Apostilles Services & Information - Resource Page
Now open in Eastern Washington! Visit our new location in Cheney for in-person same-day service supporting:
- Apostille Services
- Business Entity Filings
- Registered Agent Filings
- Trademark Services
This location provides same-day service only. We charge a $150 same-day service fee and record all visits to public record.
What is an Apostille?
An "apostille" is an authentication issued to documents for use in countries that participate in the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961. If the country of intended use does not participate in the Hague Convention, documents being sent to that country may be required to obtain an additional federal Certificate of Authentication from the U.S. Department of State of Authentications placed on top of the state issued apostille. Continue reading what an apostille is.
Certificates are not valid for use anywhere within the United States of America, its territories or possessions.
External Apostille Links
Apostille Form & Document Guidelines
Apostille Form
Required Documents
Original (unaltered)or certified copy of a document issued by a Washington government entity.
A certified Washington Court issued document.
A personal document notarized by a Washington state notary with a full notarial certificate. Per requirements as outlined in RCW 42.45.130 with a completed request form.
Form Link
Apostille Authentication Request (Fillable Form)
Fees
Make check or money order payable in U.S. dollars (USD) to: Secretary of State
A document can be more than one page.
- Standard processing: Fee is $15.00 per document.
- Typically processed 7 to 10 business days of receiving your order (subject to longer processing times based on volumes).
- Expedited processing: Fee is $15.00 per document and an additional $100 expedite fee per 10 documents. (1-10 documents = $100.00, 11-20 documents = $200, etc.)
- Typically process 2 to 3 business days of receiving your order.
- Same day services in-person (Tumwater or Cheney): Fee is $15.00 per document and an additional $150 same day fee for the first 10 documents. If there are more than 10 documents an additional $100 expedite fee will apply. (1-10 documents = $150.00, 11-20 documents = $250, etc.)
- Processed while you wait. Same-day services may be limited due to business hours, cutoff times, and the quantity of requests submitted.
Please Note: Documents will be sent by regular first-class mail. If this is time sensitive, and/or going outside of the United States, you may provide a pre-paid traceable return label/envelope with your order, which will be used to return your processed documents.
Apostille Document Guidelines
Please Note: This is not a complete list of documents that can be Apostille or Authenticated.
- What is an Apostille?
-
The Washington Secretary of State’s office can provide state certification for documents that bear the signature of a Washington State Official officer or other authorized Washington notary public officer and are to be sent to or used in a foreign country. An Apostille Authentication verifies that the Notary Public, Clerk of District Court, Clerk & Recorder, or Vital Records Administrator is authorized to provide the notarization or certification and that he/she has done so in accordance with the requirements of the Revised code of Washington. Certification provided by the Secretary of State’s Office does not verify the accuracy or reliability of the contents of the record.
Washington State uses a “universal certificate” that can be used as either an Apostille, for countries that are members of the Hague Convention, or an Authentication, for non-member countries. Documents that are being sent to countries that are not members of the Hague Convention will require additional certification by the U.S. State Department, the country’s Embassy, or both.
- Apostille and Certificate of Authentication: Key Distinction
-
Apostille Certificate of Authentication Apostilles are issued to documents intended for use in countries that are parties to the October 5, 1961, Hague Convention. Certificates of Authentication are issued to countries that are not parties to the October 5, 1961, Hague Convention.
Please note: We previously issued apostille certificates and certificates of authentication as separate documents. These are now combined into a single certificate issued by the Secretary of State.
- Requirements for a Properly Notarized Document in Washington State
-
Your document(s) must have a Notary certificate that is complete, signed and stamped by a Washington State Notary Public. The document must include a Notary Stamp and Signature.
- Signed and printed name of the Notary Public, Title (Notary Public), and the expiration date of notary appointment
- The Date the notary act took place
- A statement indicating what act was performed. The statement must be in English.
- Jurisdiction (the State and County, must be located in the state of Washington) of where the notary act took place.
- Notary Signature name and Notary stamp name must be identical
- Date and Name on the Notary stamp must match the Notary Division License Directory
- Look up notaries online at the Notary Division License Directory website
The Notary Certificate may either be included within the document or attached separately, but it must not be stapled to the document.
Notaries without a notary certificate cannot be authenticated. If the document is without a notary certificate, ask the Notary to provide one.- Refer to RCW 42.45.130 for full requirements regarding Certificate of the notarial act.
- Refer to RCW 42.45.140 Short Forms of Certificate.
- Washington State – Vital Records
-
Vital records must be apostilled by the issuing state. Vital records include but are not limited to;
- Birth certificates
- Death certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Divorce certificate
- Letter of Single Status
How do I obtain an Apostille/Certificate of Authentication on my birth certificate?
Where can I order a Certified Birth Certificate?
How do I obtain an Apostille/Certificate of Authentication on a Death Certificate?
Where can I order a Certified Death Certificate?
What is the process to get my Marriage Certificate Apostille/Authenticated?
- Letter of Single Status Request
-
You can order a letter of Single Status from the Center for Vital Statistics in Tumwater, WA. If you are divorced, you should order from the time of your divorce to the present.
Where can I get a letter of Single Status? - Ordering a Vital Record in Washington State
-
If you do not have a certified copy, you can order a certified copy from the county auditor that issued the marriage certificate or Center for Vital Statistics in Tumwater, Washington.
Washington State issued Vital Records Non-Washington state issued Vital Records An Apostille/Certificate of Authentication can only be issued for an Original (unaltered) or Certified Copy of the vital record. If the vital record was issued in another state, you will need to obtain the Apostille/Certificate in the state the vital record was issued. - Washington State Background Checks
-
You will need to obtain a notarized clearance letter from Washington State Patrol.
Important: If the background check was conducted based on fingerprints, the original fingerprint card must be included with the notarized letter when sending to the Secretary of State.
For more information on Background checks, please visit the Washington State Patrol website or they can be reached by phone at 360-534-2000. - Federal Document Authentication Limitations
-
The Secretary of State does not notarize or authenticate Federal Documents, including Certificates of Naturalization.
Military Notaries must be processed in Washington D.C. at the US Department of State.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Clearance letters can only be processed at the US Department of State – Office of Authentications.
- Washington State Business Entity Records
-
Apostilles/Certificates are only issued on Certified copies or Certificates of documents that are on file with the Washington Office of the Secretary of State - Corporations Division.
The Apostilles/Certificate and Corporation/ LLC documents must be ordered at the same time using a Business Records - Request Form (Fillable Form). Corporation/ LLC documents needing Apostilles cannot be ordered online.
School Document Requirements
The Secretary of State does not provide notary services.
Please Note: Documents will be sent by regular first-class mail. If this is time sensitive, and/or going outside of the United States, you may provide a pre-paid traceable return label/envelope with your order, which will be used to return your processed documents.
- Washington State Public School Transcripts and Diploma Requirements
-
• All transcripts (academic Records/History) from a Washington State public school must be an official document (not a photocopy) that contains an original/official stamp and signature from a verifiable authorized school representative.
• An original diploma or a Certified signed copy (signed by a school authority) of the diploma is acceptable. - Private School Transcripts and Diploma Requirements
-
Private School documents must be signed by the Principal, Vice Principal, or other verifiable authorized signer.
- All private school documents must be notarized by a Washington state notary prior to being reviewed by our office. Refer your notary to the guidelines outlined in RCW 42.45.140: Short form certificates.
- A notarized original diploma or a notarized copy of the diploma is acceptable.
- Washington State College and University Transcripts and Diploma Requirements
-
Transcripts must be Official and signed by the University or College Registrar (Associate Registrar and Interim Registrar are also acceptable). Original Degrees are signed by the President.
Both transcripts and diplomas must include the School Seal.
- Out-of-State School Documents Apostille/Authentication
-
The Secretary of State can only process official transcripts from Washington State schools, colleges, or universities.
Exception: Copies of out of state school documents may be accepted if they are notarized by a Washington State Notary Public.
Personal Document Requirements
Personal documents may include but are not limited to Power of Attorney, Affidavits, Consents/Authorizations, etc.
All personal documents submitted to the Secretary of State for authentication are required to be properly notarized by a Washington State notary.
• Refer your notary to the guidelines outlined in RCW 42.45.140: Short form certificates.
- Washington State Driver License Apostille/Authentication
-
Photocopies of Driver Licenses must be properly notarized by a Washington State notary public before requesting an Apostille/Certificate of Authentication.
An Abstract Driving Record issued by the Department of Licensing will only be accepted if it has been issued within 30 days of being received by the Secretary of State.
- U.S. Passport Apostille/Authentication
-
A photocopy of a passport must be notarized. Refer your notary to the guidelines outlined in RCW 42.45.140: Short form certificates.
- Federal Documents that cannot be Apostilled/Authenticated by the Washington State Office of the Secretary of State
-
The Secretary of State does not have authority to Apostille or Authenticate federally issued documents.
These documents must be sent to the US Department of State in Washington DC.
You can visit US Department of State website for more information. FBI issued documents (FBI Background Checks, FBI Clearance Letters, etc.) Documents notarized by US Military notaries Certificates of Naturalization (citizenship documents)
Washington State and County Official Document Guidelines
Certified copies signed by State Officials or their authorized representatives, and certified copies signed by County Officials or their authorized representatives, are acceptable for Apostille or Authentication.
Law Changes and Service Revisions
Under new laws of 2016, the Secretary of State will not certify or attest to the signature of a notary public on a document:
- Regarding allegiance to a government or jurisdiction;
- Relating to the relinquishment or renunciation of citizenship, sovereignty, military status, or world service authority; or
- Setting forth or implying a claim of immunity from the laws of jurisdictions within Washington, immunity from the laws of the State of Washington, or immunity from Federal Law.
Authenticity or certification of signatures - Attestation. RCW 43.07.032