appoint you.

You do not need to be a lawyer to become a JP. That requirement belongs to a different appointment (see below).

How to apply

Write to the Secretary, Ministry of Justice, applying for appointment as a Justice of the Peace.
Provide your supporting material — identity, proof of residence, and evidence of your standing or community service.
The Ministry assesses the application, which may include character and background checks.
If appointed, your name appears in a Gazette notice and the Ministry issues an appointment letter under the hand of the Secretary.
Take the oath or affirmation before a judge. Until this is done the appointment is not operative.
Apply for the JP identity card. The Ministry issues these separately and asks for a copy of the appointment letter and a copy of the oath or affirmation recorded by the court.

The Ministry of Justice publishes the current forms and requirements on its statutory appointments pages. Confirm the present process with the Ministry directly before submitting anything, because administrative requirements change more often than the statute does.

On the “MP recommendation”

Many sources state that an application must carry a recommendation from a Member of Parliament. Section 45 imposes no such requirement. A recommendation is widely described as how applications are supported in practice, and a backer of standing plainly helps, but it is not a statutory condition and it should not be presented as one. Ask the Ministry what it currently expects.

JP, Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public are not the same

This is the most common confusion, and picking the wrong one wastes an application.

Appointment	Who can hold it	Typical function
Justice of the Peace	A citizen of good standing; no legal qualification needed	Attesting signatures, statutory declarations, certifying copies
Commissioner for Oaths	Requires an enrolment certificate certified by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, per the Ministry’s stated documents — that is, an Attorney-at-Law	Administering oaths and affirmations
Notary Public	A separately qualified and licensed notary	Executing deeds and formal instruments, mainly for property and commercial transactions
Unofficial Magistrate	A JP who is an Attorney-at-Law, appointed under section 45(3)	Holds Magistrates’ Court powers except hearing, trying or determining criminal cases

If you are not a lawyer, the Justice of the Peace route is the one open to you.

What the appointment does not give you

Worth being clear, because the title sounds grander than the powers:

It is not a judicial appointment. A JP does not hear cases. Only a JP who is an Attorney-at-Law and separately appointed an Unofficial Magistrate gets court powers, and even then not over criminal trials.
It carries no salary or allowance.
It does not authorise you to draft legal documents or give legal advice.
Where the appointment is for one administrative district, it does not extend island-wide.

Keeping the appointment

There is no fixed term in section 45. In practice the office continues while the holder remains in good standing, and it can be revoked for misconduct. A JP is expected to act impartially, to decline attestation where there is a conflict of interest or genuine doubt about identity, and never to certify a document without seeing the original.

Last verified: 3 August 2026 against section 45 of the Judicature Act as amended by Act No. 34 of 2022. This is general information about a statutory appointment process, not legal advice — confirm the current requirements with the Ministry of Justice before applying.