What an apostille is
An apostille is a one-page certificate attached to your document. It confirms that the person who signed or sealed it, usually a Florida notary or a state or county official, held that office when they signed. It does not confirm that the content of the document is true or correct.
Apostilles are used for countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. For other countries, Florida issues a notarial certificate instead. The document usually then goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication, and then to that country's embassy or consulate for legalization. The request form asks for the destination country so Florida issues the right one.
Who issues apostilles in Florida
Only the Florida Secretary of State, through the Division of Corporations' Apostille Section in Tallahassee. It can certify documents signed by a Florida notary or a Florida elected or appointed official. It cannot certify:
- Federal documents such as FBI background checks or documents signed by a federal official. These go to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications.
- Documents from another state, including ones notarized by another state's notary. These go to that state's Secretary of State.
What changes by document type
Not every document needs a notary first. What Florida needs depends on who issued the document and how it was signed.
| Document | What Florida needs | State fee |
|---|---|---|
| Birth or death certificate | Certified copy signed by the State Registrar, from the Bureau of Vital Statistics or a county health department. No notary needed. Birth records issued before 2004 carry limited information, so check what the receiving country wants. | $10 |
| Marriage or divorce certificate | Certified copy signed by the State Registrar or by the county Clerk of Court. | $10 |
| Court records (divorce decree, marriage license) | Original certified copy from a Florida county Clerk of Court. The $20 is $10 for the apostille plus $10 for a certificate confirming the Clerk's signature. The Clerk charges separately for the copy. | $20 |
| Power of attorney, affidavit, travel consent, personal letters | Signed in front of a Florida notary with a complete notarial certificate, in English. | $10 |
| School transcripts | Public schools: transcript signed by the registrar or issuing official, with that signature notarized. Private schools: a printed transcript signed by the student or records custodian as a true copy, then notarized. | $10 |
| Company documents | Certified copies or Certificates of Status from the Division of Corporations. You can order them with the apostille, using two separate checks. | $10 |
| Vehicle titles | Certified by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. | $10 |
| FBI background check, other federal documents | Not Florida. Goes to the U.S. Department of State. | n/a |
Plain photocopies are not accepted. A Florida notary can certify a copy of some private documents, but not of a vital record or public record, so “notarizing a copy” of a birth certificate is not a workaround. The state fee is separate from what Vital Statistics, the Clerk or other offices charge for the certified copy.
Why the notarial certificate has to be right
For a notarized document, the state checks the notary's commission and requires a full notarial statement in English. If it is incomplete, the document comes back unprocessed and you start over with a new notarization, plus another round of shipping.
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me by means of ☒ physical presence or ☐ online notarization2, this 14th day of October, 20263, by Maria Lopez4, who is personally known to me or has produced Florida driver license5 as identification.
______________________ Notary Public6
Name typed, printed or stamped7
Official seal, with commission number and expiration8
- Venue: state and county where the act took place.
- Whether the signer appeared in person or by audio-video.
- Date of the notarization.
- Name of the person who signed.
- How identity was confirmed, including the type of ID.
- The notary's signature.
- The notary's name, typed, printed or stamped.
- The official seal, which shows the commission number and expiration date.
Example only. The required parts are listed in s. 117.05(4), Florida Statutes, and the sample forms are in s. 117.05(13). The right certificate (acknowledgment or jurat) depends on the document.
How to submit to the Department of State
Every request needs the original document, the state's request form (or a cover letter) naming the destination country, and payment by check or money order to “Florida Department of State,” in U.S. dollars from a U.S. bank. Cash and credit cards are not accepted.
| Route | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Mail | Division of Corporations, Attn: Apostille Section, P.O. Box 6800, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800 | Include a self-addressed stamped envelope, or a prepaid air bill addressed from you to you, for the return. |
| Courier (FedEx, UPS) | Division of Corporations, Attn: Apostille Section, 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303 | Couriers can't deliver to the P.O. Box. Include a prepaid return air bill from you to you. |
| In person | 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed state holidays. | The state says most walk-in requests can be completed while you wait. Someone has to be in Tallahassee. |
How long it takes
Total time has three parts, and only the middle one belongs to the state.
The mail queue: the state publishes the date of the mail requests it is working on now. On October 15, 2026 it was processing apostille requests received September 29, about two and a half weeks behind. The queue changes, so check the live processing dates before you mail anything. Add shipping both ways on top.
Walk-in: the state says most walk-in requests are completed while you wait, which is why in-person submission is much faster than mail.
What moves the timeline:
- The submission route (mail versus in person).
- The day it arrives. Business days only, so a Friday arrival starts counting Monday.
- Return shipping speed, and whether it goes back to you or onward.
- Extra steps: getting a certified copy first, a new notarization, a translation, or embassy legalization after the apostille.
- Errors. A rejected document restarts the clock.
How LuroDocs handles an apostille
- We check the document first. We confirm it is a Florida document, what form it needs to be in, and whether it needs a notarization, a certified copy or a translation before it goes to Tallahassee.
- We arrange any notarization. In person through a mobile notary, or online where that works for your document.
- Your document goes to Tallahassee. We route it to the Department of State on the timeline you choose.
- It comes back to you or goes onward. After processing, it ships to you or to the next destination at the speed you picked.
Ready to start? See our Florida apostille service, or answer three questions to check which service fits.
Common questions
Can a notary issue an apostille in Florida?
No. Only the Florida Department of State issues Florida apostilles. A notary may notarize your document first, which is often what makes it eligible.
How much does a Florida apostille cost?
The state fee is $10 per document. For documents certified by a county Clerk of Court it is $20: $10 for the apostille plus $10 for a certificate confirming the Clerk's signature. Fees for the certified copy itself, shipping, notarization and service are separate.
How long does a Florida apostille take?
Mailed requests are processed in the order received, with no expedited option. The state publishes how far behind its queue is; in mid-October 2026 it was about two and a half weeks, plus shipping both ways. The state says most walk-in requests in Tallahassee are completed while you wait.
Can Florida apostille my FBI background check?
No. FBI reports are federal documents, so the apostille comes from the U.S. Department of State, not Florida.
Can I apostille a copy of my birth certificate?
No. You need a certified copy signed by the State Registrar, from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or a county health department. Photocopies, including notarized ones, are not accepted.
My document is from another state. Can Florida apostille it?
No. It goes to the Secretary of State of the state that issued it, or the state whose notary notarized it.
Will the other country accept my apostilled document?
That is up to the receiving country or office. Check their requirements first, including translation and how recent the document must be.
Do I need an apostille for my birth or marriage certificate?
Only if you will use it in another country. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention accept an apostille; other countries need a notarial certificate and more steps after it. For use inside the U.S. you don't need one, so ask the office receiving it what they require.
Apostille or authentication: which do I need?
It depends on the country where you will use the document. If that country is in the Hague Apostille Convention, you need an apostille from the Florida Department of State. If not, Florida issues a notarial certificate instead; the U.S. Department of State usually adds an authentication certificate next, and the country's embassy or consulate may need to legalize it. You can check a country on the Hague Conference's official list.
How do I order a Florida birth certificate with an apostille?
The simplest way is online through VitalChek, which handles both the certified copy and the apostille in one order and adds its own processing fee. By mail it takes two steps: order the birth certificate from the Bureau of Vital Statistics with form DH726A, then send it to the Florida Department of State with the apostille request form, with a separate payment for each. The certificate must be signed by the State Registrar, which includes copies issued by a county health department.
Where is the Florida apostille request form, address and phone number?
The request form is on the Florida Department of State's apostille page. Mail requests go to Division of Corporations, Attn: Apostille Section, P.O. Box 6800, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800. Courier and walk-in requests go to 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except state holidays. The phone number is 850-245-6053.
Not sure what your document needs? Ask us before you sign.
- Florida Department of State, Apostille and Notarial Certification
- Florida Department of State, Apostille FAQ (walk-in, hours, processing order)
- Florida Department of State, Accepted documents
- Florida Department of State, Apostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form
- Florida Department of State, Document processing dates (live queue)
- Florida Statutes s. 117.05: notarial certificate elements, seal and copy rules
- Florida Department of Health, Apostille and notarial certificates
- U.S. Department of State, Authenticate your document
- Hague Conference, Apostille Convention member countries
- Florida Department of Health, Form DH726A (birth certificate for apostille)
This is general process information, not legal advice. LuroDocs is not a law firm; you're responsible for confirming what your situation requires — check with the receiving authority or a licensed attorney.