Notaries are often asked to certify that a photocopy of an original document is a true and accurate reproduction of the original. Write a statement that it's a true copy.A certified copy is the exact same thing as the original. The original just means the originally received certified copy. The notary is simply stating that the document photocopy is a "true" and complete copy of the original document that was presented. You can order a certified short form or long form copy of a birth certificate for someone born in New York City in or after 1910. A notary performs a notary copy certification when they verify that a copy of an original document is a true, correct, and complete copy. Most states permit it, but others, including Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee, do not. Step 4 Use the correct notarial certificate for making a certified copy. Many states allow notaries to make certified copies of documents as long as the original document is not a publicly recorded document.