HI Notary Copy Certifications 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does a Hawaii notary attest to when performing a copy certification?
- That the copy is a true, correct, and complete reproduction of the original (Correct answer)
- That the original document is legally valid and authentic
- That the person requesting the copy is the document's owner
- That the document has been previously notarized
Correct answer: That the copy is a true, correct, and complete reproduction of the original
A copy certification is the notary's attestation that the copy is a true, correct, and complete reproduction of the original document.
Question 2: Which of the following documents is a Hawaii notary PROHIBITED from certifying a copy of?
- A private business contract
- A personal letter
- A birth certificate (Correct answer)
- A college transcript issued by a private university
Correct answer: A birth certificate
Vital records such as birth certificates are issued by government agencies, and only those agencies may provide certified copies — not a notary.
Question 3: Before completing a copy certification, what must the Hawaii notary personally do?
- Compare the copy to the original document (Correct answer)
- Have the signer swear the copy is accurate
- File the copy with the county clerk
- Obtain a witness to observe the comparison
Correct answer: Compare the copy to the original document
The notary must personally compare the copy against the original to verify the copy is a true and complete reproduction.
Question 4: A customer asks a Hawaii notary to certify a copy of their state-issued driver's license. What is the correct response?
- Certify the copy as requested since the customer owns the license
- Certify only the front of the license
- Refuse, because government-issued IDs cannot be copy-certified by notaries (Correct answer)
- Certify the copy with a disclaimer that it is for identification only
Correct answer: Refuse, because government-issued IDs cannot be copy-certified by notaries
Driver's licenses are government-issued records; only the issuing agency may produce certified copies, not a notary.
Question 5: Which of the following documents CAN a Hawaii notary legally certify a copy of?
- A Hawaii birth certificate
- A U.S. passport
- A private lease agreement (Correct answer)
- A recorded deed from the bureau of conveyances
Correct answer: A private lease agreement
A private lease agreement is a privately created document — not a government record — so a notary may certify a copy of it.
Question 6: Can a Hawaii notary certify a copy of an existing photocopy when the original document is unavailable?
- Yes, if the document owner swears the photocopy is accurate
- No, the notary must always compare against the original (Correct answer)
- Yes, if two witnesses confirm the photocopy is accurate
- Yes, if the document is more than ten years old
Correct answer: No, the notary must always compare against the original
A notary must compare the copy directly to the original; certifying a copy of a copy does not satisfy this requirement and is not permitted.
Question 7: What must a copy certification certificate include at minimum?
- The notary's statement that the copy is a true and correct copy of the original (Correct answer)
- The date the original document was executed
- The name and address of the document's author
- The reason the certified copy is needed
Correct answer: The notary's statement that the copy is a true and correct copy of the original
The certificate must contain the notary's statement attesting that the copy is a true, correct, and complete reproduction of the original.
HI Notary Copy Certifications 1
What does a Hawaii notary attest to when performing a copy certification?