You have a certified copy. Why is someone asking for the original?

A certified copy reproduces a registered record. A buyer or lender may also need to understand where the original is and why it is unavailable.

Explain what happened to the original

Is it with a bank, held by a family member or believed to be lost? Each situation needs to be understood on its own facts. Keep any custody acknowledgement or written explanation with the copy. Obtaining the contents of a registered deed does not, on its own, answer every question about the original’s whereabouts or your proposed transaction.

Ask the person requesting it what they need

A bank, a buyer and a document reviewer may be asking for the paper for different reasons. Clarify the purpose before arranging another copy. Also say where the original is believed to be: with a lender, another owner or untraceable. A certified copy can help someone read a recorded instrument, but the whereabouts of the original may remain a separate question.

Details to check

• Clarify the purpose and required format.
• Record who holds the original, if known.
• Keep any lender acknowledgement or custody list.
• Disclose a loss or missing-original issue at the beginning.

The next step

Tell the reviewer why you have a copy and what the requester needs. Ask what further steps are appropriate instead of assuming the two documents are interchangeable.

Related reading

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