A visa checklist says “certified copies of your degree certificates.” A bank wants a “certified true copy” of your passport for KYC. A tender asks for a “CTC” of the company’s registration. In each case you’re being asked for the same thing: a photocopy that a trusted person has compared against the original and marked as accurate.
The stamp that does this looks simple—a few words, a name, a date—but it gets rejected surprisingly often. The wrong person signed it, a registration number is missing, or the wording doesn’t match what the receiving office expects.
This guide covers what certification actually means, the standard wording, the elements a CTC stamp must carry, who can certify in the main jurisdictions, and how to create a clean, consistent CTC stamp with our free Stamp Studio.
Not legal advice: Who may certify copies, and how, is set by national law and by each receiving authority (embassy, university, bank, court, registry). This guide summarizes common practice for reference. Always follow the requesting organization’s published instructions, and check with the relevant notary commission, bar council, or government department when in doubt.
What “Certified True Copy” Means (and What It Doesn’t)
A certified true copy (CTC) is a copy of a document on which an authorized person confirms: “I have seen the original, and this copy matches it.”
That’s all it confirms. Certification does not mean:
- The original is genuine. The certifier compares the copy to the document in front of them. They aren’t verifying that a degree was really awarded or that a passport wasn’t forged.
- The contents are true. A certified copy of a bank statement says the copy is faithful, not that the balance is correct.
- The document is legalized for use abroad. International use may need an apostille or embassy legalization on top of certification. Those are separate steps done by government authorities.
There’s also a second kind of “certified copy”: one issued by the custodian of the original itself—a court registry, civil registry, university registrar, or company registry—confirming the copy matches their record. For public records like birth certificates and court orders, this is often the only acceptable kind.
Standard Wording Variations
Different countries and institutions favor different phrases. The most common:
| Wording | Where you’ll see it |
|---|---|
| CERTIFIED TRUE COPY | Generic; widely used in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East |
| Certified True Copy of the Original | Banks, KYC teams, admissions offices |
| Certified True and Correct Copy | Philippines, some U.S. custodians, corporate secretaries |
| I certify that this is a true copy of the original seen by me | UK and Commonwealth guidance; personal certification |
| I certify that this is a true copy of the original document sighted by me | Australia (wording often used by authorized witnesses) |
| ATTESTED / Attested True Copy | India and parts of South Asia, typically by gazetted officers or notaries |
| Self-Attested | India, where the applicant certifies their own copies |
The golden rule: if the receiving organization publishes the wording it wants, use that wording exactly. If it doesn’t, “Certified True Copy of the Original” plus a signed statement is the safest general choice.
Mandatory Elements: Anatomy of a CTC Stamp
A CTC stamp is valuable only if someone can later trace the certification back to a real, qualified person. That’s why the details below matter more than the headline.
- The certification phrase — e.g. “CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF THE ORIGINAL.”
- Certifier’s full name — printed, not just a signature.
- Designation or profession — Notary Public, Advocate, Solicitor, Chartered Accountant, Gazetted Officer, Commissioner for Oaths, Company Secretary.
- Registration, commission, or enrolment number — the number a reviewer can check against an official register.
- Organization or office address and phone — many authorities (including UK government guidance for certifiers) ask for contact details so they can verify the certification.
- Date of certification — use an unambiguous format such as
07 OCT 2026or2026-10-07. Our date stamp format guide explains why10/07is risky on international documents. - Signature — handwritten (wet ink) on paper unless the recipient accepts digital signatures.
- Official seal, where the certifier has one — e.g. a notary’s seal or an officer’s round office seal.
Practical tips that prevent rejections:
- Certify every page. For multi-page documents, stamp and sign each page, or number the pages (“Page 2 of 5”) and certify the set.
- Don’t cover content. Place the stamp in a blank margin or on the back of the page, never over text, photos, or signatures on the copy.
- Photo IDs need extra care. Some authorities ask the certifier to also write “This is a true likeness of [name]” for passport copies. Check whether yours does.
Who Can Certify?
Most systems allow a notary or lawyer to certify, and then add a list of other trusted professionals or officials. The receiving authority’s list always wins. A bank or embassy may accept fewer certifiers than the law allows.
Quick Reference by Country
| Country | Commonly accepted certifiers | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Notaries public (in states that allow “copy certification”); the document’s custodian | Many states don’t let notaries certify copies of vital or public records (birth, death, marriage certificates, court records)—get a certified copy from the issuing office. In some states a notary can’t certify copies at all; the usual workaround is a “copy certification by document custodian,” where the holder signs a statement and the notary notarizes the signature. |
| United Kingdom | Solicitors, notaries, commissioners for oaths, and other professionals listed in official guidance (e.g. accountants, bank officials) | The certifier usually can’t be a relative or live at your address. Some organizations (e.g. for overseas use) require a solicitor or notary specifically. |
| India | Gazetted officers, notaries, and for some purposes the institution’s own officials; self-attestation for many government applications | Self-attestation is widely accepted domestically but rarely by foreign embassies or universities. |
| Nigeria | Notaries public, commissioners for oaths, legal practitioners; court registrars for court documents | CTCs of court judgments and public records are issued by the court or registry that holds them. |
| Philippines | Notaries public (for private documents); the custodian office for public records | Notaries generally can’t certify copies of public or vital records—request them from the issuing agency (e.g. civil registry). |
| Australia | Authorized witnesses such as justices of the peace, lawyers, pharmacists, police officers, and other listed occupations | The list of approved occupations is set federally and by states; check the current list for your document type. |
Rules change and vary by state or province, so treat this table as a starting point, not a checklist. Our notary seal requirements guide covers what goes on a U.S. notary’s seal.
Self-Attestation vs Third-Party Certification
| Self-attestation | Third-party certification | |
|---|---|---|
| Who signs | You, the document owner | An independent, qualified person |
| Typical wording | “Self-attested” + signature + date | “Certified True Copy” + certifier details |
| Cost and time | Free and instant | Notary or professional fee; an appointment |
| Accepted by | Many domestic applications (notably in India), some employers | Embassies, foreign universities, banks, courts, registries |
| Evidential weight | Low; relies on your own honesty and later verification | Higher; a named professional is accountable |
If the instructions just say “copy,” send a plain copy. If they say “self-attested copy,” sign it yourself. If they say “certified,” “attested by,” or name a profession, you need a third party.
Layout & Size: Rectangular Block vs Round Seal
Most CTC stamps use one of two layouts, and many certifiers use both together.
Rectangular block (the CTC stamp itself)
┌───────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF ORIGINAL │
│ Name: ____________________________ │
│ Designation: ______________________ │
│ Reg. No.: ________ Date: _________ │
│ Signature: ________________________ │
└───────────────────────────────────────┘- Typical size: around 60 × 30 mm to 70 × 35 mm—large enough for handwritten entries.
- Pre-printing the name, designation, and number saves time and prevents illegible handwriting. Leave the date and signature blank to fill in each time.
Round official seal (alongside it)
- The certifier’s office seal, notary seal, or company seal—usually 38–45 mm in diameter.
- Applied next to the signature to show the certifier’s authority.
Ink: blue or violet is common for certification because it is easy to tell apart from a black-and-white photocopy. Some institutions specify a color. Our bank verification stamp guide explains why financial institutions prefer violet and blue. For exact dimensions in mm, inches, and pixels, see the stamp sizes guide.
Certifying Digital Copies and PDFs
More applications are submitted as PDFs, and certifiers are adapting. Some practical points:
- A stamp image alone isn’t proof. Anyone can paste a CTC graphic onto a scan, so many receivers still require a wet-ink certification on paper that is then scanned or posted. Read the instructions carefully.
- Stamp + digital signature is strongest. Where electronic certification is accepted, the certifier places their CTC stamp on the PDF and then applies a certificate-based digital signature, which detects any later changes. Stamp first, sign last. Our guide to stamping and signing PDFs in your browser walks through the order.
- Remote online notarization. In jurisdictions that permit it, a notary can certify electronically over a recorded video session. Availability, and whether copy certification is included, varies by state and country.
- Keep a record. Professionals who certify copies often keep a log (date, document type, person, reference number). It protects the certifier if a certification is ever questioned.
How to create a CTC stamp online in 2 minutes
- Open the Stamp Studio and add a rectangular border, or start from a design in the Notary & Legal templates or Bank templates.
- Add the heading text—
CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF THE ORIGINALor the exact wording your recipient requires. - Add lines for your name, designation, and registration number. Pre-fill them if the stamp is for your own use.
- Click Date & Box in the sidebar and press Set Today, or leave a blank
Date: ______line for handwriting. - Download a transparent PNG for PDFs and Word files, or an SVG if you’re ordering a physical self-inking stamp.
- Apply it with the PDF & Word Stamper, which runs entirely in your browser. The documents you’re certifying—passports, degrees, statements—are never uploaded.
Final Thoughts
A certified true copy is only as good as the trail behind it: a named, qualified certifier, a checkable registration number, a date, and wording the recipient recognizes. Get those right and the stamp does its job. Leave one out and it’s just a photocopy with ink on it.
Before you certify anything, check three things: who the recipient accepts, what wording they want, and whether they’ll take digital copies or need wet ink on paper.
Create Your Certified True Copy Stamp
👉 Launch the Free Online Stamp Studio — design a CTC block with your name, designation, and registration number. 100% free, no watermarks.
👉 Open the Free PDF & Word Stamper — apply it to scanned copies privately in your browser, with zero uploads.
Or start from a ready-made Notary & Legal template and adapt the wording to your jurisdiction.