A customer asks the notary to certify a copy of their birth certificate. Can the notary do this?

COPY CERTIFICATION is a notarial act in some states where the notary certifies that a photocopy is a true and complete copy of the original. However, virtually all states PROHIBIT notaries from certifying copies of VITAL RECORDS — birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, passports. Why? Vital records can only be issued or certified by the government agency that created them (county clerk, state vital records office). A notary's copy certification of a vital record carries no legal weight and may actually mislead the recipient about the document's authenticity. The correct answer when asked to certify a birth certificate copy: explain that vital record certification must come from the issuing agency (typically the county/state vital records office); direct them to obtain an official certified copy with a raised seal directly from that office.