In Idaho, a notary public can certify a copy — but only for some documents. Idaho law says a notary “who certifies or attests a copy of a record or an item that was copied shall determine that the copy is a full, true and accurate transcription or reproduction of the record or item” (Idaho Code § 51-105).
So the short answer is: I can. For a passport, a diploma, a driver’s license, a professional license, a bill.
Not for a birth certificate. Not for a court order. Not for a school transcript. Those come from the office that holds the record, and I’ll show you where to go instead.
What is copy certification?
Copy certification is a notarial act. I compare a copy to the original, and I sign and seal a statement saying the copy is complete, true, and accurate.
That’s it. I’m not saying the document is true. I’m saying the copy matches the original.
It’s the notarial act people ask me for when they need to hand over proof of something but they don’t want to give up the only copy they own.
What’s the difference between a certified copy and a copy certification?
People use both phrases to mean the same thing. They’re not the same thing, and mixing them up is the number one reason a document gets rejected.
A certified copy comes from the office that holds the record
A certified copy is issued by the custodian of the original — the county, the state, the school, the court. It carries their seal. It’s proof of what’s in the record itself.
An Idaho birth certificate is the clearest example. Only the Idaho Bureau of Vital Records can issue one.
A copy certification comes from a notary
A copy certification is me saying the photocopy in your hand matches the original in your hand. No seal from a records office. No government database behind it.
Both are useful. They’re just not interchangeable. Read what the agency asked you for, word for word, before you book anything.
How does a notary certify a copy in Idaho?
The Idaho Notary Public Handbook from the Secretary of State spells out two ways to do it. Which one you need depends on who’s willing to swear to the copy.
Method 1 — certification of copy
This is the direct one. I do the work and I sign it.
Here’s the order it happens in:
- I look at the original to make sure it hasn’t been altered, and that it’s a document I’m allowed to copy.
- I make the photocopy myself. This part matters. I can’t certify a copy somebody else ran off.
- I fill out and sign the notarial certificate and add my seal.
You don’t sign anything. Only my signature goes on that copy.
One thing worth saying plainly: looking at the original is not me reading your document or checking it for mistakes. That’s not my job, and I don’t do it. I’m confirming it’s unaltered and that it’s legal to copy. Nothing more.
Method 2 — certification by document custodian
Sometimes you already have the copy and the original is a thousand miles away. Or it’s in a safe deposit box. Or it’s a passport you can’t part with for an afternoon.
Then we use the custodian method:
- You write a statement on the copy saying it’s a true and accurate copy of the original you hold.
- You sign that statement in front of me.
- I put you under oath and notarize your signature. That’s a jurat.
Now you’re the one swearing to the copy. I’m swearing that you swore to it.
Which method should you ask for?
Ask the agency. Seriously — ask them.
Some want the notary’s own certification. Some want a custodian statement. A few will take either. Five minutes on the phone with them beats a rejected package and a second appointment.
If you don’t know and you can’t find out, bring me the original and we’ll do the direct certification. It’s the one more agencies accept.
Which documents can a notary copy certify in Idaho?
The Secretary of State publishes two charts. They’re not complete lists, but they cover almost everything people bring me.
| I can copy certify these | I can’t copy certify these |
|---|---|
| Driver’s licenses | Birth certificates |
| Student ID cards | Death certificates |
| Employee ID cards | Marriage licenses |
| Passports | Divorce decrees |
| Diplomas, certificates, awards | Court orders |
| Professional licenses | Adoption records |
| Personal documents | School transcripts |
| Bills or invoices | FBI fingerprint cards |
| Photographs | Motor vehicle titles |
| Recorded documents |
Every one in that right-hand column has a record office behind it. That office issues the certified copy. I’d be stepping on their seal if I made my own.
What about documents stamped “void” or “do not copy”?
If a document carries a warning that it’s not to be copied, I can’t copy certify it. Period.
And if I run a copy and the word VOID shows up on it — which is exactly what security paper is designed to do — I can’t certify that copy either. That’s not me being difficult. The handbook says so directly.
Can a notary certify a copy of my passport?
Yes. A passport is on the “may copy and certify” list in Idaho.
This is the single most common request I get. People need it for a foreign bank account, a visa application, a property purchase overseas, or an employer abroad.
Bring me the actual passport. I’ll photocopy the pages you need, certify the copy, and you walk out with your passport still in your pocket.
If you can’t hand the passport over, we use the custodian method instead. Either way you keep the book.
Can a notary certify a copy of a birth certificate?
No. Not in Idaho, and not by me.
Here’s what to do instead. Order a certified copy from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Copies are $16 each. Standard mail orders take 3–5 weeks to process, and express service runs 2–3 weeks.
If you’re in a hurry, order through their online partner and pay for expedited shipping. It costs more and it’s faster.
Same answer for a death certificate and for a marriage or divorce certificate. If you were born or married in another state, the CDC keeps a directory of where to write for every state’s records office.
I know that’s not the answer people want when they’re up against a deadline. But a copy I’m not allowed to make is worth nothing to the agency waiting on it.
Do I have to be there when you certify the copy?
For the direct method, no.
The handbook is clear on this one: because I’m not verifying a signature, there’s no need for me to require the presence of any particular person, and I’m not required to identify anyone. That surprises people.
You still have to get the original into my hands so I can examine it and copy it. But nobody has to sit there and show ID.
For the custodian method it’s the opposite. That one is a jurat on your signature, so you do have to appear, and I do have to identify you.
What about copy certification for an apostille?
This is where copy certification and international paperwork meet, and it trips a lot of people up.
An apostille is a certificate that makes a document usable in another country. It comes from the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which now has 130 contracting parties and replaced the old, slow legalisation process with one certificate.
For an Idaho document, the Idaho Secretary of State issues it. Their requirement is short and strict: the document has to be a certified copy, or an original notarized document notarized by an Idaho notary public. The fee is $10.00 per document.
So the path splits:
- Diploma, passport copy, professional license, power of attorney? I copy certify it or notarize it, and it goes to the Secretary of State.
- Birth certificate, marriage certificate, court order? You need the certified copy from the record office first. Then that goes to the Secretary of State.
That second path is the one people get wrong. They bring me a birth certificate to notarize, and there’s nothing for me to do with it. I’d rather tell you that on the phone than at your kitchen table.
If the destination country wants the document in another language too, that’s a separate step — certified document translation — and it usually has to happen in a specific order. Ask before you start.
Where can you get a certified copy in the Treasure Valley?
I come to you. That’s the whole idea behind mobile notary services — your kitchen table, your office, a hospital room, a coffee shop off Eagle Road.
I carry a scanner and printer, so I can make the copy on the spot for a direct certification. No hunting for a copy shop first.
I cover Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, Star, and Kuna. If you’re in Boise, most of the time I can be there the same day.
And if the document is already electronic and you’re out of state, remote online notarization may be an option. Ask me — it depends on the document and on who’s receiving it.
When the copy certification is a step toward an apostille, I can handle both ends. My apostille services cover getting the document from your hands to the Secretary of State and back, including vital records apostilles where the certified copy has to come from the state first.
I’ve been an Idaho notary since 2018, and I’ve done more than 3,500 signings. Copy certification is one of the simplest things I do — as long as it’s a document I’m allowed to certify. Most of my job on these calls is telling people which of the two paths they’re on before they waste a week.
FAQ: copy certification in Idaho
Who can certify a true copy of an original document?
In Idaho, a notary public can certify a copy of a private document — a passport, diploma, driver’s license, professional license, bill, or photograph. For public records like birth certificates, court orders, and school transcripts, only the office that holds the record can issue a certified copy.
How do I certify a copy of a document?
Two ways. Either the notary examines your original, makes the photocopy personally, and signs a certificate on it — or you write and sign a statement swearing the copy is true, and the notary notarizes your signature under oath. The first is certification of copy. The second is certification by document custodian.
What is copy certification by document custodian?
It’s the method used when the notary can’t make the copy — usually because the original isn’t available or can’t be handed over. You certify in writing that the copy is true and accurate, you sign that statement in front of the notary, and the notary puts you under oath and notarizes your signature.
Can a notary notarize a photocopy?
A notary can certify that a photocopy matches an original, if the document is one Idaho allows. A notary can’t notarize a photocopied signature. Those are two different things, and only the first one is a real notarial act.
Where can I get a certified copy of my passport?
A notary can do it. In Idaho, passports are on the list of documents a notary may copy and certify. Bring the passport itself so the notary can examine it and make the copy.
Do I need ID for a copy certification?
For a direct certification of copy, no. The notary isn’t verifying anyone’s signature, so no personal appearance or ID is required. For certification by document custodian, yes — that one involves notarizing your signature under oath, so you’ll need valid ID.
How much does it cost to get a document certified?
It depends on the method and where you are. Call or text and I’ll give you the number before we book, so there’s no surprise. An apostille from the Idaho Secretary of State is $10.00 per document on top of that.
Can you certify a copy of my diploma for an apostille?
Yes. A diploma is a private document, so I can copy certify it, and the Secretary of State will apostille a properly notarized document. That’s one of the most common apostille jobs I run.
Need a copy certified?
If you’ve got a passport, a diploma, a license, or any other private document that needs a certified copy, call or text me at (208) 826-1210, email hello@idahonotarysigningagent.com, or book a time online. I’ll come to you.
And if you’re not sure which path you’re on — notary copy certification, or a certified copy from a record office — call me first. That one question saves people a week more often than anything else I do.
— Jim Allen, Notary Boss
I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in this state. I am not allowed to draft legal records, give advice on legal matters, including immigration, or charge a fee for those activities.