How do I get an apostille in Minnesota?

Have your document notarized or certified, then submit it to the Minnesota Secretary of State's apostille office by mail or in person with the fee and destination country.

Does Minnesota issue authentication certificates for non-Hague countries?

Yes. Minnesota issues an authentication certificate for countries outside the Hague Convention, which may then require consular legalization.

Midwest · MN

The North Star State

How to get an apostille in Minnesota

In Minnesota, apostilles are issued by the Minnesota Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentication Certificates. Here is the process, the state fee, how long it takes, and what a Minnesota apostille looks like.

Capital: Saint Paul
Governor (2026): Tim Walz
State flower: Pink-and-white Lady's Slipper
State bird: Common Loon

Apostille signed by Minnesota Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentication Certificates

Draft — pending source verification. This page was drafted from the standard Minnesota process and the official source linked below. Always confirm the current fee, address, and steps on the official page before you mail anything.

Step-by-step: an apostille in Minnesota

01
Confirm the document is Minnesota-issued or notarized by a Minnesota notary public.
02
If your document is a private document (power of attorney, affidavit, diploma, corporate paperwork), have it notarized first — the Minnesota Secretary of State authenticates the notary's commission, not your signature directly. Vital records and court documents skip this step (they are certified by the issuing office instead).
03
For vital records, obtain a certified copy from the Minnesota Department of Health (Office of Vital Records) or the county.
04
Complete the apostille/authentication request and identify the destination country.
05
Submit by mail or in person with the fee and a prepaid return envelope.
06
Receive your apostille or authentication certificate.

Minnesota apostille fees & processing time

Competent authority	Minnesota Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentication Certificates
State fee	$5 per document (verify current fee)
Processing time	Mail-in is typically 1–2 weeks; in-person service is available in Saint Paul.
Mailing / submission	Mail to the Minnesota Secretary of State, Apostille/Authentication, in Saint Paul (verify the current address online). Include the fee, destination country, and prepaid return postage.

Source: Minnesota Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentication Certificates — https://www.sos.state.mn.us/notary-apostille/apostilles-authentication-certificates/Draft — verify fees, address, and steps against the official page before relying on them.

Documents commonly apostilled in Minnesota

Birth, marriage, and death certificates (certified copies from the state vital-records office)
Divorce decrees and court orders (certified by the clerk of court)
Powers of attorney and affidavits (signed before a notary)
Single-status / no-record affidavits for marriage abroad
Diplomas, transcripts, and degree certificates
Corporate documents — articles of incorporation, good-standing certificates, board resolutions
Commercial and export documents

Federal documents (such as an FBI background check) are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not by Minnesota.

Specimen

What a Minnesota apostille looks like

A Minnesota apostille contains the standard 10 fields required by the Hague Convention, naming the Minnesota Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentication Certificates as the issuing authority. Below is an illustrative specimen — it is not a valid document and contains no real data.

See specimens for all states →

APOSTILLE

(Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)

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 Minnesota Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentication Certificates
8.No. 0000000
9.Seal / Stamp [OFFICIAL SEAL]
10.Signature [SIGNATURE]

SPECIMEN — NOT A VALID DOCUMENT. Illustrative example only, showing the standard apostille layout for Minnesota. Contains no real names, numbers, signatures, or government seal. Not legal advice.

Minnesota apostille FAQ

How do I get an apostille in Minnesota?: Have your document notarized or certified, then submit it to the Minnesota Secretary of State's apostille office by mail or in person with the fee and destination country.
Does Minnesota issue authentication certificates for non-Hague countries?: Yes. Minnesota issues an authentication certificate for countries outside the Hague Convention, which may then require consular legalization.

Not legal advice. This guide is general information about the Minnesota apostille process and may not reflect the latest fees, addresses, or procedures — always confirm with the Minnesota Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentication Certificates via the official source above. The specimen shown is an illustrative example, not an official document.

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