Notarial Copy or Certified Copy: What Is the Difference?

A certified copy is a photocopy that an authorised person, such as a Justice of the Peace, confirms matches the original, usually for use within Australia. A notarial copy is certified by a notary public, with a signed and sealed notarial certificate, and is the form most foreign authorities expect. Only the notarial copy can usually be apostilled by DFAT.

Key takeaways

• A certified copy is usually for use in Australia, and can be certified by many people, such as a JP.
• A notarial copy is certified by a notary public and is designed for use overseas.
• DFAT generally will not apostille a copy certified by a JP; a copy for use abroad usually needs a notary.
• Both confirm that a copy matches the original; neither confirms the original is genuine.
• The receiving body decides which it accepts, so ask first.

What is a certified copy?

In everyday Australian use, a certified copy is a photocopy of a document that an authorised person has compared with the original and signed as a true copy. The person usually writes a short statement, such as "I certify that this is a true copy of the original document sighted by me", followed by their signature, name, qualification and the date. Many agencies, banks, universities and employers ask for certified copies instead of originals.

The list of people who can certify copies depends on who is asking. Commonwealth agencies and many state bodies accept copies certified by a Justice of the Peace, a lawyer, a police officer, a pharmacist and a range of other professionals. The receiving body usually says who it will accept. There is no seal and, usually, no formal certificate, just the certifier's statement on the copy.

What is a notarial copy?

A notarial copy is a copy certified by a notary public. The notary compares the copy with the original, then attaches or endorses a formal notarial certificate stating that the copy is a true copy, signed and sealed with the notary's official seal. The certificate usually identifies the document, records that the notary sighted the original, and may be bound to the copy with ribbon or an eyelet so pages cannot be swapped.

Notaries are appointed to prepare documents for use overseas, and their signatures and seals are recorded with DFAT. That is why foreign courts, registries and embassies commonly expect a notarial copy rather than a JP's certified copy: the notary's signature can be checked and apostilled. Our guide to certified true copies by a notary explains the process in more detail.

What are the main differences?

The two look similar at first glance, because both are copies with a signature confirming they match the original. The differences are in who certifies, what form the certification takes, and where the copy can be used. The table sets them side by side.

Feature	Certified copy	Notarial copy
Who certifies	JP, lawyer, police officer, pharmacist and others	A notary public
Form	Short statement written or stamped on the copy	Formal notarial certificate, signed and sealed
Usual use	Australian agencies, banks, universities	Foreign courts, registries, embassies
Apostille	Generally not accepted by DFAT	DFAT can apostille the notary's signature
Binding	Usually each page signed	Often bound with ribbon or eyelet
Cost	Often free with a JP	A notary charges a professional fee

Which one do you need?

The answer depends almost entirely on where the copy is going. If an Australian bank, government agency, employer or university wants a certified copy, a JP or other authorised witness is usually enough, and it is usually the cheaper option. Check the body's own list of who it accepts, because some are stricter than others.

If the copy is going overseas, a notarial copy is usually the safer choice. Foreign bodies often cannot verify a JP's signature, and DFAT generally does not apostille or authenticate a JP-certified copy. A notary's signature and seal can be checked against DFAT's records, and then apostilled for countries in the Hague Apostille Convention. Our guide to a notary or a Justice of the Peace covers the wider difference between the two roles.

Can a JP-certified copy be used overseas?

Sometimes. A few foreign bodies accept a JP-certified copy for informal purposes, such as an initial application or a membership, especially if they only want to see the document rather than rely on it legally. But most foreign courts, registries and embassies want a copy they can verify, and a JP's signature is not recorded anywhere a foreign body can check.

The bigger problem is the apostille. DFAT can only apostille or authenticate signatures it can verify, such as those of notaries and certain Australian officials. A copy certified only by a JP generally cannot be apostilled, so if the foreign body later asks for an apostille, you will need to start again with a notary. Getting a notarial copy first often saves time. For more, see which documents can be apostilled in Australia.

Does either copy prove the original is genuine?

No. Both a certified copy and a notarial copy confirm only that the copy matches the document the certifier was shown. Neither the JP nor the notary is confirming that the original is authentic, was lawfully issued, or is still current. A notary may note any obvious concerns, and may decline to certify a copy of a document that looks altered, but the certificate is about the copy, not the original.

If a foreign body needs to know the original itself is genuine, the usual route is an apostille on the original public document, such as a birth certificate or police check, rather than on a copy. Our guide to originals versus copies explains when a foreign body wants the original and when a copy is enough.

How do you get a notarial copy?

1. Confirm what the foreign body wants: a notarial copy, and whether it also needs an apostille or translation.
2. Bring the original to the notary; a copy of a copy is usually not enough.
3. Bring your identification, as the notary will usually record who presented the document.
4. Tell the notary how many copies you need, since each is certified separately.
5. Arrange the apostille through DFAT if the destination requires one.

What about multiple copies and multi-page documents?

Each notarial copy is a separate certified document. If a foreign body wants three certified copies of a degree, the notary prepares three, each with its own certificate, and each would need its own apostille if one is required. Before you book, ask the foreign body exactly how many it needs; ordering extras later means another appointment. Our guide to multiple certified copies has more on this.

For multi-page documents, such as a contract, transcript or company constitution, notaries usually bind the pages together with ribbon or an eyelet and seal across the join, so pages cannot be removed or added. A JP, by contrast, usually signs each page. If a foreign body wants a multi-page document certified, a bound notarial copy is often what it expects.

What about translated documents?

Translations add a layer. If a document is not in the language of the destination country, the foreign body may want a translation as well as a copy. A NAATI-certified translation is widely accepted in Australia, but a foreign body may want the translator's signature notarised, or a notarial copy of both the original and the translation bound together. Some countries want the translation done by a sworn translator in their own country instead, after the apostille is added.

Ask the foreign body which order it wants: copy, translation, then apostille, or copy, apostille, then translation abroad. Getting the order wrong is one of the most common reasons documents are sent back. Our guide to certified translations in Australia covers the options.

Common mistakes to avoid

Several problems come up again and again with copies for overseas use:

• Using a JP copy for an apostille. DFAT generally cannot apostille it, so the process has to start again with a notary.
• Bringing a copy instead of the original. The notary needs to compare the copy with the original document.
• Ordering too few copies. Each copy is certified, and apostilled, separately.
• Ignoring the foreign body's wording. If it asks for a "notarised copy", "legalised copy" or "apostilled copy", those words matter.
• Removing staples or bindings. Taking apart a bound notarial copy can make it invalid.

What does this look like in practice?

Here is an illustration, not a real case. Daniel needs copies of his university degree for two purposes: a job application with an Australian employer, and registration with a professional body in Europe.

For the Australian employer, a JP certifies a copy at a local library, which the employer accepts. For the European body, he checks its instructions, which ask for a notarised copy with an apostille. A notary prepares a notarial copy with a sealed certificate, and DFAT apostilles the notary's signature. Had he sent the JP copy overseas, the European body would likely have asked him to start again.

In short

A certified copy is usually signed by a JP or other authorised witness for use in Australia. A notarial copy is certified by a notary with a signed and sealed certificate, and is the form foreign bodies usually expect. Only a notarial copy can usually be apostilled by DFAT. Check where the copy is going, and what the receiving body asks for, before you choose. Our document notarisation services page explains how this works with us.

People also search for

• Should you use a JP or a notary in NSW?
• Solicitor or notary certification: which do you need?
• How do you get a certified copy of a university degree?
• How does DFAT authentication work?
• What does a notary public do in Australia?
• Which certified document services are available?

Not sure which copy the foreign body wants? Send us its instructions, and we will explain each step before you book.