The legal position
An apostille certifies a signature, seal and capacity as of the date it was issued. Nothing in the Hague Convention makes it lapse. A competent authority cannot “renew” an apostille, and an old apostille remains verifiable in the register indefinitely.
Where expiry effectively comes from
- Recency rules for the document. Civil registries, immigration offices and courts commonly require that a certified copy be issued within a set window — because a birth certificate can be amended, a person can marry, and a background check reflects a moment in time.
- Rules of the receiving procedure. A visa application opened in 2026 may require documents dated within the last six months even if the same document was fine for a 2024 application.
- Physical condition. An apostille that has been detached, re-stapled or damaged is treated as invalid.
Typical windows
| Document / purpose | Common requirement |
|---|---|
| Birth, marriage, death certificates for citizenship or marriage (Italy, Spain, Mexico, France) | Issued within 3–12 months; 6 months is the most common |
| FBI or state background checks | Issued within 3–6 months |
| Single-status affidavits | 90 days to 6 months |
| Certificates of good standing (corporate) | 3–6 months |
| Diplomas and transcripts | No window — a diploma does not change |
| Powers of attorney | Validity set by the document’s own terms; some countries require them to be used within a year |
| Medical certificates | 30–90 days |
Planning around recency
- Do not apostille months before you need the document for a procedure with a window.
- Order a fresh certified copy and apostille it close to the appointment date.
- Where documents from several states and the federal office must align, start the slowest (federal) first and time the fastest (walk-in states) last.
Old apostilles on old documents
If a destination has no window — a diploma for a job, a deed for a property record — an apostille obtained years ago is fully usable. Receiving offices sometimes verify older apostilles against the register; the issuing office can confirm.
Fresh certified copies of Florida records can be obtained and apostilled in one request through a Florida apostille service with offices across the state; for background checks on a deadline, an FBI background check and federal apostille service aligns the FBI result and the federal apostille.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reuse an apostilled birth certificate for a second procedure?
If the second procedure’s recency window still covers the issue date of the certified copy, yes. Otherwise order a new copy and apostille it again.
My apostille is from 2015. Is it still valid?
Yes, as an apostille. Whether the 2015 document is accepted depends on the receiving authority’s rules.
Does translating an apostilled document restart any clock?
No. Translations usually have no expiry; the document’s issue date is what registries check.
