Documents issued or notarized in New York are apostilled by the Apostille and Authentication Unit, Division of Licensing Services, New York Department of State. The office authenticates the signatures of New York public officials — registrars, court clerks, state agencies — and New York-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 Authentication for non-Hague countries; the latter may need further US Department of State certification.
Where to file
| New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Apostille and Authentication Unit, PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001 (express carriers: One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231) | |
| In person | NYC: 123 William St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10038; Albany: 99 Washington Ave, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231; also Binghamton (44 Hawley St, Rm 1506), Buffalo (295 Main St, Ste 821), Utica (207 Genesee St) Same-day walk-in service, no appointment: NYC 9:00am-4:00pm; Albany 9:00am-4:15pm; Binghamton/Buffalo/Utica 9:00am-12:00pm and 12:45pm-4:00pm. Limit 10 documents per customer for same-day service. Drop-off (not same-day) allowed only in Albany and NYC. |
| Request form | Official request form |
| Official page | https://dos.ny.gov/apostille-or-certificate-authentication |
How to get a New York apostille
- Confirm the document is a New York public document
The Apostille and Authentication Unit, Division of Licensing Services, New York Department of State authenticates signatures of New York officials and New York-commissioned notaries only. Documents from other states go to their own state; federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State.
- Obtain county certification where required
Notarized documents must first be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the notary is commissioned. Vital records issued by local/county registrars and divorce certificates must be certified by the County Clerk of the issuing county. NYS Department of Health vital records signed by the Director of Vital Statistics/State Registrar need no county certification.
- 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).
- Submit the document, fee and return envelope
Submit by mail to New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Apostille and Authentication Unit, PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001 (express carriers: One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231); in person at NYC: 123 William St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10038; Albany: 99 Washington Ave, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231; also Binghamton (44 Hawley St, Rm 1506), Buffalo (295 Main St, Ste 821), Utica (207 Genesee St) (Same-day walk-in service, no appointment: NYC 9:00am-4:00pm; Albany 9:00am-4:15pm; Binghamton/Buffalo/Utica 9:00am-12:00pm and 12:45pm-4:00pm. Limit 10 documents per customer for same-day service. Drop-off (not same-day) allowed only in Albany and NYC.). The fee is $10 per document.
- Receive the apostille
Processing: Not published for mail requests; walk-in is same-day.. Expedited: No expedited processing; overnight return only with a prepaid shipping label (labels billing the sender or a credit card are rejected).. Keep the apostille attached and translate afterward if the destination requires it.
Fees and processing time
Fee: $10 per document. Check or money order drawn on a US bank payable to 'N.Y.S. Department of State', or MasterCard/Visa/American Express. Cash not accepted. Credit card payments must include the CVV on the current form or the request is rejected.
Processing time: Not published for mail requests; walk-in is same-day.
Expedited: No expedited processing; overnight return only with a prepaid shipping label (labels billing the sender or a credit card are rejected).
Documents New York will apostille
- NYS and NYC vital records (with county clerk certification where required)
- Notarized documents with county clerk certification
- Educational documents (certified, notarized, county-certified)
- NYS DCJS criminal background checks signed by DCJS
- Powers of attorney (notarized copy)
Not accepted or commonly rejected
- Federal documents including FBI background checks
- Documents not issued or notarized in New York State
- Incomplete request forms
- Credit card payments missing CVV
Notarized documents
Notary signature must be certified by the County Clerk where the notary is qualified before submission. Educational documents: school official certifies as official record, that signature is notarized, then county-clerk certified.
County certification required. Notarized documents must first be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the notary is commissioned. Vital records issued by local/county registrars and divorce certificates must be certified by the County Clerk of the issuing county. NYS Department of Health vital records signed by the Director of Vital Statistics/State Registrar need no county certification.
General rules: notarized documents and apostilles.
Birth, marriage and death certificates
NYS DOH records signed by the Director of Vital Statistics go straight to DOS. NYC DOHMH birth/death/marriage certificates must first be certified by the New York County Clerk, and birth/death certificates also need a 'Letter of Exemplification' requested when ordering. Local-registrar-issued records need County Clerk certification first.
See the document guides for birth, marriage and death certificates.
New York-specific points
- Two-step process: nearly everything must be certified by a County Clerk before the Department of State will act.
- NYC-issued birth/death certificates need both New York County Clerk certification and a Letter of Exemplification from the NYC DOHMH.
- Five walk-in offices (NYC, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Utica) with a 10-document same-day cap.
- Request form DOS-1917-f available in Spanish, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, Russian and Chinese.
- Mail requests must use the PO Box; express carriers must use the Albany street address.
Federal documents and non-Hague destinations
New York does not apostille federal documents. An FBI background check, Certificate of Naturalization, DD-214, IRS letter or Social Security letter issued to a New York 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 New York authentication certificate must then be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State and legalized at the destination's embassy (how the chain works).
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apostille cost in New York?
The Apostille and Authentication Unit, Division of Licensing Services, New York Department of State charges $10 per document. Check or money order drawn on a US bank payable to ‘N.Y.S. Department of State’, or MasterCard/Visa/American Express. Cash not accepted. Credit card payments must include the CVV on the current form or the request is rejected.
How long does a New York apostille take?
Not published for mail requests; walk-in is same-day. Expedited option: No expedited processing; overnight return only with a prepaid shipping label (labels billing the sender or a credit card are rejected)..
Can I get an apostille in person in New York?
Yes. Same-day walk-in service, no appointment: NYC 9:00am-4:00pm; Albany 9:00am-4:15pm; Binghamton/Buffalo/Utica 9:00am-12:00pm and 12:45pm-4:00pm. Limit 10 documents per customer for same-day service. Drop-off (not same-day) allowed only in Albany and NYC.
Does New York require county clerk certification before an apostille?
Notarized documents must first be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the notary is commissioned. Vital records issued by local/county registrars and divorce certificates must be certified by the County Clerk of the issuing county. NYS Department of Health vital records signed by the Director of Vital Statistics/State Registrar need no county certification.
Where do I apostille a federal document issued to a New York resident?
Federal documents — FBI background checks, naturalization certificates, DD-214s, IRS letters — are never apostilled by New York. They go to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. See the federal section.
