Florida notaries have the right to perform attested copies. Many people refer to these as certified copies, but the terms are actually not interchangeable. Florida notaries do not have the power to make certified copies. A certified copy is verified by... Florida notaries have the right to perform attested copies. Many people refer to these as certified copies, but the terms are actually not interchangeable. Florida notaries do not have the power to make certified copies.
A certified copy is verified by the public official who is the custodian of the record that the document is an accurate reproduction of an original document.
An attested copy occurs when a notary sees the original document and copies it themselves, or watches a copy be made, to allow the notary to complete a notarial certificate stating the copy is a “true, exact, complete, and unaltered” reproduction.
However, there are a few more stipulations to the attested copy:
1. The state of Florida mandates the attested copy must be from an original document— a notary cannot make an attested copy from a copy.
2. The notary must be present for the copying of the document or make the copy themselves.
3. The document cannot be a vital or public record. These include birth certificates, marriage certificate, house deeds, mortgages, court orders. For the full list of what constitutes a vital or public record, please refer to the Florida Notary Handbook.
4. A notarial certificate is required. The certificate must be completed in the same form as it is in the law.
The completed certificate can either be attached to the copy as a loose certificate or can be written onto the document. If it is multiple pages, attach the certificate to the first page in either form.
Attested Copies can be found on page 43 of your American Society of Notaries Florida Notary Handbook .
A certified copy is verified by the public official who is the custodian of the record that the document is an accurate reproduction of an original document.
An attested copy occurs when a notary sees the original document and copies it themselves, or watches a copy be made, to allow the notary to complete a notarial certificate stating the copy is a “true, exact, complete, and unaltered” reproduction.
However, there are a few more stipulations to the attested copy:
1. The state of Florida mandates the attested copy must be from an original document— a notary cannot make an attested copy from a copy.
2. The notary must be present for the copying of the document or make the copy themselves.
3. The document cannot be a vital or public record. These include birth certificates, marriage certificate, house deeds, mortgages, court orders. For the full list of what constitutes a vital or public record, please refer to the Florida Notary Handbook.
4. A notarial certificate is required. The certificate must be completed in the same form as it is in the law.
The completed certificate can either be attached to the copy as a loose certificate or can be written onto the document. If it is multiple pages, attach the certificate to the first page in either form.
Attested Copies can be found on page 43 of your American Society of Notaries Florida Notary Handbook .