Certified Copies

A certified copy is an official reproduction of a document issued directly by the authority that holds the original record. For example, the USPTO issues certified copies of patent applications and grants, and Secretary of State offices issue certified copies of corporate filings. Certified copies carry the issuing authority's seal and are considered the most authoritative version of a document in the U.S.

The USPTO's official processing goal is 7 business days, but due to ongoing staffing shortages and backlogs at the Certification Branch, we're currently seeing processing times of 3 months or longer for all types of certified copy requests. We can request expedited (at-cost) processing for urgent needs.

At-cost processing is the USPTO's expedited service for certified copy requests. Approved requests are typically fulfilled within 2–3 weeks. To qualify, you'll need to demonstrate that the copies are urgently needed for a foreign filing or court date, with supporting documentation such as correspondence from a foreign agent showing a deadline or court papers. Limits apply: a maximum of 3 unique certified copies per request, up to 5 duplicates each, and 1 request per day per client.

Yes. We obtain certified copies of business documents and corporate filings from Secretary of State offices across the country. This includes articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, and other business filings.

Our $100 fee covers our service for obtaining 1 certified copy from the USPTO, a Secretary of State's office, or another government agency. It does not include the agency's certification fees or shipping costs. Volume pricing is available for multi-document orders.

It depends on the destination country and the filing requirements. Many international filings require a certified copy that has been apostilled or consularly legalized. We offer combo pricing for orders that combine obtaining a certified copy with legalization — $250 for 1 document with apostille, or $350 with consular legalization, for the 1st document through the 1st legalization step.