Enter the details of the artwork and produce a professional, print-ready certificate of authenticity, the signed document that verifies a work is genuine and becomes part of its provenance. Fill it in, watch the certificate render, and print it or save it as a PDF. Built for artists and galleries by Nakada Design.
The artwork
Issue & signature
Certificate preview
Keep a numbered copy for your own records and, ideally, attach a small reference photograph of the work. This produces a professional certificate; it is not legal or valuation advice.
Why a Certificate of Authenticity Matters
A certificate of authenticity is the paper that tells a collector, an appraiser and a future buyer that a work is genuinely what it claims to be. It is a cornerstone of provenance (the documented chain that follows a work through every owner), and provenance is a large part of what a serious artwork is worth. A painting with a clean COA and a clear history sells more easily, and for more, than the same painting without one.
For a living artist, the strongest certificate is one you sign yourself. Number your certificates, keep a matching copy, and issue one with every sale from the very first. Building that habit early is one of the quiet marks of a professional practice.
What Belongs on the Certificate
The artist's name; the title, year, medium and dimensions; the edition, or a clear statement that the work is unique; where and how the work is signed; a unique certificate number; the date of issue; and the signature of whoever is authenticating it. A provenance line and a reference image make it stronger still. This generator arranges every one of those fields on a clean, framed certificate you can print on good stock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a certificate of authenticity?
A signed document verifying that an artwork is a genuine, original work by the named artist. It records the work's details and travels with it as part of its provenance.
What should it include?
Artist; title, year, medium and dimensions; edition; how and where signed; a unique certificate number; date of issue; and the issuer's signature. A reference image and provenance note help.
Who can issue one?
The artist (strongest for living artists), the representing gallery, the edition's publisher, or the artist's estate or foundation.
Does it need to be notarized?
No. Its authority comes from the credibility of whoever signs it, not from notarization.
Is it free?
Yes. Free, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser.
Have clients discover you before your competitors do
This tool is built by Nakada Design, a Los Angeles marketing agency that specializes in galleries and artists. The same care that went into it goes into your visibility: the search presence and advertising that brings collectors to your gallery first. Tell us about your gallery below.
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