Notary Document Certification

Notaries should know the rules of copy certification.

Notaries are often asked to certify copies of original documents and provide proff of authenticity for those documents. This request is often very tricky, especially since not all documents can be copied and certified by the notary public. It is important for notaries to know the rules governing which documents can be certified in this manner.

What Is Copy Certification?

Copy certification refers to a notary public verifying that a copy of an original document is an authentic duplicate of its original. Documents such as passports, identification cards, and official school records are among the types of documents requested to be certified. However, not all of these documents can be certified by the notary public. Certain documents are restricted from being certified by the notary public. These documents often have a distinctive watermark that is visible when copied. The notary should verify that documents containing this mark can be copy-certified.

Documents Restricted From Certification

Notaries are prohibited from copying documents that are considered public record or are filed in a court. These documents include official copies of birth certificates, death records and marriage licenses. Notaries are also prohibited from certifying copies of school documents such as official transcripts. It is also unlawful to certify copies of immigration documents or any documents pertaining to citizenship or foreign visa status. Certified copies of these types of documents must be received from the place in which the document is recorded to protect the integrity of the original document. Governing offices for these documents have processes in place to provide copies if needed. A notary should refuse to certify a copy of any restricted document.

State Laws and Copy Certification

Notaries should also be aware of state laws prohibiting the copying and certification of certain state documents. Some states do not permit notaries to certify any types of documents. The notary should be familiarized with the laws of that state to prevent violating any of the state's laws. Information pertaining to those restrictions can be obtained from the secretary of state's office where the notary commission was obtained.

Verifying Authenticity

Before certifying any document, the notary should review the original document and ensure the document to be certified is indeed a replica of the original. If an applicant presents a copy of a document, the notary should not automatically assume the copy is authentic. For the notary's protection, the original document should be presented for comparison. If the presenter does not have the original document, the notary can refuse to certify the copy. Once the document has been verified as a true copy, the notary can either affix a seal or certificate attesting to the document's authenticity, along with the notary's official seal. Unlike affidavits and other types of notarized documents, certified copies do not require the applicant's signature.

For Additional Information

Notaries seeking additional information on document copy and certification can visit the National Notary Association's website at www.nationalnotary.org. Notaries can also contact the National Notary Association for guidance by calling 800-US NOTARY (800-876-6827).

References

• National Notary Association: Copy Conundrums
• National Notary Association: Dealing with Documents