Notary Blog

When someone asks for a “certified copy” of a document, they often assume any notary can simply stamp a photocopy and be done with it. In reality, copy certification is one of the most misunderstood notarial acts in Arizona — and one of the easiest ways for a well-meaning person to end up with a certificate that isn't valid. Here's what a certified copy actually is, which documents an Arizona notary can and cannot certify, and how the process works when you book it with a mobile notary.

What a certified copy really is

A certified copy is a photocopy of an original document, accompanied by a notary's certificate stating that the copy is a true, exact, and complete reproduction of the original. The notary is not vouching for the truth of the document's contents — only that the copy matches the original in front of them.

This is different from a notarized document. When you sign a power of attorney or an affidavit and the notary applies their seal, they're verifying your signature and identity. A certified copy says nothing about signatures on the copy itself; it only says the paper copy faithfully matches an original that the notary personally examined.

Arizona law defines copy certification precisely: it is a notarial act in which the notary certifies that they have made a photocopy of an original document that is neither a public record nor publicly recordable 1. Those two exclusions — public records and recordable documents — drive everything else in this article.

What an Arizona notary CAN certify

Because the original must be a private document, good candidates are things issued by individuals, businesses, or organizations rather than by a government custodian:

• Personal letters and correspondence
• Business contracts, invoices, and agreements that are not filed or recorded anywhere
• Employment records or offer letters held by the individual
• Passports and other private documents when the issuing agency does not itself supply certified copies
• Copies of a notary's own journal entries, which Arizona notaries may certify upon written request

If you're unsure whether your document qualifies, ask before booking. A quick phone call can save you a wasted trip — the test is simple: is there a government office or issuing agency that holds the original or can certify copies itself? If yes, the notary route is off the table. If no, and you have the original in hand, a certified copy is usually possible. Our notary services page lists the full range of acts we perform across Southern Arizona.

What a notary CANNOT certify

This is where most requests get declined, and it's not the notary being difficult — the law forbids it:

• Birth, death, and marriage certificates. These are vital records. Certified copies come only from the Arizona Office of Vital Records or the county recorder. A notarized photocopy of a birth certificate is not a certified copy and is frequently rejected by agencies that ask for one.
• Court records. Certified copies come from the clerk of the court that holds the case file.
• Deeds and recorded documents. Anything filed with the county recorder — deeds, mortgages, liens, and similar instruments — must be certified by the recorder's office.
• Publicly recordable documents. Even if you haven't recorded a document, if it could be recorded, it falls outside what a notary may certify.
• Documents where the issuing agency certifies its own copies. Academic transcripts, immigration records, and many professional licenses have an official custodian. The custodian's certified copy is the one that will be accepted.

One more important boundary: a notary never certifies a copy of a document they witnessed being signed as a substitute for the original. If an agency needs the notarized original, they need the original — not a copy of it.

How the process works, step by step

1. Bring the original. The notary must examine the original document in person. Photocopies of photocopies don't work, and emailing a scan ahead of time doesn't substitute for the original at the appointment. 2. Eligibility check. The notary confirms the document is neither a public record nor publicly recordable. If it fails this test, the notary will decline and point you to the right custodian. 3. The notary makes the copy. In Arizona, the notary photocopies the document themselves rather than certifying a copy you brought in — this ensures the copy is complete and unaltered. 4. The certificate is completed. The notary attaches or completes a copy certification certificate stating the date, the venue (county and state), that the copy is a true and complete copy of the original, and applies their signature and official seal. 5. Journal entry. The act is recorded in the notary's journal, as with every other notarization. 6. Payment and handoff. Arizona caps notarial fees per act, plus any quoted travel fee for mobile visits — you'll get the total up front when you book.

The whole appointment typically takes about 15 minutes once the original is in hand. Because you're not signing anything, this is one of the few notarial acts where the document owner doesn't even need to be present — just bring (or send) the original with whoever requests the service.

Booking a certified-copy appointment in Southern Arizona

If a business, school, or agency has asked you for a certified copy, don't wait in line at a shipping store hoping the person behind the counter knows Arizona copy rules. We come to you — home, office, hospital, or care facility — across Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Green Valley, Sahuarita, Vail, and the Phoenix metro.

Text a photo of the document when you book and we'll confirm whether it qualifies before we drive out, so you never pay a travel fee for a certificate the law won't allow. Answers to common questions are on our FAQ page, and you can book a mobile notary online or call/text (520) 752-9045 — available 24/7, usually with a reply within 30 minutes.