Notarized Copy vs Certified Copy vs Witnessed Copy: What Each One Means

Last updated: August 11, 2026

Notarial Copy vs Certified Copy vs Witnessed Copy: Which One Do You Need?

Quick answer: In Ontario, "certified true copy" and "notarial copy" often describe a copy that a notary has compared with an original, then signed, dated, and sealed. "Witnessed copy" is less precise and means only what the receiving form says it means. The receiving body's current instructions control the acceptable certifier, wording, and any later authentication step. Minute Notary certified copies require the original document at an in-person office or mobile physical appointment; this service is not completed online. The fee is $24.95 per seal plus HST.

If you are searching for notarial copy vs certified copy vs witnessed copy, you have probably been handed a form, an email, or a checklist where one of those three terms is being used as if it were obvious which one applies — and it is not. The three terms are close enough in everyday English that they get used interchangeably, including by lawyers, government agents, and HR departments who should know better. They are different enough on paper that picking the wrong one can mean a rejected application, a wasted appointment, or a courier-and-customs trip across two countries to redo a document that was almost right.

This guide is for Ottawa, Ontario clients with one document, one deadline, and one form to satisfy. It walks through what each term actually means in Ontario practice today, what Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) genuinely asks for in writing, and what receiving bodies — embassies, regulators, universities, banks, courts — usually want when they use one term or another. It then gives you a decision matrix you can read down a column, a list of common mistakes that send people back to the start, and a short note on what changes if your document is going abroad now that Canada's accession to the Hague Apostille Convention is two years old.

If the receiver specifically asks for a certified or notarial copy, review the Certified True Copies service, then book a physical Ottawa office or mobile appointment. Bring the original document and the receiver's current instructions; a scan or copy of a copy cannot be certified.

For a narrower comparison of just two of these terms, see our companion article on certified copies vs notarized copies. For the international authentication step that comes after notarization, see apostille vs notarization. And if you are still not sure whether you need a notary at all, our guide on notary vs lawyer in Ontario draws the wider line.

Caption: Three terms, one piece of paper. The certifier's wording is what tells the receiving body which one they are holding.

Key Takeaways

What a Certified True Copy Is

Scope note: A certified true copy is a photocopy of an original document that an authorized person — most often a notary public — has compared to the original and certified, in writing and with a seal, as a true and accurate reproduction. It is not a translation, not a re-issued original, and not a notarized affidavit. The certifier takes responsibility only for the fact that the copy matches the document they were shown.

In Ontario, a certified true copy is the working term most receiving bodies use when they want proof that a photocopy of your passport, diploma, marriage certificate, or court order matches the document you have at home. The certifier — a notary public appointed under the Notaries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. N.6 — sees the original, compares it page by page to the copy, and signs a certification block stating that the copy is true to that original. The notary's seal goes on the copy, not the original. Your original stays with you.

The certification block is the part that matters. A certified true copy issued by a notary in Ontario typically carries:

• A statement that the copy is a true copy of the original document shown to the certifier
• The certifier's full legal name in printed form
• The certifier's title — "Notary Public in and for the Province of Ontario"
• A signature, dated the day of the appointment
• The notary's seal or stamp, applied so it is visibly on the certified page

Receiving bodies that ask for a certified true copy usually specify what they expect to see. IRCC requirements vary by program, and embassies, regulators, credential evaluators, courts, banks, and schools can set different rules. Bring the current checklist so the notary can confirm whether the requested certifier, wording, and page treatment match the service offered.

A few practical notes that come up at every appointment:

• Originals only. A notary in Ontario certifies copies of originals — not copies of copies. A scan of your passport, even a high-resolution colour scan, is not an original. If you have lost the original, the right next step is usually to re-issue it through the issuing authority, then bring the new original to the appointment.
• Foreign-language documents are fine. A notary can certify a copy of a document in any language. The certification confirms the copy matches the original. If you also need a translation, that is a separate step, usually done by a certified translator (ATIO in Ontario) whose declaration the notary can then commission.
• Damage and alterations. A notary will not certify a copy of a document that appears altered, defaced, or fraudulent. Tape, whiteout, missing pages, and ambiguous staples are reasons the appointment may not produce a certified copy on the day.
• Number of copies. You can request multiple certified copies at one sitting. Check how many each receiver will retain. At Minute Notary, every copy is $24.95 per seal plus HST.
• Where you can use it. Acceptance belongs to the receiving body. Within Canada, check the relevant agency, court, bank, regulator, school, or employer instructions. Outside Canada, confirm whether the receiver accepts a notarized copy and whether any apostille, authentication, legalization, or translation step applies.

If your form, email, or instruction guide says "certified true copy," "certified copy," "true copy," "attested copy," or "notarized copy of an original document," our certified true copies service is what you are booking. The wording on the certification page can be matched to the receiving body's instructions if you bring those instructions to the appointment.

What a Notarial Copy Is

Scope note: A "notarial copy" in Ontario practice is a certified true copy produced by a notary public. The wording is older and more formal, and you will see it more often on civil-law forms (Quebec, France, much of Latin America) and on the instruction guides of foreign embassies in Ottawa. In substance — for an Ontario notary — it is the same document as a certified true copy. The distinction is the label on the form, not the work behind it.

The phrase notarial copy has a longer history than "certified true copy." It comes from the civil-law tradition where notaries do more than they do in common-law Ontario — they draft instruments, hold originals on deposit, and issue official extracts called copies notariées. In that tradition, a notarial copy is an official extract from a register of notarial acts. In Canada, only the province of Quebec has a civil-law notariat that issues notarial copies in the strong civil-law sense, under the Notaries Act of Quebec (CQLR c. N-3).

In Ontario, where the notary public is a common-law office under the Notaries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. N.6, there is no notarial register equivalent to Quebec's. An Ontario notary can compare an original with a copy, then sign, date, and seal a certification. Whether that document satisfies a request for a "notarial copy" depends on the receiver's definition; confirm rather than treating the labels as universally interchangeable.

The places where the wording starts to matter:

• Foreign embassies in Ottawa. A foreign checklist may ask for a "notarial copy" or copia notarial. Confirm whether it accepts an Ontario notary's certified copy and whether it requires an apostille, authentication, legalization, translation, or an original public document instead.
• IRCC instruction guides. Copy requirements vary by program. Follow the current checklist for the application, including its acceptable certifier, wording, and page-treatment rules; do not infer a general requirement from the label alone.
• Quebec receivers. A document headed for use in Quebec — an estate file, a Quebec court matter, a registration with the Registre foncier — may explicitly ask for a notarial copy. If the receiving body specifies a Quebec notaire, an Ontario notary public's certified true copy is not a substitute. Call the receiving body before booking.
• Bilingual forms in Ottawa. A form may use copie certifiée conforme or copie notariée. Treat the form's definition and named certifier as controlling rather than assuming the phrases are interchangeable.

When a receiver confirms that an Ontario notary's certified true copy satisfies its request for a "notarial copy," we can use the receiver's requested wording on the certification. The fee is $24.95 per seal plus HST. Any foreign-use step is separate and depends on the document, destination, and receiver.

If your form is in a language other than English or French and you are unsure what the equivalent of "notarial copy" is, bring the form to the appointment. The notary can read most common phrasings or call the receiving body to confirm before the seal goes on.

Caption: In Ontario, "notarial copy" and "certified true copy" produce the same document at the appointment. The label on your form is what tells you which term to use when you ask.

What a Witnessed Copy Is

Scope note: "Witnessed copy" is the loose term in this trio. It usually means a copy of a document that someone — not necessarily a notary — has signed or initialled to indicate they saw the original or saw the copy being made. Whether a witnessed copy satisfies the receiver depends entirely on the form's wording. Some forms specifically allow a non-notary to witness a copy (for example, a colleague, a manager, or a community professional); others name a notary or another approved certifier.

The word witness has a specific meaning in Ontario law when applied to a signature on an original document — the witness sees the signer sign and signs as proof of that. Applied to a copy, "witness" is much looser. Three common patterns turn up at the front desk:

• The casual witnessed copy. Some workplaces, schools, and community groups will ask staff or volunteers to sign a photocopy and write "witnessed copy" with a date. The signer is attesting that they saw the original. There is no statutory authority behind it, no seal, and no formal certification block. It works only when the receiving form explicitly allows that kind of non-notary witness.
• The receiving body's named witness list. Some applications (UK passport renewals, some Australian forms, certain employer background checks) publish a list of "acceptable witnesses" — for example, a doctor, a teacher, a pharmacist, a sworn officer, a registered professional. They are asking for a witnessed copy in the strict sense the form defines, and the people on the list do not need to be notaries. If your form has such a list, follow it. A Canadian-style certified true copy is not automatically a substitute for the named witness process, and a friend's signature does not satisfy a form that asks for a notary.
• "Witnessed by" as ambiguous wording. Some Canadian forms — corporate HR, real-estate disclosure forms, internal compliance checklists — use "witnessed copy" without defining the certifier or wording. Email the receiving body, quote the form line, and ask whether a notary public's certified true copy will satisfy it. Follow the written answer.

What a witnessed copy is not:

• It is not a notarial act. A witnessed copy carries no notary's seal, no statement of authority under the Notaries Act, and no place in the apostille pathway. Global Affairs Canada apostilles documents that have been signed by a notary or other listed Canadian public official; a friend's signature on a photocopy is not on that list.
• It is not, by default, accepted by IRCC. Follow the relevant program checklist: a non-notary witness qualifies only when that checklist names the person's category and the copy meets every listed requirement.
• It is not a substitute for an original. Even for forms that allow witnessed copies, the witness must usually have seen the original. A witness signing a copy of a copy adds no value and may invalidate the document.

The honest read of "witnessed copy" in Ottawa: if your form gives you a specific list of acceptable witnesses and the wording it wants ("I confirm this is a true copy of the original"), follow that list. If the form is vague — just the words "witnessed copy" with no detail — call or email the receiver and ask what wording and what certifier they accept. The cost of a five-minute email is much less than the cost of a rejected application or a wasted apostille fee.

When the wording is unclear, do not guess or automatically upgrade the document. Ask the receiver which certifier, wording, and format it accepts, then bring that answer to the appointment.

How to Follow IRCC Copy Instructions

IRCC copy requirements are program-specific. Use the current checklist or instruction guide for the application you are preparing; do not rely on an old general webpage or assume a certified copy is required for every immigration application. Bring the relevant page to the appointment so the notary can compare its requested certifier, wording, and page treatment with the service offered.

The acceptable certifier, required wording, page treatment, contact details, and translation materials can vary by program and by where the applicant is located. Treat the current program checklist as the source of truth. Do not copy instructions from another application stream or assume one format applies to every IRCC file.

A few safe preparation rules:

• Follow the checklist's page treatment. If it says every copied page must carry particular wording or details, bring that instruction to the appointment. Do not assume a passport, certificate, or multi-page record uses the same rule as another program.
• Bring each physical original. Minute Notary compares the photocopy with the original at an office or mobile physical appointment. A scan, phone photo, or copy of a copy does not satisfy this service contract.
• Use an eligible, independent certifier. Follow the program's named categories and any relationship exclusions rather than assuming a friend, colleague, or family member qualifies.
• Treat translations separately. Follow the current checklist for the translator, translation, affidavit, and copy requirements. The notary can commission an eligible translator's affidavit but does not translate or certify the translation's accuracy.
• Match the requested wording. A seal alone does not replace the certification statement or other information the receiving program asks for.

If an IRCC instruction guide uses copie certifiée conforme or copie notariée, follow that program's definition and acceptable-certifier list. An Ontario notary can certify and attest a true copy, but the program decides whether that certification satisfies its instructions. Bring the relevant page to the physical appointment.

Decision Matrix by Receiving Body

Different receiving bodies use the three terms differently. Use the current instructions for the exact program or transaction rather than a category-wide assumption.

A few patterns worth pulling out of the table:

• The receiving instructions control. Domestic and foreign receivers can require different certifiers, wording, formats, originals, or authentication steps.
• Do not automatically "upgrade" the document. If a form asks for a witnessed copy, follow its named witness list. If it is unclear, ask the receiver instead of assuming a notarial copy will be accepted.
• Some receivers want the original sent to them, not a copy. Sealed transcripts to a credential evaluator are the common example. No notary involvement is needed when the institution is doing the sending.
• Quebec is the genuine exception. When a Quebec receiver names a Quebec notaire, the work needs a Quebec notaire. That is not snobbery — it reflects the civil-law authority of the Quebec notariat, which an Ontario notary public does not share.

When the form is ambiguous, the cheapest five minutes you can spend is an email or a phone call to the receiving body asking which exact wording it accepts. If you bring that confirmation to your appointment — even just a forwarded email or a screenshot — the certifier can match the wording precisely. This is especially important for program-specific submissions and documents that will leave the country.

Caption: Match the receiver's exact wording and certifier rules before choosing a certified, notarial, or witnessed copy.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

A certified true copy appointment in Ottawa runs ten to fifteen minutes when the items below are in order, and an hour or more when they are not. The list is short on purpose — these are the items that, if missing, end the appointment without a certified copy. Bring everything you can. We would rather review extra paper than reschedule.

The original document. This is the non-negotiable item. A notary in Ontario certifies copies of originals — not copies of copies, not scans, not phone photos, not previously certified copies. If the original was issued by a foreign government and lives in a vault overseas, the right move is to request a fresh certified extract from the issuing authority before booking. If the original has been lost or destroyed, the issuing authority (Service Ontario, the foreign embassy, the school registrar, the court clerk) can usually issue a replacement. Either way, the trip starts there, not at our office.

Government photo identification. A current Ontario driver's licence, an Ontario Photo Card, a valid Canadian or foreign passport, a permanent resident card, or another government-issued photo ID. The notary needs to satisfy themselves of your identity — both for our records and because the certifier's name on the copy must be tied to a real, identified person. If your name on the document being copied differs from the name on your ID (after marriage, after a legal change of name), bring the document that bridges the two — a marriage certificate, a change of name certificate, a court order.

The receiving body's instructions. This is the item that turns a good certified copy into a clean submission. If IRCC's instruction guide tells you the wording, bring the page. If a foreign embassy's checklist names "notarial copy" or copia notarial, bring the checklist. If a regulator wants the certifier to add a specific phrase to the certification block, bring the form. The notary can match wording on the day, but only if the wording is in front of them.

The number of copies the receiver asks for. Each certified copy is $24.95 per seal plus HST. Check how many copies each receiving body will keep instead of adding copies for an assumed bundle.

Translations and translator declarations, if relevant. If your document is in a language other than English or French and the receiving body needs both the original-language certified copy and a translation, the translation needs to come from a certified translator. We can commission an ATIO-certified translator's affidavit in the same appointment, but the translation itself needs to be ready before that step. Plan the timing so the translator's work and your notary appointment line up.

If anything on this list is unclear, call ahead at (613) 434-5555 and we will walk through it before the appointment.

Common Mistakes

The mistakes below are the ones we see weekly at the front desk. None of them are catastrophic on their own — most are simple to fix once spotted — but they all cost time, and several cost a second appointment.

Bringing a scan instead of the original. This is the single most common reason an appointment ends without a certified copy. The certifier needs to see, hold, and compare the original. A high-resolution colour scan of a passport, a photo from your phone, a previously certified copy from another notary — none of these are the original. If your original lives elsewhere, request it before the appointment.

Asking for a certified copy of an expired passport. A notary can certify a copy of an expired passport — the certification is that the copy matches the original, not that the original is valid for travel. The mistake is using the certified copy of an expired passport for a purpose where the receiver needs proof of a current passport. IRCC's program guides usually call for a certified copy of the biographical pages of a current passport. Read the program guide carefully and renew the passport first if your file requires currency.

Asking for a "notarized translation" when you need an ATIO/OTTIAQ certified translator. A notary public in Ontario does not translate. The legal act of certifying that a translation is accurate is performed by the translator — in Ontario, an ATIO-certified translator; in Quebec, an OTTIAQ-certified translator — through their own seal or through a sworn affidavit. The notary can commission that affidavit. The notary cannot, however, vouch for the accuracy of a translation themselves. When you ask for "notarized translation," what you almost always need is a certified translation by an accredited translator, plus (sometimes) a notarial commissioning of the translator's declaration.

Using a "witnessed copy" when the receiver explicitly says "notarized." Sometimes a friend or colleague has signed a copy and written "witnessed" beside their name, and the applicant assumes that satisfies a form that says "notarized" or "certified." It does not. Notarization is an act of statutory authority. A friend's signature on a photocopy carries no statutory weight, no seal, and no place in the apostille pathway. If the form says "notarized" or "certified true copy," book a notary.

Assuming every foreign-bound copy needs an apostille. The correct path depends on the document, destination country, and receiving body. Some destinations do not accept notarized copies, while others request an apostille or a different authentication process. Confirm the destination's requirements before booking. See apostille vs notarization for the possible pathways.

Asking a family member to be the notary or commissioner. IRCC and most Ontario regulators exclude immediate family from acting as the certifier for a relative's submission. Even where the rule is silent, the appearance of conflict can sink an application. Use a neutral notary public.

Forgetting to certify every page. If your document is more than one page, the certification statement and seal usually need to be on every page, not just the first. We catch this at the appointment, but applicants who bring previously certified copies from elsewhere sometimes find pages 2 through N missing the seal.

When You Need More Than a Notarized Copy

A certified true copy from an Ontario notary may be only one part of a foreign-use process. Before notarizing, confirm whether the receiving body accepts a notarized copy and whether it also requires an apostille, authentication, legalization, translation, or the original document instead.

Canada's Apostille Convention obligations took effect on January 11, 2024, but that does not make apostille the default for every foreign-bound copy. Global Affairs Canada instructs clients to determine first whether notarization is required and warns that some countries do not accept notarized copies.

If the receiving body asks for an apostille on an Ontario notary's signature, the notarial act comes before that authentication step. If it asks for an original public document, a different designated authority, legalization, a translation, or does not accept notarized copies, a certified-copy appointment may be the wrong first step. Confirm the exact pathway with the receiving body and the current official Canadian guidance before booking.

A few practical timing notes:

• Check the current designated authority and processing method for the document before relying on a timeline.
• If a translation is required, confirm which document or signature must be authenticated and in what order.
• If the destination country is not on the Hague list, check the country-specific embassy fees and processing times before you commit to a courier.

For the full apostille walkthrough — including which documents qualify, what GAC charges, and how to handle multi-document files — see our companion article on apostille vs notarization. The notary step described here is the same in either case.

Caption: Foreign-use requirements depend on the document, destination, and receiving body; confirm the required sequence before notarizing.

Pricing and Booking

Pricing at Minute Notary is flat and posted. The fees below cover the certification work itself; apostille fees, translator fees, and courier fees are separate where they apply.

Note: pricing is per notarial act, so if more than one person signs, each additional signer is one more stamp.

A standard appointment for a single certified copy typically runs ten to fifteen minutes. Bring the receiving body's instructions, the original document, and government photo ID. Book a mobile physical appointment with certified copies preselected or call (613) 434-5555 for an office appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are "notarial copy" and "certified true copy" the same thing in Ontario?

Often, when an Ontario notary produces them: the notary compares the original with the copy, then signs and seals a certification statement. The receiver's definition still controls. If it names a different professional or specifically requires a Quebec notaire, an Ontario notary's certified true copy is not automatically a substitute.

Will a "witnessed copy" by a friend or coworker satisfy IRCC?

Only when the relevant IRCC program checklist permits that witness and the copy meets every listed requirement. "Witnessed copy" is not a universal immigration category. Check the current instructions before choosing a certifier; if they ask for a notary public, bring the original to a physical certified-copy appointment.

Do I need an apostille for a certified copy used inside Canada?

An apostille is generally a foreign-use authentication step, but the receiving body's instructions control. For Canadian use, follow the relevant organization's rules. For foreign use, confirm whether the receiver accepts a notarized copy and whether an apostille or another process is required.

Can a notary in Ottawa certify a copy of a foreign-language document?

Yes. The certification is a statement that the photocopy matches the original document shown to the notary. It does not require the notary to read or understand the document. We routinely certify copies of passports, marriage certificates, diplomas, court orders, and other documents in dozens of languages. If the receiving body also wants a translation, that is a separate step — an ATIO-certified translator (in Ontario) prepares the translation under their own seal, and we can commission the translator's affidavit at the same appointment. The notary does not translate.

How many certified copies should I order?

Order the number in each receiving body's instructions. Every seal is $24.95 plus HST, whether it is the first or an additional copy. If the number is unclear, ask the receiver before booking.

Final Recommendation

If you are picking between "notarial copy," "certified true copy," and "witnessed copy" in Ottawa, read the receiving body's instructions first. Bring the exact wording, the original document, and government photo ID. Minute Notary can produce an Ontario notary's certified true copy, but the receiver decides whether that act, wording, and page treatment satisfy its request.

If the form gives a specific list of acceptable witnesses, follow it. If it is silent or ambiguous, ask the receiver which certifier, wording, and format it accepts rather than assuming a more formal document will satisfy the request.

When the document is going abroad, confirm the exact destination and receiver requirements before booking. If the requested pathway authenticates a notarial signature, notarization comes first; if the receiver requires an original public document or rejects notarized copies, a certified copy is not the right starting point.

Book Your Appointment

Certified True Copies — $24.95 per seal plus HST. Book an available in-person office or mobile appointment and bring the original document, government photo ID, and the receiving body's current instructions.

Service page: Certified True Copies Phone: (613) 434-5555 Mobile booking: Certified copies preselected Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Bring the original document, government photo ID, and the receiving body's wording. Minute Notary can perform the Ontario notarial act; the receiver decides whether to accept it.

Sources

• Global Affairs Canada — Find out if your document needs to be notarized
• Hague Apostille Convention — Canada
• Notaries Act (Ontario)