Pennsylvania splits its work in a way that surprises people. Company filings sit with the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, but apostilles come from the Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation. Both are in the Department of State in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania office guide covers the business bureau.
The fee is $15.00 per document. Our apostille guide explains the idea in general, and this page shows how Pennsylvania handles it.
When do you need a Pennsylvania apostille?
You need one when a Pennsylvania document will be used in another country and that country wants proof the signer is real. The Secretary of the Commonwealth authenticates the signature of Pennsylvania public officials. It does not issue apostilles for papers used inside the United States.
Birth and death records come from the Department of Health. Marriage and divorce records come from the county office that holds them, so get the right original first.
| Who issues it | Department of State, Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation, not the business bureau (pa.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $15.00 per certificate issued (pa.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | By mail, or walk in at the Harrisburg office, first come first served (pa.gov, checked ) |
| Turnaround | About two to three weeks by mail, not counting mailing time (pa.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Documents signed and sealed by state or county officials, judges or Pennsylvania notaries (pa.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | The destination country decides whether you get an Apostille or a Certification (pa.gov, checked ) |
| Request page | pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/document-certification (pa.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | Apostilles & Certifications, North Office Building, Room 201, 401 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0029 (pa.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Cash is no longer accepted at the counter. Checks, money orders and cards are. (pa.gov, checked ) |
What can the Department authenticate?
It can only authenticate a document signed by, and carrying the official seal of, a state elected or appointed official, a county elected official, a judge or magisterial district judge, or a Pennsylvania notary public. Photocopies are refused. Submit originals with real signatures and seals.
A notary can also be asked for proof of appointment when a document goes to another state or country. That proof is a Certificate of Good Standing for Notary Public, also from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and it costs $15.00 per certificate.
How do you submit a request by mail?
Put these in one envelope addressed to Apostilles & Certifications in Harrisburg:
- The original documents.
- A cover letter, or the Department's request form. Name the country where the documents will be used, and give your name, phone, email and full mailing address.
- A personal check, money order or cashier's check payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for $15.00 for each document, not each page. Cash cannot be accepted by mail or drop box.
- A self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return.
If you want a courier return, supply a prepaid air bill. The Department does not take FedEx or DHL for returns. Do not remove the staple from a processed document.
How does walk-in service work?
Walk-in customers are served first come, first served at the Harrisburg office, upstairs in room 201 of the North Office Building at 401 North Street. Tell the staff how many documents you have and which country needs them. Payment is due once the work is complete.
Cash is no longer accepted at the counter. Checks, money orders and credit cards are. The front doors of the building lock after 3 p.m., so go earlier in the day.
How long does it take?
By mail, allow about two to three weeks, plus your own mailing time. Walk-in service has no stated turnaround on the Department's page. The Department says requests are processed as quickly as possible, in date order, and volume changes the wait.
Apostille or certification?
The destination country decides which one you receive. Pennsylvania now issues a single universal Apostille and certificate in a redesigned format, with Spanish and French text and an electronic seal printed in black ink. You can check a certificate by entering its number in the Department's document search.
If you want the work handled for you, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can send the request to the Department of State yourself.
Sources
- www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business: office name, street address, phone, contact page, business search, online filing. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bcco: division. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/governor/administration/cabinet/state: officeholder. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business/information-services/record-searches: mailing address, hours, search fields, search tips. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dos/programs/business/guides/Business-Guide.pdf: name check, search disclaimer, LLC name endings, corporation name endings, restricted words, name rule, name reservation term, processing time, good standing certificate, certificate fee, certificate ordering, registered agent rule. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business/fees-and-payments: name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, expedite fees. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business/types-of-filings-and-registrations/annual-reports: report fee, report due date, late penalty, status terms. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business/types-of-filings-and-registrations/fictitious-names: assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dos/programs/document-certification/apostilles-and-authentication.pdf: who issues it, fee per document, documents it covers. Checked .
- www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/document-certification: how to submit, turnaround, hague and non-hague countries, request page, where to send it, worth knowing. Checked .