An apostille lets a Florida public document be used in a country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention. In Florida the Division of Corporations issues them, and the request goes by mail.
The office is at 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810 in Tallahassee. See the Florida office guide for the rest of the division's services, and the apostille guide for how apostilles work in every state.
How much does a Florida apostille cost?
The fee is $10.00 per document. When a county clerk of the court certified the document, the total is $20.00, made up of $10.00 for the apostille and $10.00 for a certificate of incumbency.
| Who issues it | Division of Corporations, Florida Department of State (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $10.00 per document, or $20.00 for county clerk certified documents (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | By mail with the request form, the original document and a prepaid return envelope (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Florida agency, court, clerk, vital records and notarized documents, and Secretary of State copies (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
| Request page | dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/other-services/apostille-notarial-certification (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303 (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Pay by check or money order. Cash and credit cards are not accepted. (dos.fl.gov, checked ) |
What documents can get a Florida apostille?
The accepted list covers Florida agency or official documents, birth and death certificates, circuit court documents, county clerk documents, marriage and divorce certificates, school transcripts and vehicle titles. It also covers documents notarized by a Florida notary, criminal background checks from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and local agencies, and Florida Secretary of State certified copies and certificates of status.
For a company, you usually order a certificate of status first. Our Florida good standing guide shows how.
How do you request one?
- Complete the Department of State's apostille and notarial certificate request form.
- Enclose the original certified copy or certificate. A photocopy is not accepted.
- For a notarized paper, it needs a full notarial statement and the original notary signature, stamp and seal.
- Add a self-addressed stamped envelope, or a prepaid air bill, with your name and address as sender and recipient.
- Include a check or money order. Cash and credit cards are not accepted.
- Mail everything to the Apostille Section of the Division of Corporations.
What if the document is not on the list?
A federal document goes to the U.S. Department of State. A document issued in another state, or signed by a notary in another state, goes to the competent authority for that state. Florida cannot apostille those.
If you would like help with the certificate or the paperwork, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can always apply to the Division yourself.
Sources
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/: office name, division, officeholder, online filing. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/contact/address-phone-numbers/: mailing address, street address, phone, contact page, hours. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search/guides/corporation-records/: business search, search fields, name check, search tips. Checked .
- www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0605/Sections/0605.0112.html: LLC name endings. Checked .
- www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0607/Sections/0607.0401.html: corporation name endings, restricted words, name rule. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/forms/fees/: name reservation fee, corporation filing fee, report due date, late penalty, good standing certificate, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0607/Sections/0607.04021.html: name reservation term. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/forms/fees/llc-fees/: LLC filing fee, foreign LLC fee. Checked .
- form.sunbiz.org/pdf/cr2e006.pdf: nonprofit filing fee. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/manage-business/efile/annual-report/: report fee. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/about-us/faqs/: processing time. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/manage-business/certification/status-by-mail/: certificate ordering. Checked .
- www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0605/Sections/0605.0113.html: registered agent rule. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/search/guides/corporation-records/explanation-of-status-terms/: status terms. Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/start-business/efile/fl-fictitious-name-registration/instructions/: assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/other-services/apostille-notarial-certification/: who issues it, fee per document, how to submit, documents it covers, hague and non-hague countries, where to send it, request page, worth knowing. Checked .