certification vs. certificate (vital records)

[whodouthinkyouare]

I would like to know the meaning exactly of "certification" in a birth or marriage certificate. I would like to know why they use "certification of vital record" instead of "certificate of vital record"

Source:

State of California
Certification of Vital Record
City and County of San Francisco
License and Certificate of Marriage

 

[JamesM]

I believe it is because the department's function is to provide certification (valid proof) of vital records: births, deaths, marriages. The department is not a certificate.