A Michigan apostille is a certificate attached to a document so another country will accept it. The office that issues it is the Office of the Great Seal, part of the Michigan Department of State. It does not sit with LARA, which handles LLCs and corporations. If your document is a company paper, you will deal with both offices, and in that order. Our Michigan office guide covers the LARA side. Our general apostille guide explains the process for every state.
Do you need an apostille or a Certificate of Authority?
It depends on where the document is going. Michigan issues an apostille only for documents meant for use in a foreign country that signed the Hague Convention. For every other country the office issues a Certificate of Authority, and many of those countries want a federal step as well.
The state treats the two the same on its side. The requirements, the fee and the instructions match. An apostille cannot be issued for use in the United States.
| Who issues it | Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal, Lansing (michigan.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $1.00 per document (michigan.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | By mail or by office visit; not online and not at a self-service station (michigan.gov, checked ) |
| Turnaround | 1 to 2 weeks by mail (michigan.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Notarized documents, vital records and LARA certified copies of articles (michigan.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Apostilles only for Hague Convention countries; other countries get a Certificate of Authority (michigan.gov, checked ) |
| Request page | michigan.gov/sos/all-services/document-authentication-and-apostille (michigan.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI 48918 (michigan.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | An apostille has the same requirements, fee and instructions as a Certificate of Authority. (michigan.gov, checked ) |
Which documents does Michigan authenticate?
The Office of the Great Seal certifies several kinds of paper. Michigan notary public documents must be complete and carry original signatures. Certified vital records from the State Registrar, a county clerk, or the city clerks in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties are also accepted. For business use, the key item is a certified copy of articles of incorporation issued by LARA.
Some things are refused. Documents issued by court clerks are not acceptable, and neither are documents received by fax. A Michigan notary cannot make a true copy statement, so do not ask for one.
How much does a Michigan apostille cost?
The Document Certification Fee is $1.00 per document. That is the whole state fee for the apostille. If you need a certified copy of a company document first, LARA charges for that separately, and you should check its fee before you order.
Pay by check or money order payable to the State of Michigan. The office asks you not to send cash.
How do you apply by mail?
Send everything in one envelope to the Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal, 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI 48918. Include these items.
- The completed and signed Authentication Request Form.
- The documents, with the signature of an authorized official or a commissioned notary.
- A cover letter that names the country of destination.
- Your $1.00 per document fee.
- A self-addressed, stamped return envelope, or a prepaid courier air bill with your own account number.
The office will not pay for return postage. If you use a courier, list yourself as both sender and receiver on the return air bill. A document in a foreign language needs every part of the notarization in English.
Can you go in person?
Yes. Authentication and apostilles are offered at the Office of the Great Seal in Lansing and at select Secretary of State branches in Clinton Township, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Livonia, Marquette and Pontiac. You schedule an office visit and bring the same items listed above.
What should you do first?
Check the document before you send it. Notarized papers must show the notary's details and the date, and the signature must be an original. For a company paper, get the certified copy from LARA, or order the Certificate of Good Standing if the other country asks for proof the company is current. Our certificate of good standing guide shows how that works across states.
You can ask our private filing service if you want someone to handle the paperwork. State fees are separate, and you can submit the request to the state yourself.
Sources
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps: division. Checked .
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/mibrp/new-system: business search, online filing. Checked .
- www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-4204: LLC name endings, restricted words, name rule. Checked .
- www.michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/cscl/NonImages_new/Corps/forms/llc/540-0725.pdf: name reservation fee, name reservation term, name reservation form. Checked .
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/michigan-business-roadmap/annual-reports-and-annual-statements: report fee. Checked .
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/how-do-i/renewals/renew-my-corporation: late penalty. Checked .
- www.michigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/cscl/corps/frequently-asked-questions: good standing certificate, certificate ordering. Checked .
- michigan.gov/sos/all-services/document-authentication-and-apostille: who issues it, fee per document, how to submit, turnaround, documents it covers, hague and non-hague countries, request page, where to send it, worth knowing. Checked .