Quick answer
A certified true copy (CTC) is a copy of a company document that the company secretary has compared against the original and certified as true and complete. Banks, embassies, licensing bodies and tender boards accept a company-secretary CTC of the audited financial statements because the secretary holds that statutory office under ss.235–236 of the Companies Act 2016. We issue it within one to two working days.
Last reviewed： · Reviewed by：ONEKEY BIZ compliance team
01
Overview
Many applications ask for company documents "certified true copy". A plain photocopy is not enough, because the recipient has no way of knowing it matches the original. A certified true copy carries the company secretary's certification, name, licence details, signature and date, confirming the copy is a true and complete reproduction of the document held in the company's records.
Audited financial statements prove the company's capital, revenue and financial standing. Banks need them for facilities, CIDB and other licensing bodies need them for grade applications and renewals, and tender boards compare them against the contract value. The statements are prepared under Section 248, circulated under Sections 257–258 and lodged with SSM under Section 259, so the certified copy should always be of the version that was circulated and lodged.
The company secretary can certify because they hold a statutory office: every company must have a secretary under Section 235 of the Companies Act 2016, and that person must be licensed or a member of a prescribed body under Section 236. A CTC is only as good as the record behind it — if the document is outdated, certify the current version, not the old one.
Who needs this
- Contractors renewing or upgrading CIDB registration
- Companies applying for bank facilities
- Companies submitting tenders
02
Documents you need to prepare
Document to certify
- Original audited financial statements, or confirmation that the original is held in the company records we keep
- Number of certified copies required
Purpose
- Who the copies are for (bank, embassy, licensing body, tender board)
- Any specific certification wording the recipient requires
- Some foreign authorities additionally need notarisation or embassy legalisation; tell us the destination country.
- Certification confirms the copy matches the original; it does not verify the truth of the document's contents.
03
How to get it done with ONEKEY BIZ
- 1Request Day 1
You tell us the document, number of copies and recipient.
- 2Verify original Day 1
We compare each copy against the original in the company records.
- 3Certify Day 1–2
The company secretary certifies, signs and dates each copy.
- 4Deliver Day 1–2
Certified copies delivered in hard copy or scanned, as needed.
You do
- Tell us the document and recipient
- Provide the original if we do not hold it
We do
- Verify against the original
- Certify, sign and date each copy
- Match any wording the recipient requires
04
What you receive
Signed and dated by the licensed company secretary, with licence details.
A scan of the certified copies for online submissions.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Can a director certify documents instead?
Some recipients accept a director's certification, but banks and agencies usually ask for the company secretary.
How many copies can we get?
As many as you need; tell us the number when you request.
Is this the same as notarisation?
No. Notarisation is done by a notary public and is sometimes required on top of a CTC for use overseas.