How to Get an Apostille in Florida: 2026 Complete Guide

Using a Florida document abroad is not as simple as presenting it and hoping for the best. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce records, diplomas, powers of attorney, and business filings all need an apostille before a foreign government or institution will treat them as legitimate.

Florida has specific requirements that differ from other states and that most guides do not explain clearly enough. The source of your certified copy matters. So does your cover letter. So does how you pay. Miss any one of these and your application comes back unprocessed.

This guide walks through what an apostille is, who issues it, which documents qualify, how to prepare everything correctly, and how to choose the right submission method, along with how Florida apostille services like Globeia help simplify the entire process.

An apostille is a certification that makes a Florida document legally recognized in another country. It confirms that the signature, seal, or stamp on the document is genuine and that the person who issued it held the proper authority to do so. It does not verify the contents of the document itself, only the authority and authenticity of the person who signed it.

Once apostilled, a Florida document is accepted in all 125+ countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention, without further review at an embassy or consulate. The Convention was established in 1961 specifically to replace a much longer embassy legalization chain with a single standardized certificate. A Florida apostille is how that single-step process begins for documents originating in this state.

The Florida Secretary of State is the sole authority responsible for issuing apostilles on Florida documents. The Division of Corporations handles all apostille and notarial certification requests within the state.

A Florida apostille is not optional for most international purposes. Foreign governments and institutions have no built-in way to verify a Florida-issued document is genuine. The apostille solves that problem.

Here is why a Florida apostille matters:

• It confirms that a Florida document is authentic and legally accepted by foreign institutions
• Most governments participating in the Hague Convention will not accept US documentation without one
• It replaces the older, more time-consuming embassy legalization chain for 125+ Hague member countries
• It is the standard requirement for birth certificates, school records, court orders, and powers of attorney heading overseas
• It substantially reduces the likelihood of a document being challenged or rejected once it arrives in another country
• It satisfies the legal standard expected by foreign courts, universities, civil registries, and immigration authorities

Not every Florida document qualifies, and the requirements differ meaningfully between categories. The wrong source document is the most common reason an apostille application comes back unprocessed.

1. Birth Certificates

Birth records are issued by the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or the County Health Department and must be signed by the State Registrar. For a full step-by-step walkthrough, read our Florida birth certificate apostille guide.

2. Death Certificates

Like birth certificates, the proper Florida authority must issue and sign these. Most county health department copies do not carry the State Registrar's signature and will be rejected. If in doubt, order directly from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville to ensure the document meets the requirements.

3. Marriage Certificates

Marriage certificates are accepted from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or the Clerk of the County Courts.

4. Divorce Certificates

Also known as dissolution of marriage documents, these must be from an official Florida agency.

5. School Transcripts & Diplomas

Whether you’re dealing with public or private schools, these transcripts and diplomas must be notarized and include a thorough notarial statement in English.

6. Notarized Documents

This includes powers of attorney, affidavits, and personal letters. Just ensure that the notarization follows Florida’s guidelines.

7. Vehicle Titles

These need to be certified by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

8. Business Documents

This includes Articles of Incorporation, Certificates of Status and other certified business records from the Florida Secretary of State.

What Florida Cannot Apostille

Federal documents: FBI background checks, passport records, federal court documents, and records issued by federal agencies cannot be apostilled by Florida. These require authentication through the US Department of State in Washington, DC.

Out-of-state documents: Documents issued in another state must go to the competent authority for that state, not to Florida.

To get a Florida state apostille, your document needs to fulfill some requirements, which are listed below:

• First, your document must be issued in Florida or notarized by a Florida notary.
• Make sure you send the original document or a certified copy, with no photocopies unless specifically allowed.
• It should include a complete notarial statement in English if it's notarized.
• Don’t forget to attach the filled-out Apostille Request Form from the Florida Department of State.
• Also, be sure to include payment by check or money order drawn from a US bank, payable to the Florida Department of State.
• Add a self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid return for easy return.
• Check that all names, signatures, and seals are clear and accurate.
• Double-check everything before you mail it off to avoid any delays.

Once your request is approved, your document will receive the official Florida apostille stamp.

Managing this from outside Florida or working against a fixed deadline? Globeia's Florida apostille service reviews your documents before anything is submitted, prepares the cover letter, and manages in-person delivery to the Apostille Section in Tallahassee so a single missing detail does not cost you weeks.

In Florida, you have three main options for getting an apostille: by mail, in person, or through a professional service. Each method is designed to fit different needs and timelines.

1. Walk In

The Apostille Section of the Florida Department of State accepts in-person submissions at 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. No appointment system or expedited processing is available for in-person submissions. Requests are processed in the order received, with the Department of State advising a minimum of five business days regardless of submission method.

2. Mail-In Submission

The other option is using the mail service. It is best for applicants who are not in Tallahassee or do not want to travel. For this, you need to fill out the official apostille request form, include the original certified or properly notarized document, a cover letter specifying the destination country, and a self-addressed stamped envelope along with your payment.

Mail this envelope to:

Florida Department of State

Division of Corporations, Apostille Section

P.O. Box 6800

Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800

For FedEx, UPS, or DHL: 

2415 N. Monroe Street, 

Suite 810, Tallahassee, 

FL 32303

Courier services such as FedEx or UPS require the physical street address above, as packages cannot be delivered to a P.O. Box.

3. Professional Apostille Service

The other option is using a professional apostille service. These services handle the whole process on your behalf with the Florida Department of State, submitting documents in person at the Apostille Section to avoid the standard mail-in processing queue. This is particularly helpful for people living abroad or anyone who doesn't want to deal with the hassle of paperwork. Select a reliable service that understands Florida's apostille requirements to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Getting a Florida apostille involves more than one fee. The Florida Department of State charges $10 per document for vital records like birth, death, and marriage certificates. Documents certified by a Clerk of the Court cost $20 when an apostille and Certificate of Incumbency are requested together.

On top of the state fee, you will also pay for your certified copy from the issuing office, County Clerk certification where required, notarization if your document needs it, and return shipping if you want tracked delivery.

All payments to the Florida Department of State must be by check or money order drawn from a US bank. Credit cards and cash are not accepted. Verify current fees at dos.fl.gov before submitting. For a full breakdown of every cost involved, read our Florida apostille cost guide.

If you use a professional service, their fee covers document review, preparation, and submission on your behalf, separate from all state fees above.

Processing time depends on how you submit. Walk-in at the Tallahassee office requires a minimum of five business days. There is no same-day service and no expedited option, even in person.

Mail-in takes 25 to 35 business days from the date the Department of State receives your documents, not including transit time in either direction. For applicants outside Florida, plan for six to eight weeks total. No expedited mail option exists under any circumstance.

The fastest route is a professional service that submits in person in Tallahassee. Under Florida's 2026 rules, documents are dropped off one day and collected the next business day, still significantly faster than mailing.

Globeia's Florida apostille service handles in-person submission on your behalf so your documents are processed without the standard mail delay, serving clients across Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami.

A Florida apostille is a one-page certificate affixed to the front page of your original document. The apostille lists essential information like:

• The country where the apostille is being issued.
• The name and title of the person who signed the original document;
• The official seal of the State of Florida.
• A distinct apostille number and the date of issuance;

A certified apostille is commonly stapled to the front page of your document and used as official evidence of authentication to make your document legally effective in foreign countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.

Most Florida apostille delays are not caused by the document itself. They are caused by preparation errors that could have been caught before anything was mailed.

• Wrong certified copy source: Only the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville issues birth and death certificates eligible for a Florida apostille. Local county health department copies are rejected every time.
• Incorrect payment: Florida accepts only checks or money orders drawn from a US bank. Credit card and cash payments are returned without processing.
• No cover letter: A cover letter naming the destination country is required with every submission. Missing it means the application comes back regardless of everything else being correct.
• Longer than expected timeline: Mail-in processing takes 25 to 35 business days from receipt. Six to eight weeks total is the realistic figure for applicants outside Florida.
• Combined fee payments: Corporate certification and apostille fees must always be paid separately. One combined payment causes the entire submission to be returned.
• Photocopies submitted instead of originals: Even notarized photocopies are not accepted. Only originals or certified copies with intact signatures and seals are valid.

Most Florida apostille problems are not document problems. They are preparation problems. The wrong certified copy source, a missing cover letter, an incorrect payment method. Each one sends an application back and resets a timeline that already runs 25 to 35 business days by mail.

Getting it right the first time comes down to knowing Florida's specific requirements before anything goes in the mail, not after. This guide covers all of them.

If you would rather have someone who already knows these requirements handle the process for you, Globeia's Florida apostille service reviews your documents, prepares the cover letter and request form, and submits in person at the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee.

Start Your Florida Apostille with Globeia