How do you certify a document as a true copy?
Asked by: Lelah Lehner | Last update: February 9, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (9 votes)
To certify a document as a true copy, you must present the original document and a photocopy to an authorized official (like a Notary Public, lawyer, or government official) who compares them, then signs and stamps the copy with a statement confirming it's an exact replica of the original, ensuring the certifier's details and date are included. The process verifies the copy's authenticity, not the content's truthfulness.
How to certify a true copy of a document?
Certified True Copy Certification
- Secure and fill out application form.
- Submit duly accomplished form and attach the other supporting documents.
- Wait for the issuance of Order of Payment Slip (OPS).
- Pay the corresponding fees.
How to make a true copy of a document?
How Is a True Copy of a Document Certified? To have a copy of a document certified, you must meet with an authorized official, such as a notary public. You'll bring your original document and a copy of it with you, and the notary will compare the original to the photocopy.
What is a certified true copy example?
Signature of Certifying Official –The certifier's signature, which usually includes their full name, title, and date of certification. Statement of Certification – A written declaration (e.g., “I certify this is a true copy of the original”) confirming the copy matches the original exactly.
How to certify an original copy?
Single-page documents must have the following written on them by an authorised officer.
- This statement: 'I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original'
- The date.
- The authorised officer's signature.
- The authorised officer's name.
- The authorised officer's contact phone number.
How to Certify a Copy of a Document
How do you certify as a true copy of the original?
How to certify a document. Take the photocopied document and the original and ask the person to certify the copy by: writing 'Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me' on the document. signing and dating it.
How to certify a copy of an original document?
What is the document certification process?
- Obtain a copy. Start by making a photocopy or digital copy of the original document. ...
- Find a notary or other authorized person. ...
- In-person verification. ...
- Certification statement. ...
- Seal or stamp. ...
- Documentation. ...
- Use in official contexts.
What is the difference between a certified copy and a certified true copy?
Unlike certified true copies, which are the original documents, certified copies are a set of documents which have been verified and certified to be true copies of the original document.
How to prove certified copy?
Production of Certified Copy:
90 of Evidence Act, regarding the genuineness or execution, although, the certified copy may be used to prove the contents of the document. Mere production of a certified copy of the registered document would not amount to proving the original deed by way of secondary evidence.
Is a copy of a notarized document as good as the original?
Copies of notarized documents can be accepted. However, if there is a hint that the copy of a notarized document is tempered with – it won't be accepted.
Who can certify true copy?
Notaries public, qualified lawyers appointed to witness the signing of documents and certify copies as true, play a crucial role in providing notarial services.
What does a certified copy look like?
A typical certificate endorsed on the photocopy, often typed or stamped except for the signature: CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF THE ORIGINAL I certify that this is a true copy of the original document.
What is the difference between original copy and true copy?
A certified true copy only counts when it has been verified, stamped, and signed by a practicing professional such as an accountant or lawyer, etc. A certified true copy only verifies that it is an accurate copy of the original document, but cannot verify the original's authenticity.
Where can I do certified true copy?
Request for certified true copies of records/documents at the Office for Legal Affairs may be filed anytime either by walk-in or online requests. Clients can download the said form and send it to ola.records@csc.gov.ph.
Is a notarized copy the same as certified?
A notarized copy of a document and a certified true copy is the same. Although certified copies often refer to the copies of vital records and documents, such as birth certificates, which you can obtain only from the county clerk, the terms notarized and certified copies of documents are used interchangeably.
Who can certify a document and how do they do it?
Copies of documents can be certified by one of the following people:
- Accountants.
- Armed Forces Officer.
- Bank/Building Society Official.
- Commissioner of Oaths.
- Councillor (local or county)
- FCA regulated person.
- FCA regulated financial services intermediary (e.g. stockbroker or insurance broker)
Is a certified copy of a document as good as the original?
A certified copy is legally considered as valid as the original for most official purposes because it's an exact replica verified by an authorized official (like a notary or clerk) with a signature and seal, confirming it's a true and accurate reproduction, but it's not the actual original document; some rare situations might still demand the physical original.
How to make an xerox copy to an original document?
To make a copy:
- Load your original documents. ...
- At the printer control panel, press the Home button.
- Touch Copy. ...
- To clear previous app settings, touch Reset.
- To enter the number of copies needed, use the numeric keypad.
- Adjust copy settings as needed. ...
- Touch Start.
What is the legal standing of a true copy?
In legal contexts, a true copy is often required to have the same legal effect as the original, especially when the original cannot be presented or is too valuable to be widely circulated.
Is a photocopy the same as a certified copy?
The certification process creates a legal presumption that the document is genuine and hasn't been altered. A regular photocopy, on the other hand, is simply a reproduction you can make at home or any copy center.
How to know certified true copy?
the original signature of the Clerk of Court (or duly authorized deputy); the court's dry seal or an embossed/raised seal; and. a certification phrase such as “Certified true copy issued upon request,” plus the date of issuance.
Can the post office certify a copy?
Certified copies of your important documents
Need to provide photocopies of documents? Get them certified as a true likeness of their originals at selected Post Office branches. Pay a fee for the copies you need and keep the originals. The organisation that requested them gets copies certified by a trusted brand.
How to make a true copy?
Visit the certifier
Bring both the original and a copy of the original to the certifier. You cannot certify a document remotely. The certifier will: examine the original to ensure it is not a copy or forgery.
Where do I make a certified copy?
Only notaries may offer notary services. A notary public can certify a copy of a document. The notary may either attach a separate notarial certificate containing the certification or write the certification on the photocopy itself.