# Public and private documents

Lesson 1 of [Prepare a document for an apostille request](https://apostilles.fyi/academy/prepare-a-document-for-an-apostille.md), 14 minutes.

Your first step depends on the type of document.

## Public documents

A birth certificate, a court order, a police clearance or a registry extract already carries a public signature and seal. The issuing office can check that signature against its records. These documents usually go straight to the issuing office.

## Private documents

A power of attorney, a company resolution, a private contract or a copy of a diploma carries only a private signature. The issuing office has nothing official to check yet. A notary supplies the official act: a witnessed signature, an acknowledgement or a certified copy. The apostille then certifies the notary.

The United Kingdom uses the same logic with different titles. Court papers, registry certificates and government letters go to the Legalisation Office directly. Other papers need certification by a UK public official, such as a notary or a solicitor, first. The GOV.UK page lists which documents qualify on their own.

## Get the right original

Offices work from originals, or from certified copies that the registry issues. A hospital keepsake or a photocopy does not qualify as a birth certificate. A notarization never repairs a wrong original. A notarized copy of a printout is still a copy of a printout.

- Order a certified copy from the registry that holds the record, for example a state vital records office or a company registry.
- Ask the receiving office if it sets an age limit for the document. Some receivers, such as banks, ask for recent papers.

## Sources

- GOV.UK, Get your document legalised: https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised
- Apostille Finder guides: Which documents need a notary before the apostille; Apostilles for company documents; Using a US birth certificate in Spain (all updated 2026-10-07)

This course is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.

Also on the [web page](https://apostilles.fyi/academy/prepare-a-document-for-an-apostille/public-and-private-documents).