What is a copy certification?
A copy certification confirms that a reproduction of an original document is a true and correct, unaltered and unchanged reproduction of the original. 

Documents requiring copy certification may include: 

diplomas
drivers licenses
leases
contracts
vehicle titles
Social Security cards
medical records
bills of sale
While it is true that most documents can technically be notarized, there are a few that cannot legally be notarized. The following documents cannot be notarized in any state:
birth certificates
marriage certificates
death certificates
articles of incorporation for a business
If you need copies of any of the above documents, you must request them from the original source that produced them.

How do I obtain a copy certification in Pennsylvania?

The person in possession of an original document (known also as the “document custodian”) takes the original document to a notary. The notary will make a photocopy of the document, then complete and notarize a PA Copy Certification form to confirm that the photocopy is a true, accurate and complete copy of the original. 

The PA Copy Certification form is affixed to the copy of the document. The PA Copy Certification form and the copy of the document must remain attached to one another and presented together. 

The PA Copy Certification form is generally accepted by most organizations, including embassies throughout the world.  We do, however, suggest that you contact the recipient of the document to make sure it will be accepted.