A certified copy is a legal document that is a faithful reproduction of the original, often bearing a notary’s stamp or signature. They can be obtained for various reasons, but do not guarantee authenticity. Rules surrounding certified copies vary by region, with the US using notaries and Australia having no government regulations. In the UK, post offices can provide certified copies for a fee.
A certified copy is a duplicate of a legal document validated as a faithful and legally recognized reproduction of the original documentation. The exact details and requirements of a certified copy vary by region, but there are certain factors that apply to nearly any legal document of this type, regardless of geographic location. A certified copy is often a photocopy and bears the stamp and/or signature of a notary or other person representing the entity issuing the document.
Certified copies can be obtained for a variety of reasons. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, school transcripts, and public records are all examples of documents typically obtained in certified copy form. It is important to remember that a certified copy does not mean that the information on the document is correct or authentic; it simply states that the copy is a faithful reproduction of the original document. In other words, if the original document is incorrect, so will the certified copy.
Different places have different rules surrounding certified copies. In the United States, for example, many states allow certified notaries to verify and validate copies as true duplicates of the original. In most states, the notary stamps the copy with a special seal that slightly lifts a small portion of the paper into a unique design. The design usually bears the official seal of the state in which the notary is certified.
There are no government regulations regarding certified copies in Australia. Australians primarily use a certified copy as a way of demonstrating that a photocopy is an accurate reproduction of the original document. Since there are no laws dictating the parameters of a certified copy, they can be acquired with little effort by a variety of administrative offices. A certified copy of identification is one of the most common types of certified copies in Australia.
Even in the UK it is easy to obtain certified copies of identities. Post offices can perform this function and, for a nominal fee, an individual can have up to three copies of legal documentation reviewed, verified and validated. While not all post offices in England can perform this function, many do offer the service and typically advertise this fact. The authorized person will carefully examine both documents, write the words “This copy is a true likeness of the original” on the copy, sign the copy and stamp it.
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