Maryland Apostille: $5 Fee, Circuit Court Step and Address (2026)
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Fee
$5 per document. By mail, pay by U.S. check or money order payable to the Secretary of State. In person, you can also pay by credit or debit card (MD SOS Certifications).
Notarized documents: the Circuit Court step first
Take the notarized document to the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the notary is commissioned (the county is on the notary's seal). Then send it to the Secretary of State. For example, Montgomery County's Circuit Court charges $1 for this certification (Montgomery County Circuit Court).
State or county records (birth, death and marriage certificates, divorce decrees) that carry the issuing office's seal go directly to the Secretary of State.
By mail
Include the documents, $5 each, a note or the checklist naming the destination country and your contact info, and a stamped self-addressed envelope or prepaid FedEx/UPS label.
Mail to: Certification Desk, Office of the Secretary of State, 16 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD 21401.
In person
Wineland Building, 16 Francis Street, 1st floor, Annapolis. The certification desk is open 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with a limit of 10 documents per customer per day. Phone 410-974-5521.
Hague vs non-Hague
Hague countries get an apostille. For non-Hague countries, Maryland issues a standard certification, then the document goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication. See what is an apostille. FBI checks go to the State Department instead: see FBI background check apostille.
Need a notary first?
Online: Notarize · OneNotary · NotaryLive. An out-of-state online notarization gets its apostille from the notary's state, not Maryland.
Free download: Apostille Checklist (PDF, 1 page). These are the general US steps, with links to official state sources.