Where can I safely store my original Legal Documents?

Physical Safe Custody Storage Facilities

Australia-wide Facilities

🔒 Commonwealth Bank

Safe Custody Envelope

If you have important Original Legal Documents – like a Will or Power of Attorney – you don’t want to leave lying around the house, the CBA's Safe Custody envelopes let you store these documents safely and securely at one of CBA's branches.

You can access your documents at any time during bank hours.

How much does a safety deposit box cost in australia?

The annual fee for keeping your items in Safe Custody envelopes and/or boxes at a CBA branch is as follows:

🗄 Standard envelope supplied by the Bank - $88 p.a.* per lodgement

🗄 Non-standard envelopes - $198 p.a.* per lodgement

💰 Safe Custody box  - $198 p.a.* per lodgement

State/Territory Specific Solutions

ACT

🔒 A.C.T Supreme Court
[$125 deposit, $46 withdraw. Prices effective as at 1 August 2020];

NSW

🔒NSW Supreme Court

Pursuant to s. 51 of the Succession Act 2006 (NSW) any person may deposit a Will in the office of the Registrar.

The current prescribed fee set by the regulations (as at 1 July 2021) is $137.

🔒 NSW Trustee + Guardian
[$29 one-time fee for a single document; $49 one-time fee for multiple documents. Prices current as at 19 November 2020].

🔒 Custodian Vaults [Sydney, NSW]

"Legal Documents take a considerable amount of effort to draw up, execute and are a costly and sometimes irreplaceable.
Items like deeds, wills, and other legal documents are best stored out of the home and in a secure centralised storage facility. These items are not necessarily best stored in the home safe and in almost all cases best kept offsite.
Custodian vaults offers vaults from $25 per month that will store not only a large quantity of legal paperwork but other personal effects like passports, jewellery and bullion.
Custodian Vaults will offer complimentary insurance up to $10,000 and a nominal amount thereafter. Our insurance is underwritten by Lloyds of London, and is significantly cheaper than any level of house and contents insurance, providing peace of mind as well as in some cases necessary compliance."

 🔒 ARA Security - Safe Custody [Western Sydney, NSW]

ARA Vaults are experts in the secure storage of a highly valuable possessions, such as gold and silver bullion, heirlooms, important documents and data, cryptocurrency (such as Bitcoin) and jewellery.

They provide a range of different Safety Deposit Boxes and Bullion Safes to suit your storage requirements and they offer free unlimited access to your Safety Deposit Box or Bullion Safe at their private, state-of-the-art vault facility in Western Sydney.

Their vault is equipped with highly secure technology and infrastructure, including Iris Biometric identification, to offer world-class security for your most valuable assets, investments and possessions.

NT

🔒 N.T. Public Trustee
[“You can store your Will for free at the Public Trustee office in a specially maintained vault.”];

Victoria

🔒 The Victorian Will + Power of Attorney Registry
[Anyone in Victoria can register information about where they keep their Will + Power of Attorney documents at no charge. There is also the option to physically store originals for free];

WA

🔒 W.A. Will Bank
[Free service operated by the WA Public Trustee];

Queensland

🔒 Reserve Vault [Brisbane, Queensland]

"Secure Document Wallet: Secure document storage held in individual A4 sealed Document Wallet in one of our fire resistance drawer safes. Only $99/year!

🔒 Private Vaults Australia [Redcliffe, Queensland]

Private Vaults Australia chooses  single-use bags manufactured from an opaque COEX material and utilise a high security tamper evident tape (resistant to temperature, moisture, and solvent-based tampering).

The non-see-through nature of the material provides complete privacy making them very discreet.

The bags have writable surfaces and printed with unique serial numbers and have a corresponding barcode for convenience.

Document Storage

SCEC Approved

Features            

  • Serial numbered
  • Entire surface capable of being written on with most markers and pens
  • Tear-off receipt for record keeping
  • Gold level security tape is resistant to temperature, moisture, and solvent-based tampering
  • Material – Polyethylene (PE) plastic
  • Security Closure – X-Safe Level 2

SA + Tasmania

For S.A. + Tasmania
[Contact Us].

Credits:

This FAQ was prepared by Suk Jae Chung | Practical Legal Training (PLT) Placement, Blue Ocean Law Group℠ + James D. Ford GAICD | Principal Solicitor, Blue Ocean Law Group℠.

Important Notice:

This FAQ is intended for general interest + information only.

It is not legal advice, nor should it be relied upon or used as such.

We recommend you always consult a lawyer for legal advice specifically tailored to your needs & circumstances.