Certified True Copies in Australia: When You Need a Notary

You need a notarial certified true copy when the receiving authority specifies a notary or when an ordinary copy must become eligible for DFAT legalisation. A JP or another authorised person may be enough for many Australian purposes, while some recipients want the issuer's own copy or a scan instead. Ask who must certify it before booking.

Key takeaways

• In Australia, "certified copy" and "certified true copy" mean the same thing. What differs is who certified it.
• There are three kinds: the issuer's own copy, a copy certified by an authorised person such as a JP, and a notarial certified true copy.
• DFAT cannot legalise a copy certified only by a JP. Many ordinary copies must be notarised, while eligible original Australian public documents may go to DFAT directly.
• For many online visa applications, Home Affairs wants clear colour scans of originals, not certified copies at all.
• A certified true copy says the copy matches the original. It never says the contents are true.

What can “certified copy” mean?

A certified true copy is a copy of a document that someone authorised has compared with the original and endorsed as a faithful reproduction. The word "true" adds nothing you can act on. An instruction to provide a certified copy can mean three quite different things, and only one of them needs a notary. Working out which one the receiver means is the whole decision.

1. The issuer's own certified copy. The body that holds the record produces the copy itself. A registry certificate is, in form, the registrar certifying what is recorded in the register. A court can issue a sealed copy of its own order. Universities issue certified transcripts. No third party is involved, and no original needs to be shown to anyone, because the issuer holds the record.

2. A copy certified by an authorised person. Someone from a prescribed class compares your photocopy with the original and endorses it as a true copy. Justices of the Peace, solicitors, pharmacists, police officers and a range of other occupations commonly appear on these lists. The list is set by whoever is asking, and it differs between bodies and between states and territories, so a rule for certified copies in NSW is not necessarily the rule in Victoria.

3. A notarial certified true copy. A notary public compares the copy with the original and certifies the comparison under a notarial certificate. This is commonly requested for overseas use. DFAT's current document legalisation guidance says it cannot legalise a document certified only by a JP; many copies instead need an Australian notary's act before DFAT can legalise them.

The practical differences

	Issuer's certified copy	Authorised-person copy	Notarial certified true copy
Produced by	The registry, court, university or agency holding the record	JP or another authorised occupation	Notary public
Original must be shown	No	Yes	Yes
Accepted in Australia	Yes	Yes, if the certifier is on the receiver's list	Yes, though often more than needed
Accepted overseas	Depends on the receiver and any legalisation required	Only if the receiver accepts that certifier	Commonly requested; acceptance still belongs to the receiver
DFAT can act on it	Some public documents directly; confirm with DFAT	No	Yes
Cost	The issuer's fee	Often free	The notary's fee

When do you need a notary—and when do you not?

You need a notarial certified true copy when the overseas receiver specifies a notary or when DFAT legalisation of an ordinary copy is required. A foreign body may accept another certifier directly, but DFAT will not legalise a document certified only by a JP. Ask whether the receiver wants a notarised copy, an issuer-produced copy, an original, or simply a scan. See notary or JP.

You probably do not need a notary when the copy stays in Australia. An Australian bank, employer, school or agency will usually accept an authorised person's certification, and many publish a list of who qualifies. A notarial certificate buys nothing extra there.

For Australian visa and citizenship applications, follow the checklist for the particular application. Home Affairs uses online uploads for many processes and some guidance expressly says documents submitted online do not need certification. Requirements can differ by visa and by a later request, so do not treat that as a universal rule. See current Home Affairs application guidance before paying anyone to certify a copy.

How can you tell which copy the receiver wants?

Read the instruction for clues:

• "Issued by", "sealed copy", "certified extract", "obtained from the registry": they want the issuer's copy. A notary cannot produce this, and a notarised photocopy will not substitute for it.
• An Australian receiver, often with a list of acceptable occupations: an authorised person will do. Check your certifier is on the list.
• A foreign receiver, or words like "notarised copy", "notarially certified", "attested copy", "apostilled copy" or "legalised copy": they want the notarial version, followed by whatever authentication their country requires.

If the instruction is simply "certified copy" with no context, ask the receiver in writing two questions: who must certify it, and does it have to come from the issuing body?

How does a notary certify a copy?

1. You bring the original document, with every page, and current photo ID.
2. The notary, or their staff under supervision, makes or checks the copy against the original, page by page.
3. The notary endorses each copy, or attaches a certificate, stating that it is a true copy of the original they sighted, under signature and seal.
4. The notary completes the records required for the act and their professional practice.
5. If the receiver requires legalisation, the eligible certified copy goes to DFAT for the specified apostille or authentication.

If you need several copies of the same document, ask for them at the same appointment; each is usually a separate notarial act. See multiple certified copies.

Certified copy of a passport

Passports are the document people most often need certified. For a domestic purpose, an authorised person's certification of the photo page is usually enough. For overseas use, a notary certifies a copy of the relevant pages from your original passport, which you must bring. A notary will not certify a copy from a scan or from someone else's photocopy. Ask the receiver whether it wants the photo page only, or every page including blank ones. See notarising a passport copy.

Birth certificates, degrees and other public documents

A birth certificate is a registry document. For overseas use, you may not need a notarised copy at all: DFAT can legalise many original Australian registry certificates directly, including commemorative birth certificates. DFAT will not accept a laminated, framed or altered certificate. If you do need a copy rather than the original, a notary can certify a copy of the original certificate, which DFAT can then authenticate. Confirm with DFAT and the receiver which they prefer. See certified copies of birth certificates.

University documents have their own rule. DFAT legalises an original degree or transcript once the university has verified it. A notarised copy must also be verified with the university, and the notary's certificate must say that the original record was verified with the issuing institution. A plain true-copy certificate does not satisfy DFAT. See certified copies of a university degree. Foreign education documents cannot be legalised in Australia at all, even when an Australian notary has copied them.

"True" does not mean the contents are true

A certified true copy says the copy faithfully reproduces the source the certifier examined. That act does not by itself establish that every fact in the source is correct. If a receiver wants facts stated on oath or affirmation, it may instead request a declaration or affidavit; obtain the receiver's wording and legal advice where the document has legal consequences.

Where people go wrong

• Certifying a copy of a copy. A photocopy of a certified copy is an uncertified photocopy. Go back to the original.
• Assuming a video call is enough. A true-copy act requires a valid comparison with the source document. The notary must decide whether the source is an original paper or eligible electronic document and whether the particular process is legally and professionally permitted; the receiver must accept the result. See online certified copies.
• Taking a JP-certified copy overseas. DFAT does not authenticate JP certifications.
• Certifying when the receiver wanted a fresh issue. Some receivers set an age limit on civil documents. A newly certified copy of an old certificate is still an old certificate.

Here is an illustration, not a real case

A nurse in Brisbane is applying for registration overseas. The overseas regulator asks for "certified copies" of her passport, her Australian degree and her Queensland birth certificate. Rather than take all three to a JP, she asks the regulator who must certify them. It wants notarised copies with apostilles. She arranges the university's verification first, then attends a notary with her passport, her original degree and her birth certificate. The notary certifies the passport pages, and certifies the degree copy with a statement that the original was verified with the university. For the birth certificate, DFAT confirms it can apostille the original directly, so she sends that instead. Asking one question saved her a set of JP copies that would have been refused.

How much does a notarised certified true copy cost?

There is no single national price. A quote can depend on the document type, the number of originals, copies and pages, special certificate wording, issuer verification and the number of notarial acts. Extra signers, mobile travel, after-hours attendance and waiting time can also matter. DFAT legalisation, embassy work, translation, courier delivery and additional copies should be identified separately. Send the complete instructions and documents when asking about document notarisation and requesting a written quote.

In short

Find out who must certify the copy. For Australian use, a JP or other authorised person is usually enough, and Home Affairs often wants only scans. For overseas use, you need a notarial certified true copy made from the original, then a DFAT apostille or authentication, unless the receiver wants the issuer's own copy or DFAT can act on the original directly.

Related questions

• Should a notary or JP certify my copy?
• Why does a notary need to see the original?
• How do I certify an academic transcript for overseas use?
• Can I get certified copies while living overseas?
• Which documents can DFAT apostille without a notary?

Not sure which kind of certified copy you have been asked for? Send us the instruction you received, and we will explain each step before you book.