In Connecticut the apostille comes from the Secretary of the State, through its Authentications and Apostilles unit. The fee is $40.00 per document. Orders go in online, and the state does not take paper order forms.
The same office files company records, and the Connecticut office guide explains that side. For an overview that applies in every state, read our apostille guide.
What does a Connecticut apostille cost?
| Who issues it | Connecticut Secretary of the State, Authentications and Apostilles unit (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $40.00 per document; $15.00 for child adoption documents; expedited adds $50.00 (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | Order online and create an account. E-apostilles are uploaded; paper apostilles are mailed or delivered (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
| Turnaround | Regular orders take 5 to 7 business days after the unit receives the documents (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Documents signed by a Connecticut notary, town clerk, court clerk, vital records registrar or state agency commissioner (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Hague countries get an apostille. Other countries get an authentication and may need more legalization (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
| Request page | sots.service.ct.gov/apostille (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | 165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000, Hartford, CT (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | E-apostille and expedited orders are processed within 24 hours of receipt (portal.ct.gov, checked ) |
The $40.00 fee is charged on each document. Adoption papers are cheaper at $15.00 each. If you pay for expedited service you add $50.00 per document. The state keeps the expedite fee if a document is rejected.
When do you need one?
You need one when a document will be used in another country and the foreign office asks for proof that the signer was real. Typical business cases are a certified company paper from the Secretary of the State, a notarized power of attorney, or a corporate resolution signed in front of a Connecticut notary.
The state also reminds filers that an apostille is used for countries in the Hague Apostille Convention. For other countries the same office issues an authentication, and the destination country or the US Department of State may ask for more steps.
Paper apostille or e-apostille?
You choose when you order. A paper apostille is a physical certificate attached to your original document. You mail or deliver the original, and the standard time is 5 to 7 business days. An e-apostille is issued as an electronic certificate. You upload the document, the state signs it electronically, and the whole thing is done within about a day of a complete application.
The e-apostille is not valid if you print it. It also may not work for every document type, and some receiving offices have their own rules about electronic certificates. Ask the agency that will receive your paper whether it accepts e-apostilles before you order one.
Which documents qualify?
The state can only authenticate a document signed by a Connecticut public official, such as a Connecticut notary or a town clerk. Use an original or a certified copy. The signature or seal has to be original, and the notarization or certification has to be recent. A copy can be authenticated if it comes with a written statement that it is true and accurate, sworn before a Connecticut notary.
Some things cannot be done here:
- A document signed by an out-of-state notary.
- A federal document, which goes to the US State Department.
- An out-of-state vital record, which goes to the issuing state.
- A document signed by an attorney as a Commissioner of the Superior Court.
How do you place the order?
- Gather the original or certified document and check who signed it.
- Go to the state's online apostille system and create an account.
- Place the order and pay online.
- For an e-apostille, upload the document. For a paper apostille, mail it with the printed receipt and a prepaid return envelope.
The paper address for couriers is 165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000, Hartford. Mail through the US Postal Service goes to P.O. Box 150470, Hartford, CT 06115-0470. You can track your request in the online account.
If you want help, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can place the order with the state yourself.
Sources
- portal.ct.gov/sots: office name. Checked .
- portal.ct.gov/sots/business-services/bsd: division, officeholder, online filing. Checked .
- www.cga.ct.gov/2025/pub/chap_613a.htm: LLC name endings, name rule. Checked .
- business.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/Business-Services/BSD-Forms/All-Business-Entities/BUS-002-ALL-application_for_reservation_of_name-rev-10-2020.pdf: name reservation form. Checked .
- data.ct.gov/api/views/n7gp-d28j/columns.json: status terms. Checked .
- portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/Authentication/Authentications-Form-612021-updated.pdf: fee per document. Checked .
- portal.ct.gov/sots/legislative-services/authentication-of-documents-and-the-apostille: who issues it, how to submit, turnaround, documents it covers, hague and non-hague countries, request page, where to send it, worth knowing. Checked .