Florida Apostille Services

How Apostilles Work

Hague Countries

If the destination country is part of the Hague Convention:

✔ A single Florida apostille is sufficient
✔ No embassy legalization required
✔ Issued by Florida Department of State

This applies to properly notarized Florida documents or certified Florida public records.

An apostille is issued by the Florida Department of State.

It verifies: A Florida public official’s signature and it is used for documents going to countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention (1961).

Non-Hague Countries

If the country is not a Hague member:

• State certification may still be required
• U.S. Department of State authentication is required
• Final legalization is typically required by the foreign embassy

This is called authentication & legalization, not apostille.

Federal Documents

Some documents must go through federal authentication in Washington, D.C.:

• FBI background checks
• Federal court records
• Immigration documents
• Documents issued by U.S. federal agencies

These cannot be apostilled at the Florida state level.

We confirm:

• Destination country requirements
• Proper notarization or certification
• Correct routing (Hague, Non-Hague, or Federal)

This prevents rejection and delay.

Documents That Require Certified Copies First

These cannot begin online and must first be obtained from the issuing authority:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Court records
• Recorded deeds

A notary cannot certify copies of public records.
Certified originals must be obtained before apostille.

1. Eligibility review

2. Proper notarization if required

3. Overnight courier to Tallahassee

4. Next-business-day submission to the Florida Department of State

5. Expedited return shipping

Estimated completion:
Typically 2–5 business days depending on state processing volume.

Processing times are controlled by the Florida Department of State.

Mail submission to the Florida Department of State.

Estimated completion:
5–15+ business days depending on state volume and mailing time.

Rush Apostille Coordination

Standard Processing