What types of documents can a notary public certify copies of?

A notary public is authorized to certify copies of certain types of documents, but not all documents can be certified. Powers of attorney and copies of the notary's own journal entries, when requested through a subpoena, are among the documents a notary can certify.

Powers of attorney are commonly used legal documents, and a notary can verify that a copy of this document is true and correct to the original. This is important as it ensures the authenticity of the document for legal purposes.

Additionally, a notary may certify copies of their journals as a response to a subpoena. Notary journals contain records of the notarial acts performed, which are important legal documents themselves. In this context, it is essential that the copy is certified to maintain its integrity and trusted validity in a legal setting.

In contrast, a birth certificate is not typically within the purview of what a notary public can certify. It usually requires certification from the relevant government authority that issued the document. This distinction reinforces the specific roles of notaries and other governmental agencies in the document verification process.