Michigan apostille

Documents issued or notarized in Michigan are apostilled by the Office of the Great Seal (Michigan Department of State). The office authenticates the signatures of Michigan public officials — registrars, court clerks, state agencies — and Michigan-commissioned notaries public, then attaches an apostille for Hague Convention countries or an authentication certificate for all others.

Issues apostilles for Hague countries and Certificates of Authority for non-Hague countries.

Where to file

How to get a Michigan apostille

1. Confirm the document is a Michigan public document

   The Office of the Great Seal authenticates signatures of Michigan officials and Michigan-commissioned notaries only. Documents from other states go to their own state; federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State.

2. Prepare the request

   Complete the request form (official form), naming the destination country so the office issues an apostille (Hague country) or an authentication certificate (non-Hague country).

3. Submit the document, fee and return envelope

   Submit by mail to Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal, 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI 48918; in person at Office of the Great Seal, Richard H. Austin Building, 1st Floor, 430 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48918 (By appointment only, Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30am-4pm at the Great Seal office; book online or call (888) 767-6424. Select SOS branch offices (Clinton Township, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing E. Michigan Ave, Livonia, Marquette, Pontiac) also offer the service by appointment.). The fee is $1 per document.

4. Receive the apostille

   Processing: 1-2 weeks (mail). Keep the apostille attached and translate afterward if the destination requires it.

Fees and processing time

Fee: $1 per document. Check or money order payable to State of Michigan; do not send cash. Return postage not paid by the office; include self-addressed stamped envelope or prepaid air bill.

Processing time: 1-2 weeks (mail)

Documents Michigan will apostille

• Documents notarized by a Michigan notary public
• Certified vital records from MDHHS, county clerks, or Wayne/Macomb/Oakland city clerks
• Certified business documents from LARA
• Documents signed by county clerks or deputy county clerks

Not accepted or commonly rejected

• Original (non-certified-copy) vital records
• Documents from court clerks or registers of deeds unless notarized
• Documents received by fax
• Stamped, photocopied or facsimile signatures
• Apostilles for use within the United States

Notarized documents

Notarization must show notary's full name, signature, date, commission expiration date, county of commission, and county of execution if different. Original ink signatures only (no stamped, photocopied or faxed signatures). Michigan notaries cannot make a 'true copy' statement; they may only acknowledge the signature of the person making that statement. All notarial elements must be in English.

Michigan does not require county clerk certification of notarized documents before the state apostille.

General rules: notarized documents and apostilles.

Birth, marriage and death certificates

Original birth, death, marriage or divorce records are NOT accepted; must be certified copies issued by the Michigan State Registrar (MDHHS), a county clerk, or a city clerk in Wayne, Macomb or Oakland counties.

See the document guides for birth, marriage and death certificates.

Michigan-specific points

• At $1 per document this is one of the cheapest apostille fees in the US.
• In-person service only Mondays and Wednesdays, appointment required; walk-ins without appointment are not served.
• Mailing address (Crowner Drive) differs from the walk-in address (Austin Building, Allegan St).
• City clerk/registrar signatures are only recognized from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

Federal documents and non-Hague destinations

Michigan does not apostille federal documents. An FBI background check, Certificate of Naturalization, DD-214, IRS letter or Social Security letter issued to a Michigan resident is authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. — see the federal section. For destinations outside the Hague Convention, the Michigan authentication certificate must then be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State and legalized at the destination's embassy (how the chain works).