Step-by-step
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Decision 1 — Who signed or issued the document?
This single question decides where you file:
- Signed by a state or local official (county clerk, state registrar of vital statistics, state court clerk, state police, a state-commissioned notary public, a school registrar whose signature was notarized) → the state competent authority, usually the Secretary of State of the state where the document was issued or notarized. Find your state on the state directory.
- Signed by a federal official (FBI, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or National Personnel Records Center, IRS, Social Security Administration, USCIS, U.S. federal courts, FDA, USDA, USPTO, U.S. consular officers abroad) → the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. See federal apostilles.
The state where you live and the country you are sending the document to are irrelevant to this decision. A Texas birth certificate must go to the Texas Secretary of State even if you live in Florida; a Florida notarization must go to the Florida Department of State even if the signer lives in New York.
Decision 2 — Is the document in the right form?
Competent authorities apostille original public documents or notarized private documents. Before filing, make sure you hold the version they accept:
| Document type | Version the authority will accept |
|---|---|
| Birth, marriage, death certificate | Certified copy issued by the state or county registrar with a registrar’s signature and raised or printed seal. Hospital “keepsake” certificates and older copies signed by registrars no longer on file are rejected. |
| Court order, divorce decree | Certified copy from the clerk of the court that entered it, with the clerk’s signature and seal. |
| Diploma, transcript | Usually the original or school-issued copy, with the registrar’s signature notarized, or a notarized copy certified by a notary in states that permit copy certification. |
| Power of attorney, affidavit, consent letter | The original document signed in front of a notary public, with a complete notarial certificate (acknowledgment or jurat). |
| Corporate documents | Certified copies from the Secretary of State’s business division, or originals with a notarized signature of a company officer. |
| FBI background check | The FBI’s own result — paper or the digitally signed PDF from the FBI’s eDO system — without alterations. |
Decision 3 — Does the document need a step before the apostille?
Three pre-steps trip up most first-time filers:
- Notarization. Any private document (POA, affidavit, letter, copy of a passport) must be notarized first, and the notarial certificate must be complete: venue, date, the notary’s signature, commission expiration and seal where required by the state.
- County-level certification. A few states require the county clerk to certify the notary’s signature before the state will issue the apostille (New York for most notarized documents; Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and others for certain documents or counties). Each state page says whether this applies.
- Fresh certified copies. Many states only apostille vital records signed by the current registrar or a registrar whose signature is on file. If your certified copy is more than a few years old, order a new one from Vital Records first.
Decision 4 — How to file
Most states accept requests by mail and in person; a few offer online ordering or electronic apostilles. The federal Office of Authentications accepts mailed requests (up to about five weeks) and walk-in drop-offs at its Washington, D.C. counter on weekday mornings, returned in about seven business days. Typical requirements for a mailed request:
- A completed request form or cover letter stating the destination country (the authority uses this to decide between an apostille and an authentication certificate).
- The document(s) in the accepted form.
- Payment by check, money order or card as the office allows — fees range from no charge in a handful of states to about $20–25 per document, and $20 per document federally.
- A prepaid, self-addressed return envelope or courier label.
Processing runs from same-day at some walk-in counters to several weeks by mail, and longer federally. The cost guide and processing time guide collect the published figures.
Decision 5 — What happens after the apostille
- Translation. Most non-English-speaking destinations require a translation. Translate after the apostille so the translator can include the certificate, and use the type of translator the destination recognizes (sworn, certified or consular). See the translation guide.
- Do not detach the apostille from the document. Removing staples or grommets voids it in most jurisdictions.
- Check recency rules in the destination country before you travel. An apostille never expires, but the underlying certificate may be considered stale.
Using a service instead of filing yourself
Filing yourself costs only the government fee and postage. People use a service when they are abroad, when the state requires in-person drop-off, when a document needs county certification in another city, or when the federal timeline is too long for a visa deadline. For federal documents, a federal document apostille service can submit on your behalf; for documents issued or notarized in Florida, an online Florida apostille order service files directly with the Florida Department of State. Whatever you choose, the apostille itself is always issued by the government — a service only handles the logistics.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apostille a document from another state?
Yes, but it must be filed with the competent authority of the state that issued or notarized it, not the state where you live. Each state only apostilles signatures of its own officials and notaries.
Do I have to go in person?
Rarely. Almost every state accepts mailed requests; several offer online ordering. In-person service exists in most state capitals and some branch offices, and is the fastest route where same-day service is offered.
How long does the whole process take?
Same day to about a week for state apostilles when filed in person or online in a fast state; one to six weeks by mail; and several weeks for federal apostilles by mail. Add time for ordering certified copies, notarization and translation.
Does my document need to be translated before the apostille?
Usually no. Apostille the original English document first, then translate the document together with the apostille. Some destinations also require the translation itself to be notarized and apostilled — the country pages note where that applies.
