CERTIFYING DOCUMENTS: You must get it signed and get it dated by a professional person. The signer must be ‘well-respected’.
There are several reasons why you might need to get a certified copy of a document. Common reasons include applying for a bank account or a home mortgage.
In these cases, the institution may ask you to provide documents certified as true copies of the original.
Note: Different rules apply for countersigning passport applications, for passport photos, and for a lasting power of attorney.
Copies of documents that you may need to get certified by a professional include:
- Certain letters issued by a government department.
- Letters from a doctor or a hospital.
- Passports and photocard driving licences.
- Statements of a bank, a building society, or a credit card account.
- Utility bills (e.g. gas, electricity) or council tax bills.
Who Can Certify Documents in the UK?
The person certifying documents must be ‘of good standing‘. They should also be well-respected in the local community. Thus, you should ask a professional person such as:
A councillor or a minister of religion.- A chartered accountant, notary, or a solicitor.
- A dentist, a lecturer, or a teacher.
- An official working in a bank or building society.
Note: The person who certifies the document should not be:
- In a relationship with you.
- Living at the same address as you.
- Related to you.
Always check what the organisation requires from a certified copy. In some cases, they could have special rules on who can certify a document for them.
How to Certify a Document
You will need to have the original document and at least one photocopy. Take them both when you ask a person to certify the copy. Make sure they add these important notes:
- ‘Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me‘ must get written on the document.
- The certifying professional must sign and date it.
- They must print their name underneath their signature.
- They will need to add their occupation, their full address, and a contact telephone number.
Note: It is not uncommon for the person who certifies a document to charge a fee for doing so.
How to Certify a Translation
What if you need a certified translation of a document or a deed? Sometimes they are not written in English (or Welsh). In this case you should ask a professional translation company to confirm in writing on the document:
- That it is a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document‘.
- The date that the official document translation services translated the file.
- The full name and contact details of the translator. It can also be a representative of the translation company.