Did you know? Nobody sends an original passport abroad, and no sensible person mails a university degree they spent four years earning. The whole problem is solved by one instrument — a certified true copy, made by a notary public, which travels in place of the original and carries the same weight.
That copy is also what makes a private document eligible for an apostille in the first place. Authorities verify seals and signatures they hold on file; a plain photocopy has neither. The notary’s seal is the hook the entire process hangs on.
This article explains what certified true copies are, how the notarization process works, which documents can and cannot be copied this way, and where notarized copies fit into international document certification.
Need help with document apostille/legalization/authentication/attestation — and/or criminal record check in Canada? Contact us via our form, call us at +1-613-501-0555 (WhatsApp available) or +1-800-857-1215 (toll-free), fax us via 1-844-786-2001, or text us at info@lsccanada.ca.
What Certified True Copies from a Notary Public Are
A certified true copy is a photocopy that a notary has compared against the original and endorsed as an accurate reproduction of the original document. The notarial certificate states that the notary saw the original, that the copy is genuine, and that nobody has been able to alter the copy since.
What it is not: a verification of contents. Certifying a diploma says the copy matches the paper presented. It says nothing about whether the degree was earned, and a notary who claimed otherwise would be exceeding their authority.
Why the Original Document Has to Be Present
This requirement is absolute and explains the whole shape of the appointment. A notary cannot certify from a scan, a photograph or another copy — the original document has to be physically in front of them. It is also the reason certified copies cannot be produced through an online notary service in most of Canada: remote sessions are permitted for affidavits and declarations, not for the physical inspection that certifying true copies requires.
How the Notarization Process Works
The appointment is short when you arrive prepared.
- Bring the original document and government-issued photo identification
- The notary examines the original and compares it against the photocopy
- A notarial certificate is attached, signed and sealed
- The copy is returned to you; the original never leaves your hands
A notary public in Canada is appointed under provincial legislation, and in most provinces the role is held by lawyers and paralegals licensed by the law society, along with certain other appointees. A commissioner for taking affidavits — a related but narrower designation — can administer oaths and take affidavits, but cannot certify a true copy, which is the distinction that matters here.
Documents People Commonly Have Certified
- Passports and other photo identification
- Diplomas, degrees and academic transcripts
- Birth certificates and other registry records, where the receiving party accepts copies
- Wills and estate documents
- A power of attorney, before it is sent overseas
- Corporate records held in a single original
Need help with document apostille/legalization/authentication/attestation — and/or criminal record check in Canada? Contact us via our form, call us at +1-613-501-0555 (WhatsApp available) or +1-800-857-1215 (toll-free), fax us via 1-844-786-2001, or text us at info@lsccanada.ca.
Where Notarized Copies Fit in the Apostille Process
A wooden stamp rests on an open legal document with German text. The stamp has three labels reading Original, Kopie, and Durchschrift. The page contains legal sections and headings in German.
An apostille certifies the origin of a signature and seal, not the content beneath it. That means a document must carry a signature the issuing authority can verify. Government records already do. Private paperwork does not — until a notary signs it.
So the certification process runs: notarization first, authentication second. And because authorities verify the notary’s specimen signature against their own register, the notary’s province determines which office handles the file. Notarize in Ontario, and the file goes to Ontario, whatever province you live in and wherever the original was issued.
That fact has a practical consequence. Ontario is the only authority in the country that issues certificates over the counter, usually within a few hours, while the federal office takes about 20 business days and British Columbia four to six weeks. A notarized copy made in Ontario therefore reaches certification faster than the same document handled anywhere else.
Two Cautions
- Not every institution accepts copies. Some embassies and consulates require the original with a wet seal. Ask in writing before choosing this route, because the answer varies by country and by document.
- Vital records are usually excluded. Notarized copies of Canadian birth, marriage and death certificates are generally not accepted for authentication; the original from the provincial registry is required.
What Cannot Be Certified
- Documents already in copy form, where no original can be produced
- Records the notary has reason to believe have been altered
- Vital records, for authentication purposes in most cases
- Anything intended to mislead — a notary who suspects this will decline, and should
A notary is not obliged to certify anything. Where the original looks tampered with, where the person presenting it cannot be identified, or where the purpose seems improper, refusal is the correct professional response.
Copies, Affidavits and the Difference Between Them
Two notarial acts are frequently confused, and the distinction decides which one you need.
Certifying a copy is a comparison exercise: the notary looks at the original and confirms the reproduction matches. Nobody swears to anything, and no statement of fact is made about the contents.
An affidavit is the opposite. You swear or affirm that a written statement is true, the notary administers the oath, and the resulting document is your evidence rather than a copy of somebody else’s. Foreign institutions sometimes ask for an affidavit confirming that a copy is genuine, which combines the two — and, unlike certifying a copy, that version can often be commissioned remotely because the notary is witnessing a signature rather than inspecting an original.
If the instruction you received says “notarized copy” but the form provided contains a sworn statement, ask before the appointment. Turning up with the wrong expectation costs a second visit.
Practical Advice Before Your Appointment
- Confirm with the receiving institution whether a copy is acceptable, before paying for anything
- Bring valid, unexpired photo identification
- Have the photocopy made in advance, and check that every page is legible
- Ask for more copies than you need; certifying five at one appointment costs far less than returning twice
- Keep multi-page documents fastened; loose pages are refused at the next stage
What a Notarial Certificate Contains
The wording varies between provinces, but the substance does not. A notarial certificate identifies the notary, records the date and place, states that the original document was produced and examined, confirms that the attached reproduction is a complete and accurate copy, and carries the notary’s signature alongside an embossed or inked seal.
That seal is the operative part. Authorities hold specimen signatures and seals on file, and verification is a matter of comparing what arrives against what is registered. A notary whose specimen has never been filed, or who has changed their seal without updating the register, produces documents that cannot be verified — and an unverifiable seal stops the file regardless of how correct everything else is.
Keeping Copies Usable
Certified copies do not formally expire, but institutions treat them as they see fit, and many decline anything older than six or twelve months for identity documents. Where a passport has been renewed since the copy was made, expect it to be refused outright.
Two habits save repeat appointments. Have several copies certified at the same sitting, since the marginal cost is small and a second visit is not. And keep the certified copies flat, fastened and unlaminated — the same physical conditions that apply at every later stage of the process apply to the copy from the moment it is made.
Need Help With Notarization and Certification?
Since 2009, Legalization Service Centre has assisted clients with apostille, authentication and legalization of Canadian documents. With more than 15 years of experience, our team knows which authorities accept notarized copies and which insist on originals — a question worth settling before a document is prepared rather than after it is refused.
Get Your Documents Ready for International Use
A copy certified by a notary public protects the original, satisfies most foreign institutions, and turns private paperwork into something an authority can certify. It is the smallest step in the process and quietly the most important.
Whether you need notarization, an apostille, a certified translation, or a Canadian criminal record check, Legalization Service Centre can guide you through every stage.
Need help with document apostille/legalization/authentication/attestation — and/or criminal record check in Canada? Contact us via our form, call us at +1-613-501-0555 (WhatsApp available) or +1-800-857-1215 (toll-free), fax us via 1-844-786-2001, or text us at info@lsccanada.ca.