Utah Vital Records Apostille: Ask the Lieutenant Governor, Not the Secretary of State
A Utah vital records apostille is issued by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and by mail it costs $5 per document, processed 1 to 3 business days after arrival. The certified copy comes first, from the Office of Vital Records and Statistics or, for many marriages and divorces, from a county clerk or a district court clerk. Documents from Utah Vital Records cannot get a digital apostille, so paper is the only route for them.
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Utah’s apostille does not come from the Secretary of State
Search for a Utah Secretary of State apostille and you land in the wrong place. In Utah the Office of the Lieutenant Governor handles authentications and issues one universal certificate. A reader in Munich, say, who is preparing a family residence file, loses days writing to the wrong desk. Start at the right one and the rest is short.
The certified copy has its own quirk. The state Office of Vital Records and Statistics holds marriage certificates only from 1978 to 2010, and only as an abstract. For a marriage before 1978 or after 2010, the county clerk where the wedding took place is the source. Divorce works the same way. The state holds certificates from 1978 to 2010, and the district court clerk holds the decree. The state office also does not allow third-party vendors to order the copy for you.
That vendor rule shapes how we help. We cannot place the order as a vendor with the state office. The person entitled to the record orders it, and we take over from the moment the certified copy exists. For a county clerk or court copy, we confirm during the review what the office allows.
Right desk first. In Utah that desk is the Lieutenant Governor’s.
Who holds each Utah record, and what it costs
Fees follow the Vital Records schedule effective 1 July 2026. The Lieutenant Governor’s list treats a certified copy as an original public document, with no notarization.
| Record | Who issues the certified copy | What the copy must show | Copy fee | Extra step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | Office of Vital Records and Statistics or a local health department. | Certified copy. Third-party vendors cannot order it. | $25 | None |
| Marriage | State office holds 1978 to 2010, abstract only. Before 1978 or after 2010: the county clerk where the marriage occurred. | Certified copy, no notarization. A single-status document must be a signed copy from the county clerk. | State: $25 first, $10 for each extra the same day. County fee: confirm. | None |
| Death | Office of Vital Records and Statistics (1905 to present, public after 50 years) or a local health department. | Certified copy. Long or short form: confirm with the office. | $35 first, $10 for each extra the same day, $3 for a reissue within 90 days. | None |
| Divorce | Decree: clerk of the Utah district court that finalized it. State certificate: 1978 to 2010 only, abstract. | Certified copy of the decree, no notarization. | Certificate $25 and $10 for each extra. Decree fee: confirm with the clerk. | None |
The state sets no age limit on the copy that we found, so ask the receiving authority. A full marriage certificate rather than an abstract is a request for the county clerk. Our marriage certificate apostille guide explains the document side.
Paper or digital: what the Lieutenant Governor offers
The Utah Authentications process page says mail-in requests start with an online order, then you mail the originals and the order form. The mailing address is Office of the Lieutenant Governor, PO BOX 142325, Salt Lake City, UT 84114. Couriers and walk-ins go to the Utah State Capitol Building, 350 North State Street, Suite 220, Salt Lake City, UT 84114. The phone is 801-538-1041.
In person, same-day service is by appointment only, at $20 per document. County clerks can submit a request on your behalf, and that is all they can do for you. Online ordering runs through a contracted provider and went live on 3 September 2026. Digital apostille delivery began on 9 July 2026, with a $69.95 delivery charge collected by that provider on top of the state fee.
Here is the catch for our readers. The digital option is not available for any document issued by the Utah Division of Vital Records. A birth or death certificate, or a state-issued marriage or divorce abstract, has to go on paper. County-issued marriage copies and court decrees are not excluded on the page, but ask the destination whether it accepts a digital apostille. Our digital document apostille page covers the question.
From a Utah record office to a desk abroad
How to apostille a Utah birth certificate while you live overseas
- 1
Check who may order
Utah Vital Records says third-party vendors cannot order a copy for you. The person named on the record, or an eligible relative, places the order and has it sent to you or to us.
- 2
Send us scans for a free review
We confirm the record type, the destination and whether a county clerk or the state office is the right source.
- 3
Start the apostille request online
Mail-in requests begin on the Authentications site. We open and manage that request after you hire us, then the originals and the order form go to Salt Lake City.
- 4
Allow 1 to 3 business days at the state
That is the time after the originals arrive. A same-day appointment at $20 per document exists for someone physically in Salt Lake City.
- 5
Ship the finished set abroad
Express couriers usually take two to five business days to Europe or Latin America. Use tracking and a signature.
Salt Lake City runs on Mountain time. Munich is generally eight hours ahead, so your window to call is your afternoon, which is their evening.
Six reasons a Utah file stalls
Writing to the Secretary of State
The apostille office is the Lieutenant Governor’s. Mail sent to the wrong desk costs days you may not have.
Expecting a digital apostille
The digital option does not cover any Utah Vital Records document. Plan on paper for birth, death and state abstracts.
An abstract when the full certificate is needed
The state office holds marriages from 1978 to 2010 as an abstract only. Ask the county clerk for the full record if the destination wants it.
Using a vendor
Utah Vital Records says third-party vendors cannot order for you. The entitled person has to place the order.
A divorce certificate instead of the decree
The state certificate covers 1978 to 2010 only. Everything else, including the decree, comes from the district court clerk.
Mailing before the online request
Mail-in files must be started online first. Originals sent cold are likely to wait.
Germany and Chile, the two files we see most from Utah
Germany
Germany has been a Hague party since 1966. The German mission pages say embassies cannot issue apostilles and that a US marriage certificate used for a residence permit needs one. Family members’ permits ask for the marriage certificate and the children’s birth certificates. Ask the local Aliens’ Office whether it also wants German translations and how recent the copies must be.
Chile
Chile has been a Hague party since 2016. Its immigration service says documents issued abroad must be apostilled or properly legalized, and public documents should be attached within 60 days unless the document sets its own validity. English-language documents need no translation there. The pages do not say whether the apostille must come from a particular US office, so confirm with the consulate.
ATA certified translations that get notarized are something we can provide. Sworn translation is not: we are not a sworn translator and do not arrange it. If your destination demands one, hire a sworn translator there and we will ship the apostilled set to them. See the HCCH status table for other countries.
What we handle, and what it costs
After the free review, we manage the Utah authentication request, assemble the originals and the order form, deliver them to Salt Lake City, pay the state fee and send the finished set where you are. The case is visible in ApostilleDesk at each stage. See how it works.
Our posted rates belong to Massachusetts: Economy $149.95, Express $199.95 and Rush $385.95 per document, state fee and return postage included. A Utah order is quoted separately, with one flat rate sent once the review has confirmed the state’s fee and speed and before any payment. Rush is our fastest level, Express is 2 to 5 business days and Economy is 1 to 2 weeks, with transit extra. Utah timing follows the state office’s workload. More on the pricing page.
Tewksbury, Massachusetts, near Boston, is home to our private document preparation and courier service. We are not part of any state office, school or consulate. Phone (978) 424-4629 between 10am and 5pm Eastern, Monday to Friday. Hablamos Español.
Start your orderFrequently asked questions
How do I get a Utah record apostilled from abroad?
Have the entitled person order a certified copy from the Office of Vital Records and Statistics, a county clerk or the court. Start the online request with the Lieutenant Governor’s office, then mail the originals and the order form. The mail fee is $5 per document. We can manage the apostille side.
Who issues a Utah apostille, the Secretary of State or the Lieutenant Governor?
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor issues Utah apostilles as one universal certificate. The Secretary of State is not involved. Mail goes to PO BOX 142325, Salt Lake City, or to the State Capitol, Suite 220, for couriers and walk-ins. Call 801-538-1041 with questions.
Do Utah vital records qualify for a digital apostille?
No. The Lieutenant Governor says digital apostilles are not available for any Utah Division of Vital Records document, meaning birth, death and state-issued marriage or divorce records. County marriage copies and court decrees are not excluded, but the destination must accept a digital apostille. A provider charge of $69.95 applies.
How long does the Utah apostille take?
Mail is processed in 1 to 3 business days after the originals arrive. In-person same-day service is by appointment at $20 per document. Add the time to obtain the certified copy, which the pages we read do not publish, and the courier days to your country.
Where do I get a Utah marriage certificate before 1978?
From the county clerk where the marriage occurred. The state Office of Vital Records and Statistics holds marriages only from 1978 to 2010, as an abstract, so earlier and later records come from the county. Ask the clerk for a certified copy and its fee.
How much do Utah certified copies cost?
Under the schedule effective 1 July 2026, a birth certificate costs $25. A death certificate costs $35. A marriage or divorce abstract costs $25. Each extra copy ordered the same day costs $10. County and court fees vary, so confirm with the clerk before paying.
What does a Utah apostille cost with your service?
We publish prices for Massachusetts only. A Utah order starts with a free review and ends with one flat-rate quote, which you approve before paying. The state’s mail-in fee is $5 per document. Ask us about a volume discount if you have several records.
Keep reading
Idaho vital records
Nevada vital records
Colorado vital records
Divorce decree apostille
Vital records by state
Tell us which Utah record you hold
We confirm which office issues it, whether paper is the only route, and what the Lieutenant Governor needs before anything is mailed.