Apostille by state · United States
How to get an apostille in any US state.
A clear, state-by-state reference for authenticating U.S. documents for use abroad. Find your state’s competent authority, the exact steps, the fee, how long it takes, the official source, and what that state’s apostille looks like.
- All 50 states + DC
- Official source cited per state
- Federal documents (FBI checks)
- China corridor — updated for 2023
Choose your state.
Full state index →Northeast
Midwest
South
How it works
The apostille process, in three steps.
- 01
Get the document in the right form
Order a certified copy of a vital record, or have a private document (power of attorney, diploma, corporate paperwork) notarized first.
- 02
Submit to the competent authority
Send it to your state's Secretary of State — or, for federal documents like FBI checks, the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
- 03
Receive your apostille
You get back an apostille (for Hague Convention countries) or an authentication certificate (for non-Convention countries) attached to your document.
Plain English
What’s an apostille?
An apostille is an official certificate that proves your U.S. document is genuine so a foreign government will accept it — under the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961.
Every apostille has the same standardized 10 fields. We render a specimen for all 50 states so you know exactly what to expect.
- 1.Country United States of America
- 2.has been signed by [NAME OF SIGNER]
- 3.acting in the capacity of [CAPACITY — e.g. Notary Public]
- 4.bears the seal / stamp of [ISSUING OFFICIAL / SEAL]
- 5.at [CITY / PLACE]
- 6.the [DATE]
- 7.by [State] Secretary of State
- 8.No. 0000000
- 9.Seal / Stamp [OFFICIAL SEAL]
- 10.Signature [SIGNATURE]
State vs federal
FBI background check? That’s federal.
The most common apostille mistake: sending a federal document to a state. FBI background checks and other federal documents are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC — not by any Secretary of State.
Federal documents guideNeed it done for you?
Rather not deal with the government paperwork yourself?
This guide is free to use. If you’d like a service to prepare, notarize where needed, and submit your documents for you — including federal documents and translations — tell us what you need and we’ll point you to the right help.
51 guides
Find the exact apostille process for your state.
Steps, fees, processing times, official sources, and a specimen for every U.S. state and the District of Columbia.