US apostille & document authentication guide
WhichOffice
What itCosts
How long itTakes
Need a US document accepted abroad? This guide answers three questions for each state and document type: which office, what it costs, and how long it takes. We only state fees and timelines from official government pages, link to every source, and show the date we last checked it.
Start here: Is the destination country in the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention? That decides whether you need an apostille or an authentication certificate. Apostille vs. authentication, explained.
By document type
- Apostille for a Power of Attorney (or Any Notarized Document): Which State, Which Notary, What Gets Rejected — How to get an apostille on a US power of attorney, affidavit, or consent letter: it goes to the state where the notary is commissioned, not where you live. The extra county-clerk step in New York and Maryland, online notarization, fees from official pages, and non-Hague countries.
- Apostille for a US Birth Certificate: Which State, Which Copy, Which Office — How to get an apostille on a US birth certificate: it must come from the state that issued it, on a certified copy from the vital records office. Plus the extra county step in New York and what to do for non-Hague countries.
- Apostille for a US Diploma or Transcript: The Notary Step Most People Miss — How to get an apostille on a US high school or college diploma or transcript: it goes to the state where the school is, and most states need a school official's signature notarized first. Which copy to send, and what to do for non-Hague countries.
- Apostille for a US Marriage Certificate: Which State, Which Copy, Why It Gets Rejected — How to get an apostille on a US marriage certificate: it must be a certified copy from the county or state office that recorded the marriage, sent to that state's apostille office. The New York County Clerk step, Florida and California fees, and what to do if you married abroad.
- Apostille for an FBI Background Check (Federal Route) — How to get an apostille or authentication certificate for an FBI Identity History Summary from the U.S. Department of State: fee, forms, mail vs. walk-in times.
By state
- California Apostille: Fees, Offices, Timing — California Secretary of State apostille: $20 per apostille, $6 in-person special handling, Sacramento mail queue, same-day in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
- Florida Apostille: Fees, Mail vs. Walk-In, Processing Dates — Florida Secretary of State apostille: $10 per document ($20 for Clerk of Court documents), check or money order only, mail to Tallahassee or walk in for most requests while you wait. Steps, current processing date, and FAQ from official pages.
- New York Apostille: NYC vs. State Records, County Clerk Step, $10 Fee — New York Department of State apostille: $10 per document, County Clerk certification first for most NYC and local records, Letter of Exemplification for NYC birth and death certificates, mail and walk-in offices.
- Pennsylvania Apostille: $15 Fee, Harrisburg Walk-In, Mail Steps, Rejection Traps — Pennsylvania Department of State apostille: $15 per document (not per page), walk-in while you wait in Harrisburg, mail with check or money order. Who must sign county, marriage and death records, and which documents need a PA notary first. Official pages only.
- Texas Apostille: $15 Fee, Mail vs. Austin Walk-In, Why Requests Get Rejected — Texas Secretary of State universal apostille: $15 per document, mail takes up to two weeks after receipt, same-day in Austin (walk-in Mon/Fri, appointment Tue-Thu). The 5-year rule for certified records, notarization mistakes, and what to do for non-Hague countries. Official pages only.