Acknowledgement of compliance of a copy or extract with the original document

When performing certain legal activities, there is a need to present an original document (e.g. matriculation certificate, excerpt from KRS, court judgement, administration decision) or a copy or extract certified by a notary. Giving the legal power of an original to a copy certified by a notary makes if possible to use one document simultaneously in various places. For example, matriculation certificate copies make it possible to apply for several faculties, copies of business entity documents (extracts from the register of entrepreneurs or certification of entry into the business activity register, certification of no tax and Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) arrears) enable these business entities to participate in a number of tenders.

A notary is obliged to certify not only public documents, but also the so-called private documents (which serve as a proof that a person who signed the document made a statement regarding its contents). A private document copy drafted by a notary does not, however, become public document.

In case of  certifying the compliance of a copy with the original a notary states that the copy contains all the original contents. In case of certifying the compliance of the extract with the original a notary states that the extract corresponds with certain elements of the original contents. In case of certifying the compliance of a copy with the original, a photocopy of the original is required to be made in the notary office, on which the notary notes that it complies with the original, signs and attaches a notarial seal.

When the original document has special features such as: notes, corrections, damage, watermarks, dry stamps – a notary certifies it in a certification clause.

Payments related to compliance certification

For certifying the compliance of a copy with a given document, a notary can get paid maximum 6 zł + 23% VAT for each page of the original document.