In Illinois, apostilles are issued by the Index Department of the Secretary of State, not by the business office. The price is $2 for each apostille or certificate. You can mail your request or take it to one of several offices.
An apostille confirms a signature on a public document for use abroad. Our apostille guide explains the idea, and the Illinois office guide covers the business side of the office.
When do you need an Illinois apostille?
When a document signed in Illinois will be used outside the United States. Common examples are marriage licenses, school transcripts, Illinois birth certificates, powers of attorney, death certificates and adoption papers. The foreign office that wants the paper tells you whether it needs an authentication.
The signature has to be that of an Illinois public official or an Illinois notary. The Index Department cannot certify out-of-state officials, and the documents it authenticates must be originals.
| Who issues it | Illinois Secretary of State, Index Department (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $2 for each apostille or certificate, one separate certificate per document (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | By mail, or in person at the Chicago office, Springfield office or selected DMV+ locations (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Turnaround | 7 to 14 business days for mail requests. In person is usually while you wait (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Originals only, certified by a government official or notarized by an Illinois notary. No out-of-state officials. (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Apostille for Hague countries. Certificate of Authority for non-Hague countries. (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Request page | ilsos.gov/departments/index/apostilles.html (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | Index Department, 160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 100, Chicago, IL 60601 (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Chicago area locations only authenticate documents for foreign use. Other Index Department services are in Springfield only. (ilsos.gov, checked ) |
Apostille or certificate of authority?
The two are different in name only. An apostille is issued for documents going to countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. A certificate of authority is issued for documents going to countries that do not. The fee and requirements are the same, so you complete one application either way.
What to do first with your document
The paper must be certified by a government official or notarized by an Illinois notary before it comes to the Index Department. What that means depends on the document.
- Birth certificate: a certified copy from the county clerk, local registrar or the Illinois Department of Public Health.
- Marriage license: a certified copy from the county clerk.
- Divorce decree: a certified copy from the circuit clerk. Do not notarize papers signed by a circuit clerk or judge. They must carry the official's seal, signature, printed name and title.
- Transcript or diploma: your school's records official certifies and signs it in front of a notary, who then notarizes that statement.
The page does not list company documents. For a certificate of good standing or a copy of formation papers, see the Illinois certificate of good standing page, and ask the Index Department whether it can authenticate the paper you hold.
How to submit your request
By mail. Complete the Application for Authentication request and include the original documents, one check or money order payable to the Illinois Secretary of State for $2 per certificate, and a self-addressed stamped return envelope. If you use a tracking service, supply prepaid postage and a shipping label. Without prepaid postage, the office returns your documents by first-class mail. Send it to Index Department, 160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 100, Chicago, IL 60601.
In person. Bring the application, the originals and payment. The Springfield office is at 2701 S. Dirksen Parkway. The Chicago office is at 160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 100. Selected DMV+ locations also take requests.
The Chicago area locations only handle authentication for foreign use. Other Index Department services are in Springfield.
Fees and turnaround
The fee is $2 for each apostille or certificate, and one document needs one certificate. Mail takes 7 to 14 business days. Walk-in requests are usually processed while you wait.
You can do this at the state yourself, and state fees are separate from anything we do. If you want help, you can ask our private filing service.
Sources
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/business-services.html: office name, division. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/publications/business-services/llc.html: phone, name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, report fee. Checked .
- apps.ilsos.gov/ContactFormsWeb/businessservices_contact.jsp: contact page. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/business-services/business-searches.html: business search, search fields, name check, good standing certificate, certificate ordering. Checked .
- apps.ilsos.gov/soar/: online filing. Checked .
- www.ilsos.gov/departments/index/apostilles.html: who issues it, fee per document, how to submit, turnaround, hague and non-hague countries, documents it covers, request page, where to send it, worth knowing. Checked .