What Is an Apostille and Who Issues It in the U.S.?
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An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the signature or seal on a public document so it's accepted in countries that belong to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Countries outside the convention use an authentication certificate and usually embassy legalization instead.
Who issues it
- State documents (birth and marriage certificates, notarized documents, state court records, state-issued diplomas and transcripts via a notary): the Secretary of State (or equivalent) of the state where the document was issued or notarized.
- Federal documents (FBI background checks, federal agency documents, documents signed by federal officials): the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. Use Form DS-4194, $20 per document (State Dept: Requesting Authentication Services; DS-4194).
State fees at a glance (per document, verified on official sites)
| State | Fee | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| California | $20 | CA |
| Texas | $15 | TX |
| Florida | $10 | FL |
| New York | $10 (+ county clerk step) | NY |
| Illinois | $2 | IL |
| Pennsylvania | $15 | PA |
| Ohio | $5 | OH |
| North Carolina | $10 | NC |
| Georgia | $3 | GA |
| Federal (U.S. DOS) | $20 | FBI check |
Next steps
For federal documents, see the official info: U.S. State Department authentication services. For state documents, use your state's Secretary of State page (see guides by state). If your document first needs notarizing, online options: Notarize · OneNotary · NotaryLive. Check that the state accepts the notarization method you choose before you file.
Confirm with the receiving country whether it needs an apostille or an authentication certificate. Non-Hague countries need authentication instead. See what is an apostille.
Free download: Apostille Checklist (PDF, 1 page). These are the general US steps, with links to official state sources.
Related guides
- California Apostille: Fees, Addresses and Steps (2026)
- Florida Apostille: $10 Fee, Mail Address and Vital Records Rules
- Georgia Apostille: $3 via GSCCCA
- How to Apostille an FBI Background Check
- Illinois Apostille: $2 Fee, Chicago Office and Mail Steps
- Maryland Apostille: $5 Fee, Circuit Court Step and Address (2026)