Is a Scanned Notarised Document Valid?

A scan of a notarised document is a copy, not the notarised document itself. Many foreign bodies accept a scan as a preview or for low-risk purposes, but courts, registries and notaries abroad usually require the signed, sealed original, often with its apostille. Keep the original intact until it is asked for.

Key takeaways

• The notarised original, with the notary's signature, seal and any apostille, is the document foreign authorities rely on.
• A scan or photocopy is a copy. It shows what the original says but carries no notarial authority of its own.
• Some bodies accept a scan as a working copy, and a few accept it for the whole process. The receiving body decides.
• DFAT does not apostille a scan, and a scan is never treated as an electronic original.
• Electronic notarial acts and e-apostilles are different from scans, and their acceptance varies widely.

Why isn't a scan the same as the original?

A notarised document gets its value from the physical features that prove it is genuine: the notary's handwritten signature, the notary's seal, the binding that ties the certificate to the document, and, where there is one, the apostille attached by DFAT. A receiving body can inspect those features, and DFAT can verify the notary's signature. A scan reproduces how those features looked, but it cannot be inspected in the same way, and it can easily be edited or combined with other pages.

So in legal terms a scan is a copy. It may be useful evidence of what the original says, and it may be enough for some purposes, but it is not a notarial act. Our guide to why notaries bind documents explains why the physical bundle matters.

When is a scan accepted?

Many receiving bodies are happy to see a scan first. A foreign lawyer may want to check the document before you post it; a bank may start processing on a scan and wait for the original before completing; an employer or university may accept a scan of a notarised copy for an initial assessment. Some low-risk processes accept a scan for the whole purpose.

But where the document will be filed with a court, recorded in a land or company register, or relied on by a foreign notary, the original is almost always required. The instructions usually say so, often with words like "original", "wet ink" or "hard copy". If they are unclear, ask. Our guide to whether to send originals or copies covers the decision more generally.

Receiving body or purpose	Scan usually enough?	What usually happens
Foreign lawyer checking the document	Yes, as a preview	Original sent afterwards
Bank or fund starting a process	Sometimes, to begin	Original needed to complete
University or employer assessment	Often, for a first look	Original or notarised copy may follow
Foreign court filing	Rarely	Original, often apostilled
Land or company registry abroad	Rarely	Original, apostilled and translated
Foreign notary acting on a power of attorney	Rarely	Original, apostilled

Do Australian bodies accept scans?

Within Australia, the position is often more relaxed. Home Affairs, for example, generally works from colour scans uploaded to an online account, including scans of certified or notarised documents, and asks for originals only in particular cases. Many Australian banks, universities and employers also accept scans at first and may ask to see originals later. That is a different context from overseas use: Australian bodies can verify Australian documents in other ways, and often do.

So a scan of a notarised document may be all an Australian body needs, while a foreign registry receiving the same document insists on the original. Follow each body's own instructions rather than assuming one rule applies everywhere.

Is a phone photo as good as a scan?

For a preview, a clear, well-lit phone photo of each page may do, but a proper scan is better. Scanning apps flatten and crop pages, remove shadows and produce a single file in page order, which makes the document easier to read and harder to misunderstand. Whatever you use, capture every page, including the notarial certificate and the apostille, in colour, at full size, and check that the seal and signatures are legible before you send it.

Can DFAT apostille a scan?

No. DFAT apostilles the signature and seal of an Australian notary or public official on an original document. A scan or printout of a notarised document is not an original, and DFAT's guidance says scans are never treated as electronic documents. If the foreign body wants an apostille, the notarised original must go to DFAT, and the apostille is attached to it.

DFAT accepts only a limited range of genuinely electronic documents, issued electronically by particular authorities, and assesses them when lodged. That is a different thing from scanning a paper document. Check DFAT's current guidance on Smartraveller, and see our guide to which documents can be apostilled.

What about electronic notarial acts?

Electronic notarisation is not the same as scanning. In some countries, and increasingly in some Australian contexts, a notarial act can be performed electronically, producing an electronic document with a digital signature and seal that can be verified electronically. Some countries also issue electronic apostilles and run online registers to check them.

Acceptance of electronic notarial acts varies widely. For documents going overseas, the receiving authority decides whether it accepts an electronic or remotely performed notarial act, and many still want a paper original with a wet-ink signature. Before relying on an electronic route, ask the receiving body specifically whether it accepts electronic notarisation and an electronic apostille. Our guide to remote notaries covers the related question of video appointments.

Can you get a certified copy of a notarised document?

Sometimes you need to keep the notarised original, for example to use it again, and send a copy instead. A notary may be willing to certify that a copy is a true copy of a notarised document they have examined, which is stronger than a plain scan, but it is still a copy of a copy, and some bodies will not accept it. The more common answer, if you need several originals, is to have several originals notarised at the same appointment, each with its own certificate and, if needed, its own apostille. Our guide to getting several certified copies explains the approach.

How should you send the original?

When the original is required, send it flat, in a stiff envelope or folder that protects the binding and apostille, by a tracked service, and keep a complete scan and the tracking number until the receiving body confirms receipt. For urgent or high-value documents, a courier with signature on delivery is usually worth it. Do not unbind the document to scan or pack it. Our guide to post or courier for legal documents compares the options.

What if the original is lost in transit?

Keep your scan and your tracking details, and contact the courier and the receiving body promptly. A scan cannot replace the lost original for purposes that need it, so you will usually need a fresh notarisation: sign again before a notary, or have new copies certified from your originals, and obtain a new apostille if one was attached. The scan helps show exactly what was sent and can speed up preparing the replacement. That is one more reason to use a tracked service and to plan with some time to spare.

How do you handle a notarised document?

1. Scan it page by page, without unbinding, as soon as you receive it.
2. Read the receiving body's instructions on whether it wants the original or will accept a scan.
3. Send the scan first if it asks for a preview, and keep the original safe.
4. Take the original to DFAT, still bound, if an apostille is needed.
5. Send the original tracked, flat and protected, when it is required.

What does this look like in practice?

Here is an illustration, not a real case. Anika had a power of attorney notarised in Adelaide and apostilled for a property sale in Germany. The German lawyer asked for "the document" urgently, so she emailed a scan.

The lawyer used the scan to prepare the transaction, but explained that the German notary completing the sale needed the original with its apostille. Anika couriered the bound original, flat and tracked, keeping her scan and the tracking number. It arrived before the appointment, and the sale went ahead. The scan saved time; the original made it legally effective.

In short

A scanned notarised document is a copy, not the notarised document itself. Scans are often accepted as previews or for low-risk purposes, but courts, registries and notaries abroad usually need the signed, sealed original with any apostille. DFAT does not apostille scans. Keep the original bound, send a scan when asked, and send the original tracked when it is required.

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