Certification confirms document accuracy. Notarization confirms the identity of the signing person. Whether a document needs certification or notarization depends on the circumstances. Both processes protect legal documents.
Notarization vs. Certification
Companies often have finance staff get notary licenses. Certified translations are always accurate. But certified documents are not always notarized.
Notarization requires signing in front of a notary public. Certified documents only require accuracy and an official signature.
Immigration documents like birth certificates often only need certified translations, not notarization. Business documents for expanding abroad also usually only need certified translation.
Potential Penalties for Notaries
If a notary falsifies information, they face civil penalties over $10,000. They may also be charged with forgery, punishable by imprisonment.
Validating Documents
A certified copy has the signature of the certifying person or agency. A notarized copy has the notary public’s signature. Both verify authenticity.
Certified documents should be dated within the last 12 months and have original wet ink signatures. They cannot be photocopies.
Migration agents can certify documents for the Department of Home Affairs.
Notarization and certification both authenticate documents. But they involve different processes and serve different legal purposes.