In Wisconsin the Department of Financial Institutions issues apostilles. In many states that job sits with the Secretary of State, so people often search in the wrong place. The DFI is also the office that files Wisconsin LLCs and corporations. You can read about that side in the Wisconsin office guide.
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document so another country accepts it. It confirms the signature, the seal and the role of the person who signed. It does not confirm what the document says. Our general apostille guide covers the idea in full.
What does a Wisconsin apostille cost?
The DFI charges $10 per document for standard service and $35 per document for expedited service. A document is counted one by one, so a birth certificate and a marriage certificate are two fees.
| Who issues it | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Fee per document | $10 per document standard, $35 per document expedited (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| How to submit | Mail the document, a request form and payment; online payment form available (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Turnaround | Standard 3 to 7 business days, expedited 1 to 2, not counting mail (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Documents it covers | Birth, marriage and corporate documents, transcripts and trademarks (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Hague and non-Hague countries | Non-Hague countries need an authentication from the Secretary of State (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Where to send it | PO Box 7838, Madison, WI 53707-7838 (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Federal documents and FBI background checks are not processed by DFI (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
Choose standard or expedited service when you send the package. The DFI lets you pay through an online form, and you then print the receipt and clip it to the documents.
How do you get a Wisconsin apostille?
- Get the document in the right form. Send the original or a certified copy, never a plain photocopy.
- Check the notarization. It must show where the act took place, what was notarized, the date, the notary's signature, seal and commission expiration date.
- Fill in the request form. You need one form for each country, and you can use the version with online payment.
- Clip each document on its own, with the form and the payment receipt on top.
- Mail the package to the DFI apostille address, PO Box 7838, Madison, WI 53707-7838.
The DFI says notarizations are best in English, though a repeat in another language is fine. Notaries who are not attorneys may not use words like "notario" on their statements.
Which documents can the DFI apostille?
The DFI names adoption papers, birth certificates, corporate documents, marriage licenses, school transcripts and trademarks as examples. Corporate documents and notarized papers both fall in scope.
For business use abroad, many buyers ask for a certificate of status first. The DFI sells a version prepared for use in a foreign country, so it is ready for an apostille. Read our certificate of good standing guide for the Wisconsin steps.
What about countries outside the Hague Convention?
The DFI works under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961. An apostille is valid between member countries, and the DFI points you to the Hague's list of contracting parties. Check the country's entry into force date there.
For a country that is not a member, the DFI cannot help. You need an authentication from the Office of the Secretary of State of Wisconsin. Ask the receiving party which one it wants before you pay.
What the DFI will not process
Federal documents go elsewhere, including FBI background checks, federal court documents, citizenship certificates, federal officials' signatures and military notaries. Vital records from other states or countries must be authenticated by the place that issued them. Apostilles are not issued for use inside the United States or its territories.
If you would like a hand with the paperwork, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can send everything to the DFI yourself.
Sources
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/Fees.aspx: office name, division, mailing address, street address, phone, contact page, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, report fee, expedite fees. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/About/Secretary.aspx: officeholder. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/FAQ.aspx: business search, search fields, name check, search disclaimer, name reservation term, online filing, processing time, registered agent rule, status terms. Checked .
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/183/i/0103: LLC name endings, name rule. Checked .
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/180/IV/0401: corporation name endings. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Documents/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/Forms/CORP1.pdf: name reservation fee, name reservation form. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Documents/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/Forms/CORP5i.pdf: report due date. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/AdministrativeDissolutions.aspx: late penalty. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/CertificatesAndCertCopyFees.aspx: good standing certificate, certificate fee, certificate ordering. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/Trademarks/TrademarksFAQ.aspx: assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/ApostilleServices/GeneralInformation.aspx: who issues it, documents it covers, hague and non-hague countries, where to send it. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/ApostilleServices/Fees.aspx: fee per document, turnaround. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/ApostilleServices/OnlineFilings.aspx: how to submit. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/ConsumerServices/ApostilleServices/FAQApostille.aspx: worth knowing. Checked .