Nevada's Secretary of State issues apostilles under state law. The office calls the service an authentication of signature. Nevada also uses two kinds of certificate, so the one you get depends on the destination country.
The wider office is in the Nevada office guide. To learn what an apostille is and why countries ask for one, read our apostille guide.
How much does a Nevada apostille cost?
Each apostille or certification is $20.00. If you want speed, you add an expedite fee for each notary authenticated. The 24 hour tier is $75, the 4 hour tier is $125, and the 2 hour tier is $500. A one hour tier exists above that.
| Who issues it | Nevada Secretary of State (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $20.00 per apostille or certification, plus any expedite fee (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | By mail to Carson City, at the Las Vegas dropbox, or at the Carson City counter (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Certified copies of Nevada records and documents notarized by a Nevada notary (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Dual document state: apostille for Hague countries, certification for others (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | Nevada Secretary of State, 401 North Carson St., Carson City (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Example: apostille plus 24 hour expedite totals $95.00 (nvsos.gov, checked ) |
The office gives its own example. One authentication on a marriage certificate with a 24 hour expedite is $20.00 plus $75.00, so $95.00 in all.
Apostille or certification?
The Nevada apostille follows the Hague model certificate. It is a trilingual page stapled to the front of the document, next to the signature page, and it shows the title of the official, the date and an apostille number. The Secretary of State's signature is printed from the signature on file.
Nevada is a dual document state. If the country is outside the Hague Convention, the office issues a certification of signature in place of the apostille. It is attached the same way and carries the same details.
Which documents can you submit?
The office authenticates documents meant for a foreign government body. It lists marriage certificates, birth and death certificates, letters of eligibility of marital status, powers of attorney, parental permission slips, foreign adoption papers and authorization to conduct business in foreign countries.
There are two routes. For a certified copy of a Nevada record, first order the certified copy from the county, court or records office that holds it. A divorce decree comes from the court, a marriage certificate from the county clerk, and a birth certificate from Vital Records. For a notarized document, have it notarized by a Nevada notary first.
How do you submit the request?
- Complete and sign one Apostille and Certification Order Form. One form can cover several documents.
- Give your email address, the country where the document will be used, and a valid return address. A missing item can lead to rejection.
- Pay by check or money order, or by card with the ePayment checklist.
- Send the original certified copy. Photocopies are rejected.
- Mail it to 401 North Carson Street, Carson City, or drop it at the Las Vegas dropbox, or hand it in at the Carson City counter.
You can ask for pick-up, or have it returned by mail. If you provide no shipping label, the office returns the documents by first class international mail without tracking. A prepaid label must say "Bill to Recipient".
How long does it take?
The office's apostille page and its fee page give different standard processing times, so ask before you rely on either. If a date matters, pay for an expedite tier and plan around the time frame you choose. The expedite clock starts when the office receives a request in a fileable form, and it may extend that period during times of extreme volume.
For Nevada commercial recordings, call the Copies Division first. If you want help with the paperwork, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can send everything to the Secretary of State yourself.
Sources
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/sos-information/contact-us: office name, division, phone, contact page. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos-information/office-facts/about-francisco-v-aguilar: officeholder. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/business-entity-search: business search. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings/faqs: search fields. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings/forms-fees/name-reservation: name check, name reservation fee, name reservation term, name reservation form. Checked .
- www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-086.html: LLC name endings, name rule. Checked .
- bizhub.nv.gov/filing-processing-fees: LLC filing fee, report fee. Checked .
- www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-078.html: corporation filing fee, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/licensing/state-business-license/state-business-license-faq: report due date, late penalty, franchise tax, status terms. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/sos/businesses/commercial-recordings: online filing. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/processing-dates: processing time. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/commercial-recordings/sample-certificates: good standing certificate, certificate ordering. Checked .
- esos.nv.gov/EntitySearch/OnlineEntitySearch: search tips. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/apostille: who issues it, documents it covers, hague and non-hague countries. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/apostille/fees: fee per document, worth knowing. Checked .
- www.nvsos.gov/businesses/apostille/completing-request-form: how to submit, where to send it. Checked .