Procedure for Document Authentication (Apostilles)
DOCUMENTS WHICH MAY BE CERTIFIED:
The Secretary of State will Certify or Apostille the following documents:
- Documents notarized or certified as true copies by a Florida Notary Public
- Birth and Death Certificates bearing the signature of the State Registrar obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville Florida. For their phone number and fee information, please go to the following website: www.doh.state.fl.us/planning_eval/vital_statistics/birth_death.htm
- Vehicle Titles certified by the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. For their phone number and fee information, please go to the following website: www.hsmv.state.fl.us
- Corporation documents bearing the signature of the Secretary of State
- Documents certified by a Clerk of the Court from a county within Florida
**NOTE: Documents must be submitted with original signatures; copies cannot be certified.
CERTIFICATION FEES:
Please note that checks or money orders are the only acceptable forms of payment to this office.
The fee for a notarial or apostille certification by the Secretary of State is $10 per notarized document.
Certification of ORIGINAL certified copies of documents obtained from the Clerk of Circuit Court are $20 per document.
Certification of ORIGINAL birth/death/marriage records obtained from THE BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS in Jacksonville, Florida that are signed by THE STATE REGISTRAR are $10 per document. **** Please note that records obtained from local health departments are NOT ACCEPTABLE.****
PROCESSING TIME:
The processing time varies dependent upon the volume of work received and the resources available. We advise you to allow at least five (5) working days for processing. Requests are completed in the date order they are received. We do not offer expedited services.
PROCEDURES:
Please follow these procedures carefully to enable our staff to process your request without delay.
- Enclose a cover letter stating the name of the country in which the documents will be used. The country name
is needed in order to authenticate the document correctly, whether by Certificate of Notarial Authority
or Apostille. Please include a telephone number where you can be reached during normal business hours.
- Enclose the required fee. (See "CERTIFICATION FEES" above)
- Enclose a self addressed, stamped envelope for return of the documents. If you wish the order to be returned by a courier service, you must enclose a pre-paid air bill with your order. (No collect or cash on delivery (COD) mail or air bills can be sent from this office.)
- If you are using U.S. Mail, please use this address:
- Department of State
Division of Corporations
Apostille Certification
P.O. Box 6800
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800
Note: When using oversized envelopes, please insure the proper postage is affixed. All postage due envelopes are held in the post office for 4 to 6 weeks before being delivered.
- If you are using a courier service, please use this address:
- Division of Corporations
Clifton Building, Apostille Section
2661 Executive Center Circle
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone:850-245-6945