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The purpose of this section is to introduce the Notary Public to documents which can and cannot be certified by the notary public.

Upon completion of this section, you will be able to describe:

(1)   Which documents can be certified by the notary public
(2)   Which documents cannot be certified by the notary public

Certified copies

For purposes of this section, certifying a copy means taking a copy, notarizing and giving it the same force as the original.

Documents a notary public CAN certify:
 (KS66-GC8205 & 8206 AND PC4307)

A notary public can only certify copies of powers of attorney, pursuant to Probate Code Section 4307 and Government Code Section 8205(a)(4) and his or her sequential journal in response to a written request of the Secretary of State, pursuant to Government Code Section 8205(b)(1), or a subpoena or court order, pursuant to Government Code Section 8206(e). 

Documents a notary public CANNOT certify:

·            Birth Certificates
·            Fetal Death Certificates
·            Death Certificates
·            Marriage Certificates

(Note:  Certified copies of the above documents may only be made by the State Registrar, by duly appointed and acting local registrars during their term of office, and by county recorders.  (Health and Safety Code Section 103545)

Example:  I have a friend named Dr. Gina Warren, Doctor of pharmacology, who graduated in 1983 from Grant Union High School in Sacramento, California. Gina was born in another country.  She wanted to go out of the country and she had a copy of her birth certificate.  She asked me to certify her birth certificate by notarizing it.  I explained to her that she would need to go to the County Registrar where she was born in order to get a certified copy of her birth certificate.

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