An attested copy is a photocopy of an original document that a notary public or other authorized official has compared against the original and signed off as a true, complete, and unaltered reproduction. The notary attaches a short certificate, signs it, and applies their seal. You end up with a document you can hand to a court, a government office, a school, or an insurer when they need proof of what the original says but you need to keep the original in your possession.
Attested Copy vs. Certified Copy
People use the two terms as if they mean the same thing, and in casual conversation they usually get away with it. For practical purposes they do not mean the same thing, and the difference decides where you go.
A certified copy is produced by the official custodian of the original record. Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, divorce decrees, recorded deeds, and court filings all have a custodian: a vital records office, a county recorder, a clerk of court. Only that office can issue a certified copy of its own records. A notary cannot, even in states where notaries are broadly authorized to certify copies of other documents.
An attested copy is what a notary makes from a private original you bring in — a contract, a power of attorney, a passport, a diploma, a letter. The notary compares the photocopy to the original and certifies that the two match. If you need another copy of a public record, you go back to the agency that holds it. If you need a verified copy of a private document, you go to a notary.
When You Need an Attested Copy
Attested copies come up whenever a third party wants proof of what a document says without you surrendering the original. Common situations include immigration petitions, professional license applications, academic credential verification, real estate closings, insurance claims, and court proceedings involving private documents. International transactions are another frequent trigger, usually with an added step covered further down.
How to Get an Attested Copy
The process is quick once you know what to bring.
First, confirm that your state authorizes notaries to certify copies. About eight states either prohibit the act or restrict it significantly. Your state’s secretary of state office can tell you. If notaries in your state cannot certify copies directly, you can usually use a workaround called a copy certification by document custodian: you sign a sworn statement that the copy is accurate, and the notary notarizes your signature rather than the copy itself.
Second, find a notary. Banks, law offices, and shipping stores are the usual places. Account holders at many banks and credit unions get notary services at no charge, which is worth checking before you pay elsewhere.
Third, bring the original and a photocopy. The original has to be physically present. In some states the notary must make the photocopy themselves or watch you do it; in others the notary can work from a copy you brought. A notary should never attest a copy without laying it next to the original.
The notary reviews both documents, completes the notarial certificate, signs it, and applies the seal. You get the attested copy back within a few minutes.
Documents a Notary Cannot Attest
This is where people lose a trip. Even in states that broadly allow copy certification, notaries are almost universally barred from attesting copies of records that have an official custodian. That list includes:
- Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce decrees
- Recorded deeds and other land records
- Court filings, orders, and judgments
- School transcripts
- Most other government-issued documents
For any of these, go directly to the issuing agency. The vital records office, county recorder, clerk of court, or school registrar is the only source that can produce an authoritative copy. Many requesting parties will call what you get back a certified copy, and some will loosely call it an attested copy, but either way the custodian is the one who has to issue it.
What It Costs
Notary fees are set by state law and vary widely. Some states cap the fee for a notarial act at a few dollars; others allow $15 or $25 per act. Mobile notaries who come to you add a travel fee. Bank and credit union notaries are often free for customers.
Certified copies from a government custodian run on a separate fee schedule, typically from a few dollars up to about $30 per copy depending on the jurisdiction and document type.
Using an Attested Copy in Another Country
If the attested copy is going abroad, it usually needs an apostille or a full authentication certificate on top of the notarization. Which one depends on the destination.
Countries that belong to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention — currently 129 of them1HCCH. Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents – Status Table — accept an apostille. Non-member countries require a full authentication, which involves the U.S. Department of State and often the destination country’s embassy or consulate.2USAGov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S.
Where you request the apostille depends on who issued the document. State-issued documents, including notarized copies and vital records, go through the secretary of state’s office in the state that issued them. Federal documents go through the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications.3U.S. Department of State. Preparing a Document for an Apostille Certificate Processing times vary, and expediting usually costs extra, so build in time if a deadline is involved.