When you apply for something like a bank account or mortgage, you may be asked to provide documents that are certified as true copies of the original.
You can certify a document as a true copy by getting it signed and dated by a professional person, like a solicitor.
Copies of documents that can be certified include:
- passports
- photocard driving licences
- letters from a government department
- bank, building society or credit card statements
- gas, electricity or council tax bills
- letters from a hospital or doctor
There are different rules for certifying passport applications and photos and for certifying a lasting power of attorney (LPA).
Who can certify a document
Your document must be certified by a professional person or someone well-respected in your community (‘of good standing’). You could ask the following if they offer this service:
- bank or building society official
- councillor
- minister of religion
- dentist
- chartered accountant
- solicitor or notary
- teacher or lecturer
The person you ask should not be:
- related to you
- living at the same address
- in a relationship with you
Check with the organisation that needs the certified copy - they may have specific rules for who can certify a document.
How to certify a document
Take the photocopied document and the original and ask the person to certify the copy by:
- writing ‘Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me’ on the document
- signing and dating it
- printing their name under the signature
- adding their occupation, address and telephone number
The person certifying the document may charge you a fee.
Certifying a translation
If you need to certify a translation of a document that’s not written in English or Welsh, ask the translator to confirm in writing on the translation:
- that it’s a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’
- the date of the translation
- their full name and contact details
