In New York, apostilles are not handled by the same desk as business filings. They come from the Apostille and Authentication Unit in the Department of State's Division of Licensing Services, while companies are filed with the Division of Corporations. The New York office guide covers the business side.
The fee is $10 per document. Our apostille guide explains the general idea, and this page shows how New York runs it.
When do you need a New York apostille?
You need one when a New York document will be used in another country and that country asks for it. Birth, marriage and death certificates are the most common. Company papers and notarized documents also come up, such as a power of attorney or a business certificate going abroad.
Check with the receiving party before you start. They tell you whether they want an apostille or a certificate of authentication.
| Who issues it | NY Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Apostille and Authentication Unit (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $10 per document (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | By mail, or walk in at New York City, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo or Utica (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
| Turnaround | Walk in service is same day, limited to 10 documents per customer (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Public documents issued in New York and signed by a New York official or county clerk (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Apostille for Hague Convention countries, Certificate of Authentication for the others (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
| Request page | dos.ny.gov/apostille-certificate-authentication (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001 (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Local vital records and notarized papers need County Clerk certification first. State Health Department records do not. (dos.ny.gov, checked ) |
What must you do before you submit?
The Department only authenticates a signature it can recognize. So the document has to carry the right certification first.
- Get a copy of the document. Vital records come from the State Department of Health or, in New York City, from the city offices.
- Have a local or county vital record certified by the County Clerk where it was issued. Notarized documents are certified by the clerk of the county where the notary is registered.
- For a school record, an official of the school certifies it, and a notary then notarizes that official's signature.
- For a state criminal background check, use the state criminal justice agency and keep the signed cover letter with it.
- Send the document, the request form and $10 per document to the Unit.
Use the newest request form. A credit card payment now needs the card's security code, and requests without it are rejected.
How do you submit a request?
By mail, send to the Apostille and Authentication Unit at the Albany post office box shown in the table. If you use a courier such as UPS, FedEx or DHL, use the street address of the Albany building instead. Add a prepaid envelope if you want an express return. Otherwise the apostille comes back by first class mail.
In person, bring your complete request to a customer service counter. The Department will not accept shipping labels that bill the sender.
How long does it take?
Mail has no published turnaround on the state's page, so plan for post time on both legs. Walk-in service is same day. In Albany the counter opens 9:00 a.m. and in New York City it runs 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The limit is 10 documents per customer for same-day service.
Hague and non-Hague countries
For a country in the 1961 Hague Convention, you get an apostille. For any other country, you get a Certificate of Authentication. The one-page certificate carries a blue laser printed facsimile of the state seal and the facsimile signature of the Secretary of State or a deputy.
Certificates of Authentication may also need a further certification from the United States Department of State. You can check whether a New York apostille is genuine using the Department's verification tool for those issued from April 9, 2013.
When you want help, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can send the request to the Department of State yourself.
Sources
- dos.ny.gov/division-corporations-state-records-and-uniform-commercial-code: office name, division. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/about-us: officeholder. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/forming-limited-liability-company-new-york: mailing address, phone, search disclaimer, restricted words. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/certificate-status: street address, good standing certificate, certificate ordering. Checked .
- data.ny.gov/api/views/n9v6-gdp6.json: contact page. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/corporation-and-business-entity-search-database: hours, search tips. Checked .
- apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/: business search. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/fee-schedules: name check, name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, expedite fees, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LLC/204: LLC name endings, name rule. Checked .
- www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/BSC/301: corporation name endings. Checked .
- www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LLC/205: name reservation term. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/biennial-statements-business-corporations-and-limited-liability-companies: report fee, report due date, late penalty. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/forming-business-corporation-new-york: franchise tax. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/e-corp-online-filing-system: online filing. Checked .
- www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LLC/301: registered agent rule. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/faqs-corporations-business-entities: status terms. Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/certificate-assumed-name: assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- dos.ny.gov/apostille-certificate-authentication: 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 .