What is the meaning of a self-attested copy?

It is a photocopy or scan of your own document that you have signed yourself, usually under the words "Self-Attested" and with the date, to confirm it matches the original.

Is a self-attested copy the same as an attested copy?

No. A self-attested copy carries your signature. An attested copy carries the signature and seal of someone else, normally a gazetted officer or a notary. Give the kind the notice asks for.

Does a self-attested copy need a date?

Not every form requires it, but most people add it and many notices ask for it. The date shows when you certified the copy, which matters if you reuse old copies.

What happens if a self-attested copy is false?

You are the one certifying it, so the responsibility is yours. Recruitment notices say that candidature can be cancelled at any stage if a submitted document turns out to be false.

Self-attest · Meaning

Self-attested copy: what it means

A self-attested copy is a photocopy or scan of your own document that you sign yourself to confirm it matches the original. You write "Self-Attested", sign under it and add the date. No officer, notary or stamp is involved. You still carry the original to document verification, where someone compares the two.

Self-attested, attested, notarised, true copy

Forms use these four terms for four different things. The difference is who signs the copy.

Kind of copy	Who signs it	Where you meet it
Self-attested copy	You, under the words "Self-Attested", usually with the date	Most central and state government applications, exams, admissions and scholarships
Attested copy	A gazetted officer, with signature, name and office seal	Forms that still say "attested by a gazetted officer", and some older procedures
Notarised copy	A notary public, with stamp and register entry	Legal, property and some overseas uses
Certified true copy	The office that holds the original, such as a court, a university or a company	Court records, company documents, duplicate academic records

If a notice says "attested copy" and nothing else, read the lines around it or the checklist at the end of the notice, which usually spells it out. If it names a gazetted officer, your own signature will not do.

Why your own signature is enough now

Getting copies attested by a gazetted officer used to be the rule. In 2014 the central government's Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances asked ministries and departments to accept self-attested copies instead, and to check originals only at the final stage. Several states issued similar orders for their own departments.

The trade is responsibility. By signing, you certify the copy yourself. Recruitment notices say candidature can be cancelled at any stage if a document turns out to be false.

Does it need the date?

Not every form requires one, but add it anyway. Many notices ask for the date, it costs nothing, and it shows when you certified the copy. That matters if you keep a stack of old attested photocopies and reuse them a year later.

Make one now

The stamp below writes "Self-Attested", the date, your name and your signature image onto a scan. For the step-by-step paper method and the list of documents people attest most, see the main self-attest page. The Hindi term is स्व-प्रमाणित, and there is a Hindi version of the guide.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of a self-attested copy?: It is a photocopy or scan of your own document that you have signed yourself, usually under the words "Self-Attested" and with the date, to confirm it matches the original.
Is a self-attested copy the same as an attested copy?: No. A self-attested copy carries your signature. An attested copy carries the signature and seal of someone else, normally a gazetted officer or a notary. Give the kind the notice asks for.
Does a self-attested copy need a date?: Not every form requires it, but most people add it and many notices ask for it. The date shows when you certified the copy, which matters if you reuse old copies.
What happens if a self-attested copy is false?: You are the one certifying it, so the responsibility is yours. Recruitment notices say that candidature can be cancelled at any stage if a submitted document turns out to be false.