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Make edits, fill in missing information, and update formatting in US Legal Forms—just like you would in MS Word.

Download a copy, print it, send it by email, or mail it via USPS—whatever works best for your next step.

Sign and collect signatures with our SignNow integration. Send to multiple recipients, set reminders, and more. Go Premium to unlock E-Sign.

If this form requires notarization, complete it online through a secure video call—no need to meet a notary in person or wait for an appointment.

We protect your documents and personal data by following strict security and privacy standards.
A certified copy doesn't certify or confirm that the primary document or original document is genuine, only that it's a true copy of the primary document. This means that if the primary document isn't legitimate, you cannot use the certified copy to guarantee that it's genuine.
An original copy is still a copy, not an original. The definition of an original is: “the earliest form of something, from which copies may be made.” A copy is “a thing made to be similar or identical to another.”
All that a “certified” copy means is that a clerk in your state or county Vital Records Office has pulled your original Birth Certificate and copied it. They then stamp it with an official seal which certifies it as a true copy of your original certificate.
This copy of the document is made from an original document, and has a certificate attached to it which says that the person who made the copy has compared the copy to the original, which they have seen. A true copy is simply a copy made from an original document, without the certification attached to it.
A certified copy is a copy (often a photocopy) of a primary document that has on it an endorsement or certificate that it is a true copy of the primary document. It does not certify that the primary document is genuine, only that it is a true copy of the primary document.
What is the difference between a true copy, certified copy, and original document? A “true copy" is a copy of something that matches the original (ie, not altered or different from the original in any way). A “certified copy" is a copy that someone has inspected to ensure that it is a true copy.
This confirmation process involves comparing the duplicate to the original document directly. Once verified, the official usually signs and stamps the copy, indicating its certification status.
A true copy is a reproduction of an original document that is close enough to the original that anyone can understand it. It is often used in legal proceedings as evidence to prove the contents of a writing.
There are no endorsements, stamps or seals on a Plain Copy. A Certified Copy typically includes an additional page with a certification stamp and signature stating that the document(s) are true and complete copies as filed for record in that office.