The phrase “certified copy” covers two completely different things, and asking for the wrong one is one of the more expensive mix-ups in this line of work.
Two different documents, one name
A notary-certified copy is a notary comparing a copy against an original you present and certifying that the copy is a true reproduction. Washington permits it, and the fee is capped at $15 like any other notarial act.
A certified copy from the official custodian is an authenticated copy issued by whoever holds the record, a county auditor, a state vital records office, a court clerk. It carries their seal, not a notary’s.
They are not interchangeable, and the organization receiving your document has a firm view about which one it wants.
Vital records almost always need the custodian
Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates. If a receiving organization asks for a certified copy of one of these, they nearly always mean an authenticated copy from the issuing office, not a notarized photocopy. Sending the wrong one costs a round trip and, where a deadline is involved, considerably more.
The same logic applies to court records and recorded property documents: the custodian holds the authoritative version, and they are the ones who can certify it.
The question to ask: “Do you need a certified copy from the issuing office, or a notarized copy of my original?” One phone call to the recipient settles it before you book anything.
Where a notary-certified copy does work
- Documents you hold the original of, where no official custodian exists, a signed contract, a corporate resolution, a deed of assignment
- Diplomas and transcripts, where the receiving party accepts a notarized copy
- Identity documents for some private processes, where the recipient has said a notarized copy suffices
- Internal records a company needs verified for a counterparty
In each of those the test is the same: do you have the original in your hand, and has the recipient said a notarized copy is acceptable?
How to find out which you need
Ask the organization receiving the document, in these words: “Do you need a certified copy from the issuing office, or will a notarized copy of my original do?” Their answer takes one phone call and settles it.
What a notary cannot do is decide for you. We can explain the difference, which is what this article is for, but we cannot tell you which one your situation requires, and we cannot help you select the notarial certificate. Washington law leaves those choices to you and your drafter.
Bringing it to an appointment
Bring the original, not a scan, and bring your photo identification. We compare the copy against the original in front of you, complete the certificate, and hand the original straight back, a notary may not withhold or keep your original record, or retain copies of it.
$15 per certification, with travel quoted and agreed in advance if we are coming to you.