To get a certified copy of a US passport, you photocopy the biographical data page of your passport and take it, along with the original passport and a second photo ID, to a notary public who compares the two and stamps the copy as a true reproduction. The State Department does not issue certified copies of passports, so a notary is the standard route. Before you go, confirm the agency or business asking for the copy will actually accept a notarized one, because several major federal agencies will not.
What the Notary Is Actually Certifying
A certified copy is a photocopy that an authorized official has examined next to the original and formally attested to be an accurate reproduction. The notary is not vouching for the passport’s legitimacy or confirming that the State Department properly issued it. Their role is narrower: they saw the original, they compared it to the copy, and they certified the copy matches. The State Department certifies certain vital records it issued, but passports are not among them, so you cannot request a certified duplicate from the government itself.1Department of State. Replace or Certify Documents
Most states allow notaries to certify directly that a photocopy is a true and accurate reproduction of the original document presented to them. A handful of states prohibit this. In those states, the workaround is sometimes called copy certification by document custodian. You sign a sworn written statement declaring the attached photocopy is a true and accurate copy of the original, and the notary notarizes your signature on that statement rather than certifying the copy itself. The practical effect is similar. Your notary will know which method your state uses and will have the correct certificate language ready.
How to Get Your Passport Copy Certified
The process is quick if you arrive prepared.
- Make a clear photocopy of the biographical data page, the one with your photo, name, date of birth, passport number, and expiration date. If the requesting party also wants visa stamps or other pages, copy those. Legible, full-page copies only.
- Find a notary. Banks often provide the service free to account holders. UPS stores, FedEx offices, AAA branches, law offices, and standalone notary businesses are common alternatives. Mobile notaries will come to you for an added fee.
- Appear in person with the original passport, the photocopy, and a second government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license. The notary needs to see the original to compare it and needs to verify your identity separately.
- The notary compares the two documents, then attaches or stamps a certificate on the copy that includes their signature, official seal, and the date. In document-custodian states, you will sign the sworn statement first and the notary will notarize your signature.
- The notary records the transaction in their official journal. Most states require this, and the entry creates a permanent record if the certification is later questioned.
Remote Online Notarization
Most states now authorize remote online notarization, where you appear before a notary on a live video call instead of in person. You upload the documents through a secure platform, show your passport and ID on camera, and the notary applies a digital seal and signature. It is a good option if you live far from a notary or need the certification quickly. Some organizations still require a physical ink seal, so check first with whoever asked for the copy.
Expired Passports
A notary can generally certify a copy of an expired passport, because their job is to confirm the copy matches the original in front of them, not to judge whether the original is still valid. Whether the entity requesting the copy will accept an expired passport is a separate question. If the copy is meant to prove current identity or citizenship, the requester may insist on a current passport regardless.
What It Costs
Notary fees are set by state law and vary. Most states cap the fee for a single notarial act somewhere between $2 and $25, with $5 to $10 being the common range. A few states set no statutory cap. If you use a mobile notary, expect a travel fee of roughly $25 to $75 or more depending on distance. Many banks provide notary services free to their customers, so check yours first. If your certified copy needs to be recognized abroad, apostille or authentication fees are separate.
When a Notarized Copy Will Not Be Accepted
This is where people get tripped up. Two federal agencies most likely to affect passport-copy users flatly refuse notarized copies, no matter how proper the seal.
IRS ITIN Applications
If you are applying for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number using Form W-7, the IRS will not accept a notarized copy of your passport. For ITIN purposes, a certified copy has to come from the original issuing agency and bear that agency’s official stamped seal. A notary’s seal does not count.2Internal Revenue Service. ITIN Supporting Documents
Your options are to submit the original passport (the IRS will return it), obtain a certified copy from the issuing country’s government with its official seal, or work through an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent. Certifying Acceptance Agents are authorized by the IRS to review original documents and authenticate them on your behalf, so you do not have to mail your passport in. They can authenticate passports for primary and secondary taxpayers and must conduct an in-person or video interview with each applicant.3Internal Revenue Service. ITIN Acceptance Agent Program
One narrow exception: dependents and spouses of U.S. military personnel applying from an overseas APO or FPO address may submit notarized copies along with a copy of the service member’s military ID.2Internal Revenue Service. ITIN Supporting Documents
Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration requires original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency when you apply for a Social Security number or replacement card. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted. You will need to bring or mail the actual passport.4Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
Using the Certified Copy Abroad
A notarized copy alone usually is not enough for use in another country. Foreign governments want assurance that the notary was legitimately commissioned. What comes next depends on whether the destination country participates in the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
Hague Convention Countries
More than 120 countries participate in the Hague Convention, which uses a standardized single certificate called an apostille. The apostille is attached to your notarized document and confirms the notary’s commission is valid. For a copy notarized by a state-commissioned notary, you request the apostille from the secretary of state (or equivalent office) in the state where the notary is commissioned. Fees and processing times vary by state.
Non-Hague Countries
For countries that have not joined the Convention, you typically need a chain of authentications rather than a single certificate. That chain can involve the state secretary of state, the U.S. Department of State, and finally the embassy or consulate of the destination country. U.S. embassies and consulates abroad can also authenticate documents for use in non-Hague countries. You must appear in person, and each consular seal costs $50.5eCFR. 22 CFR 22.1 – Schedule of Fees
A Practical Note Before You Go
Certified passport copies come up in immigration filings, foreign visa and residency applications, international bank account openings under customer identification rules,6eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks real estate closings where a party cannot appear in person, and some court and estate matters. Before you sit down with a notary, confirm with whoever asked for the copy exactly what they need: a straightforward notarized copy, a document-custodian sworn statement, or a full notarized-and-apostilled package. Getting the wrong format means starting over.