50-state reference � Updated October 2026
Apostille Vital Records by State: Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates
Which office apostilles a birth, marriage, death or divorce record in every U.S. state, what the state charges, how long it says it takes and the one rule that gets records rejected. Built from official state pages and updated when the offices change.
The short version
How to read this page
A state apostille is attached by the state that issued the document. You first obtain a certified copy from the right records office, then send it to that state’s apostille office, which verifies the official’s signature and attaches the apostille. Click a state name for its full guide. The 1961 Hague Apostille Convention status table is published by the Hague Conference, and federal documents are handled by the U.S. Department of State.
- Start with the state that issued the record, not the state where you live.
- Order a certified copy with a raised seal. Photocopies and notarized copies are refused in most states.
- Birth, marriage, death and divorce records can come from different offices in the same state.
- FBI background checks are federal and go to the U.S. Department of State.
Table 1
State apostille offices, fees and processing times
Figures were researched on 26 October 2026 from official state pages. A cell that says confirm with the office means we could not verify it on an official page.
| State | Apostille office | State fee | Published time | How to submit | Key rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Secretary of State, Authentication Division, Montgomery | $5 (ADPH apostille copy $25) | Allow 5 business days by mail | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Copy must carry the current State Registrar's signature |
| Alaska | Lieutenant Governor, Juneau | $5, or $12 if HAVRS orders it | Typically mailed within 48 hours | Mail or counter by appointment | Only currently employed signers count, so older copies may fail |
| Arizona | Secretary of State, Phoenix (Tucson office too) | $3 ($25 in-person expedite) | 10 to 20 business days by mail | Mail, or counter (appointment only from 2 Nov 2026) | Phoenix counter goes appointment-only on 2 November 2026 |
| Arkansas | Secretary of State, Little Rock (BCS desk) | $10 | Target 24 to 48 hours | Mail, counter, or online request portal | Birth and death go to the BCS desk, marriage and divorce to the Elections Division |
| California | Secretary of State, Sacramento (also Los Angeles) | $20 (+$6 in-person handling) | Mail in order received, in person about 30 minutes | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Authorized copy only, health officer copies need county clerk certification first |
| Colorado | Secretary of State, Denver | $5 ($15 expedited walk-in) | Mail in order received, walk-in often under an hour | Mail or counter (walk-in) | County clerk and recorder offices do not issue birth certificates |
| Connecticut | Secretary of the State, Hartford (order online first) | $40 | 5 to 7 business days (expedited 24 hours) | Order online, then mail or drop off | Copy certified within the last 10 years, vital records are excluded from e-apostille |
| Delaware | Division of Corporations, Dover | $30 total, personal documents | Typically the same business day by mail | Mail, or counter by appointment | Two Dover addresses: walk in at River Road, mail to Federal Street |
| District of Columbia | Notary Commissions and Authentications Office (ONCA) | $15 | Within 5 business days by mail, walk-ins 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Mail or counter (walk-in) | ONCA issues it, not the U.S. Department of State, and spouses cannot order the birth copy |
| Florida | Department of State, Tallahassee | $10 | Not published, most walk-ins while you wait | Mail or counter (walk-in), or via VitalChek | State Registrar signature needed, pre-2004 records print limited information |
| Georgia | GSCCCA (Superior Court Clerks' Authority), Atlanta | $3 | 1 to 2 business days by mail, walk-ins under 20 minutes | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Not the Secretary of State, and copies from 2000 or later are preferred |
| Hawaii | Lieutenant Governor, Honolulu | $3 ($5 from 1 January 2027) | 7 to 10 business days (DOH route 3 to 4 weeks) | Mail (online application, paper documents) | Birth copy issued on or after 1 January 2025, DOH dropped divorce records 1 February 2026 |
| Idaho | Secretary of State, Notary Department, Boise | $10 | Processed daily as received (no day count) | Mail, or counter by appointment (book online) | Counter by appointment only |
| Illinois | Secretary of State, Index Department, Chicago | $2 | 7 to 14 business days by mail, walk-ins while you wait | Mail or counter (walk-in) | IDPH mail orders take about 12 weeks, so use the county clerk |
| Indiana | Secretary of State, Indianapolis | Free for birth and death | Normally 1 to 2 business days | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Tick Apostille: Yes on Form 49607 and order the long form |
| Iowa | Secretary of State, Des Moines | $5 | Mail: not published, walk-ins same day | Mail or counter (walk-in) | The certificate is a separate sheet, so keep the pair together |
| Kansas | Secretary of State, Topeka | $10 | 3 to 5 business days | Mail or counter drop-off | A Kansas City birth may be a Missouri record |
| Kentucky | Secretary of State, Frankfort | $5 | Within 3 business days by mail, walk-ins while you wait | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Copy must carry the current State Registrar's signature |
| Louisiana | Secretary of State, Commissions Division, Baton Rouge | $20 | Not published | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Order the long form, not the $9 short-form card |
| Maine | Secretary of State, Augusta | $10 | 10 to 15 business days | Mail only (appointment call if over 5 documents) | More than 5 documents needs an appointment call first |
| Maryland | Secretary of State, Certification Desk, Annapolis | $5 | 7 to 14 business days by mail (3 to 4 by courier) | Mail or courier, SOS page now says appointments | Walk-ins were suspended but the SOS page now mentions appointments, so call first |
| Massachusetts | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions, Boston | $6 | Counter while you wait (3 documents), mail 2 to 3 weeks | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Raised-seal certified copy, never a notarized photocopy |
| Michigan | Office of the Great Seal, Lansing | $1 | Sources differ, confirm with the office | Mail, or counter by appointment | Signer must be the State Registrar, a county clerk or a listed city clerk |
| Minnesota | Secretary of State, Saint Paul | $5 | Not published | Mail, or counter by appointment only | No long form exists, and the counter is by appointment only |
| Mississippi | Secretary of State, Notary Division, Jackson | $5 | Not published | Mail only | Personal checks refused by Vital Records |
| Missouri | Secretary of State, Jefferson City (plus 3 branches) | $10 | Same or next day by mail | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Order the long form, and the mail application must be notarized |
| Montana | Secretary of State, Helena | $10 | 3 to 5 business days | Mail or counter by appointment | Long form issued within 5 years recommended |
| Nebraska | Secretary of State, Lincoln | $10 | 3 to 5 business days, walk-ins same day | Online request, then mail or counter | Wrong payment amount sends the file back |
| Nevada | Secretary of State, Carson City | $20 (expedite $75 to $1,000) | Official pages conflict, confirm with the office | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Photocopies rejected, and health district copies are uncertain |
| New Hampshire | Secretary of State, Room 204, State House, Concord | $10 | Counter weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., mail not published | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Check payable to the State of New Hampshire |
| New Jersey | Treasury, Division of Revenue (DORES), Trenton | $25 ($40 expedited) | 12 to 20 business days standard | Online request, then mail or drop off | Tick Certified Copy for an Apostille Seal, a town clerk copy will not do |
| New Mexico | Secretary of State, Santa Fe | $3 | Not published | Request online first, then drop off or mail | File the request online first, and the eyelet cannot be removed |
| New York | Department of State (County Clerk step for NYC) | $10 (+ about $3 County Clerk) | Mail not published, same day at 5 walk-in offices | Mail or counter (walk-in) | NYC needs a Letter of Exemplification and the County Clerk |
| North Carolina | Secretary of State, Authentication Office, Raleigh | $10 | Not published, hand delivery is faster | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Copy certified on or after 1 April 2000 |
| North Dakota | Secretary of State, Bismarck | $15 ($10 + $5 record search) | Usually within 3 business days | Mail or counter (walk-in or booked) | Check payee is now ND DHHS, not the old Department of Health |
| Ohio | Secretary of State, Columbus | $5 | 2 to 3 days by mail | Mail (counter access not verified) | ODH online copies are abstracts, not for use abroad |
| Oklahoma | Secretary of State, Oklahoma City | $25 | Not published | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Personal checks refused for mailed apostilles |
| Oregon | Secretary of State, Corporation Division, Salem | $10 | 2 to 3 business days by courier, counter same day | Mail, courier, or counter (walk-in) | Births before 2008 need the full image copy |
| Pennsylvania | Department of State, Harrisburg | $15 | Mail 5 to 7 business days or 2 to 3 weeks, pages differ | Mail or counter (walk-in, no cash) | Never notarize the certificate, and name the destination country |
| Rhode Island | Department of State, Providence | $5 | 3 to 5 business days | Order online or mail, counter drop-off | City and town hall birth copies are refused |
| South Carolina | Secretary of State, Columbia | $5 | Not published | Mail or counter drop-off | No raised seal needed, and the office still calls the issuer DHEC |
| South Dakota | Secretary of State, Apostille Office, Pierre | $25 | Within 2 business days by mail ($50 expedited) | Mail, or counter drop-off or appointment | Informational copies cannot be apostilled |
| Tennessee | Secretary of State, Authentications, Nashville | $2 | Mail not published, same day in person by 2 p.m. | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Copy certified within the past two years |
| Texas | Secretary of State, Authentications Unit, Austin | $15 | Up to 2 weeks by mail, same day in person | Mail, or counter (walk-in Monday and Friday) | Long form issued within the last 5 years |
| Utah | Lieutenant Governor, Salt Lake City | $5 by mail ($20 in person) | 1 to 3 business days after arrival | Mail, counter by appointment, or online order | Third-party vendors cannot order the copy |
| Vermont | State Archives (VSARA), Middlesex, for the SOS | $10 | Not published | Counter drop-off or mail, online add-on at ordering | Online apostille add-on works only when you order the copy |
| Virginia | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Richmond | $10 ($5 each extra) | 7 to 10 business days by mail | Mail, or counter by appointment (online cover letter) | Copy issued within the past 12 months |
| Washington | Secretary of State, Tumwater | $15 | 7 to 10 business days (2 to 3 with $100 expedite) | Mail or counter (walk-in) | The informational copy costs the same and fails |
| West Virginia | Secretary of State, Charleston | $10 ($5 each extra) | Target 48 business hours, walk-ins in minutes | Mail or counter (walk-in) | Signer must be the State Registrar or the county clerk |
| Wisconsin | Secretary of State or DFI, Madison | $10 ($35 expedited) | 7 to 20 business days, expedited 1 to 3 days | Online order, then mail originals or counter | Non-Hague files must go to the Secretary of State, not DFI |
| Wyoming | Secretary of State, Cheyenne | $20 | Not published | Mail preferred, counter by appointment only | No credit cards, so use check, money order or cash |
Table 2
Who issues the certified copy
The record has to come from the office the apostille office recognizes. Where two offices issue copies, the state page says which one is accepted.
| State | Birth copy from | Marriage copy from | Death copy from | Divorce decree from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Dept of Public Health or county health dept | ADPH (since 1936) or county probate office | ADPH, restricted for 25 years | ADPH (since 1950) or circuit court clerk |
| Alaska | Health Analytics and Vital Records (Juneau, Anchorage) | Health Analytics and Vital Records, restricted 50 years | Health Analytics and Vital Records, restricted 50 years | HAVRS certificate or court clerk for the decree |
| Arizona | ADHS Vital Records or county vital records office | Clerk of the Superior Court in the county | ADHS Vital Records or county vital records office | Clerk of the Superior Court in the county |
| Arkansas | Dept of Health Vital Records or local health unit | County Clerk where the license was issued | Dept of Health Vital Records or local health unit | Circuit Clerk of the county (decree) |
| California | CDPH Vital Records or the county recorder | County Clerk-Recorder where the license was issued | CDPH Vital Records or the county of death | Clerk of the Superior Court in the county |
| Colorado | CDPHE Vital Records or county vital records office | County Clerk and Recorder (state gives verification only) | CDPHE Vital Records or county vital records office | District Court clerk (state gives verification only) |
| Connecticut | Town vital records office or State Vital Records | Town clerk or State Vital Records Office (DPH) | Town of death or State Vital Records Office | Clerk of the Connecticut Superior Court |
| Delaware | Office of Vital Statistics (Dover, Newark, Georgetown) | Office of Vital Statistics (since 1974) | Office of Vital Statistics (since 1974) | County Prothonotary (not the state office) |
| District of Columbia | DC Health Vital Records Division | DC Superior Court Marriage Bureau | DC Health Vital Records Division | DC Superior Court (since 16 September 1956) |
| Florida | Bureau of Vital Statistics or county health dept | Bureau of Vital Statistics (from 1927) or county clerk | Bureau of Vital Statistics or county health dept (2009 on) | Vital Statistics abstract or Circuit Court clerk |
| Georgia | DPH State Vital Records or county vital records | County Probate Court | DPH State Vital Records or county Probate Court | Clerk of Superior Court of the county |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Department of Health | Hawaii Department of Health | Hawaii Department of Health | Circuit court (DOH keeps no divorce records) |
| Idaho | Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics | Health and Welfare Vital Records or county recorder | Health and Welfare Vital Records (since 1911) | County court (state certificate lacks decree detail) |
| Illinois | County clerk (Cook County Clerk for Chicago) or IDPH | County clerk where the license was issued | IDPH or county clerk where the death occurred | Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county |
| Indiana | Indiana Dept of Health or county health officer | Circuit Court clerk (county clerk) of the county | Indiana Dept of Health (county copy may fail) | Circuit or Superior Court clerk of the county |
| Iowa | Iowa HHS or a county recorder | County recorder (1954 on) or Iowa HHS | County recorder (1954 on) or Iowa HHS | Clerk of the District Court of the county |
| Kansas | KDHE Office of Vital Statistics (Topeka) only | KDHE Office of Vital Statistics (since 1913) | KDHE Office of Vital Statistics (since 1911) | KDHE certificate or District Court clerk decree |
| Kentucky | Office of Vital Statistics (Frankfort) | Vital Statistics (from 1958) or county clerk | Office of Vital Statistics (since 1911) | Vital Statistics (from 1958) or Circuit Court clerk |
| Louisiana | Dept of Health Vital Records or a Clerk of Court | Parish Clerk of Court (state holds Orleans only) | Dept of Health Vital Records or a Clerk of Court | Clerk of Court of the parish |
| Maine | Town clerk or state Vital Statistics (Augusta) | Town clerk or state Vital Statistics (Augusta) | Town clerk or state Vital Statistics (Augusta) | confirm with the office |
| Maryland | MDH Vital Records or county health department | Circuit Court clerk (state Vital Records from 2007) | MDH Vital Records or county health department | Circuit Court clerk of the county |
| Massachusetts | City or town clerk or state Registry (Dorchester) | City or town clerk or state Registry (Dorchester) | City or town clerk or state Registry (Dorchester) | Probate and Family Court of the county |
| Michigan | County clerk or MDHHS Vital Records | County clerk or MDHHS (back to 1867) | MDHHS (1867 on) or county clerk | County clerk (MDHHS keeps index data only) |
| Minnesota | Dept of Health or any county vital records office | County office that issued the license | Dept of Health or any county vital records office | District court administrator of the county |
| Mississippi | Dept of Health Vital Records (Jackson, Ridgeland) | Dept of Health Vital Records or Circuit Clerk | Dept of Health Vital Records (Jackson) | Chancery Clerk of the county |
| Missouri | DHSS Bureau of Vital Records (Jefferson City) | Recorder of Deeds of the county | DHSS Bureau of Vital Records (Jefferson City) | Circuit Clerk of the county |
| Montana | Office of Vital Records or county Clerk and Recorder | Clerk of District Court in the county | Office of Vital Records (DPHHS), Helena | Clerk of District Court in the county |
| Nebraska | DHHS Vital Records or Douglas County (Omaha) | DHHS Vital Records (since 1909) or County Clerk | DHHS Vital Records (Lincoln) | DHHS certificate or District Court clerk decree |
| Nevada | State Office of Vital Records or a health district | County Clerk or County Recorder (sources differ) | State Office of Vital Records or a health district | Clerk of the District Court in the county |
| New Hampshire | Town or city clerk or Vital Records (Concord) | Town or city clerk or state registrar (DVRA) | Town or city clerk or state registrar (DVRA) | State registrar (DVRA) or the granting court |
| New Jersey | Dept of Health Vital Statistics (Trenton) | State Vital Statistics or local registrar (sources differ) | State Vital Statistics or local registrar | Superior Court (not the Dept of Health) |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Vital Records (Santa Fe) | County Clerk where the license was issued | New Mexico Vital Records (Santa Fe only) | District Court where the order was filed |
| New York | NYC Health Dept, elsewhere State DOH or local registrar | State DOH, city or town clerk, or NYC City Clerk | State DOH, local registrar, or NYC Health Dept | County Clerk (clerk of the Supreme Court) |
| North Carolina | NC Vital Records (Raleigh) | Register of Deeds where the license was issued | NC Vital Records or county Register of Deeds | Clerk of Superior Court in the county |
| North Dakota | North Dakota HHS Vital Records (Bismarck) | confirm with the office | North Dakota HHS Vital Records (Bismarck) | County clerk of district court, confirm details |
| Ohio | Ohio Dept of Health or local health department | Probate Court in the county | Ohio Dept of Health (1971 on) or local health dept | Clerk of Courts (common pleas) of the county |
| Oklahoma | State Dept of Health Vital Records | County Court Clerk of the county | State Dept of Health Vital Records | Court clerk where the divorce was filed |
| Oregon | Oregon Center for Health Statistics (Portland) | Center for Health Statistics or county clerk | Center for Health Statistics or county health office | Center for Health Statistics or circuit court |
| Pennsylvania | Dept of Health Division of Vital Records | Register of Wills in the county (not the Dept of Health) | Dept of Health Vital Records (New Castle) | County Prothonotary where the divorce was filed |
| Rhode Island | RIDOH Center for Vital Records (Cranston) only | RIDOH Vital Records (town hall copies uncertain) | RIDOH Center for Vital Records (Cranston) | Family Court Clerk's Office |
| South Carolina | S.C. Dept of Public Health Vital Records | DPH Vital Records (mail only) or county probate court | S.C. Dept of Public Health Vital Records | Clerk of Court (DPH issues a report only) |
| South Dakota | Dept of Health (Pierre) or county Register of Deeds | Dept of Health (Pierre) or county Register of Deeds | Dept of Health (Pierre) or county Register of Deeds | Vital Records certificate or Clerk of Courts decree |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Vital Records or county health dept | Tennessee Vital Records or county clerk | Tennessee Vital Records or county health dept | Vital Records certificate or court clerk |
| Texas | DSHS Vital Statistics or a local registrar | County clerk where the license was issued only | DSHS Vital Statistics or a local registrar | District clerk where the divorce was granted |
| Utah | Vital Records and Statistics or local health dept | State Vital Records (1978 to 2010) or County Clerk | State Vital Records or local health dept | District Court clerk (state holds 1978 to 2010 only) |
| Vermont | Town clerk or Vermont Department of Health | Town clerk, Dept of Health, or VSARA | Town clerk or Vermont Department of Health | Superior Court Family Division (decree) |
| Virginia | VDH Vital Records or any DMV service center | VDH Vital Records, DMV, or Circuit Court clerk | VDH Vital Records or any DMV service center | VDH certificate or Circuit Court clerk decree |
| Washington | Dept of Health or a local health department | County auditor or Dept of Health | Dept of Health or a local health department | DOH certificate or Superior Court clerk |
| West Virginia | WV Vital Registration or County Commission clerk | Clerk of the County Commission | WV Vital Registration or County Commission clerk | Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Vital Records or county Register of Deeds | Vital Records (from 1907) or Register of Deeds | Wisconsin Vital Records or county Register of Deeds | Vital Records certificate or Circuit Court clerk |
| Wyoming | Vital Records Services (Cheyenne) | Vital Records Services (county clerk unconfirmed) | Vital Records Services (closed record state) | Vital Records Services (court clerk unconfirmed) |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which office apostilles a birth, marriage or death certificate?
The state that issued the record apostilles it, usually through the Secretary of State. A few states use another office, such as the Lieutenant Governor in Utah or the Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority in Georgia. The table above names the office for every state.
Does a federal document need a state apostille?
No. Documents issued by a federal agency, such as an FBI background check, go to the U.S. Department of State, not a state office. Birth, marriage, death and divorce records are state documents.
Why do some states refuse my certificate?
Most refusals come from the wrong copy. Many states want a certified copy with a raised seal and the signature of an official on file, not a photocopy, a notarized copy or a hospital souvenir certificate. Some states also limit how old the copy may be.
Can I do this from abroad?
Yes. You can order the certified copy while you are overseas and have it sent to a courier or to us. We confirm the rules for your state during the free document review, then handle the steps with the state office and ship the finished set to you.
How current is this table?
The research was done on 26 October 2026 from official state pages. Cells marked confirm with the office could not be verified from an official page. Fees and rules change, so check the state office before you send anything.
What does your service cost for a state other than Massachusetts?
Our published prices cover Massachusetts: Economy $149.95, Express $199.95 and Rush $385.95 per document, with the state fee and return postage included. For any other state we confirm that state's fee and speed during the free review and send one flat-rate quote before you pay.
Related guides
Keep going
Apostille cost by state
Official fees for all 51 jurisdictions, side by side.
How long an apostille takes
Published processing times and what slows each state.
Birth certificate apostille
Our Massachusetts birth certificate guide.
Marriage certificate apostille
Marriage records, single status and use abroad.
Death certificate apostille
Estate, insurance and repatriation records.
Divorce decree apostille
Court records and exemplification.
Apostille for American expats
A US-side checklist for people living abroad.
How it works
From the free review to the finished set.
Free document review
Not sure which copy your state will accept?
Send us the document and the destination country. We confirm the state’s rules, quote one flat rate for states outside Massachusetts and handle the steps. We are a private document preparation and courier service in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, not a government agency.