How Long Does an Apostille Take? State-by-State Times
A state counter can apostille a document in minutes. A mailed request can take about four weeks, and that is before the certified copy and the courier. This guide gives the published processing time for every state and DC, dated 26 October 2026, then shows how to add up your own timeline.
Four clocks run in a row, and only one belongs to the apostille office
People ask how long an apostille takes and get one number. The honest answer has four parts, and the state office is only one of them.
The certified copy
A vital record or a registrar’s certification must exist first. It can take a day or three months, depending on the issuer.
The apostille office
Published times run from minutes at a counter to about 20 business days by mail. The table below lists every state.
Transit
Paper moves to the office and back. For a client overseas this is often the longest single leg.
Translation
If the destination wants one, it usually starts after the apostille. A sworn translation is arranged by you in the destination country.
Every state time in this guide is the office’s own published figure, as researched on 26 October 2026. Offices change them without notice. Where a state publishes no figure, the table says so, and we say “confirm with the office” instead of guessing.
Published apostille processing times for all 50 states and DC
The times below are what each office says, not what we promise. Counter service appears as walk-in, drop-off or appointment as the office describes it. For Puerto Rico, our dataset has a lower-confidence entry with no published time, so confirm directly with the Puerto Rico Department of State.
| State | Apostille office | Published processing time | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Secretary of State, Authentication Division, Montgomery | Allow 5 business days by mail | Walk-in counter. |
| Alaska | Lieutenant Governor, Juneau | Typically mailed within 48 hours | By appointment. |
| Arizona | Secretary of State, Phoenix (Tucson office too) | 10 to 20 business days by mail | By appointment. |
| Arkansas | Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services, Little Rock | Target 24 to 48 hours | Walk-in counter. |
| California | Secretary of State, Sacramento (also Los Angeles) | Mail in order received. In person usually within 30 minutes | Walk-in counter. |
| Colorado | Secretary of State, Denver | Mail in order received. Expedited walk-in often under an hour | Walk-in counter. |
| Connecticut | Secretary of the State, Hartford (order online first) | 5 to 7 business days (expedited 24 hours, higher fee) | Drop-off or mail. |
| Delaware | Division of Corporations, Dover | Typically the same business day by mail | By appointment. |
| District of Columbia | Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA) | Within 5 business days by mail. Walk-ins 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Walk-in counter. |
| Florida | Department of State, Tallahassee | Not published. Mail in order received, most walk-ins while you wait Confirm with the office | Walk-in counter. |
| Georgia | Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), Atlanta | 1 to 2 business days by mail. Walk-ins under 20 minutes | Walk-in counter. |
| Hawaii | Lieutenant Governor, Honolulu | 7 to 10 business days | Drop-off or mail. |
| Idaho | Secretary of State, Notary Department, Boise | Processed daily as received (no day count) | By appointment. |
| Illinois | Secretary of State, Index Department, Chicago (also Springfield and DMV+ sites) | 7 to 14 business days by mail. Walk-ins usually while you wait | Walk-in counter. |
| Indiana | Secretary of State, Indianapolis | Normally 1 to 2 business days | Walk-in counter. |
| Iowa | Secretary of State, Des Moines | Mail: not published. Walk-ins same day | Walk-in counter. |
| Kansas | Secretary of State, Topeka | 3 to 5 business days | Drop-off or mail. |
| Kentucky | Secretary of State, Frankfort | Within 3 business days by mail. Walk-ins while you wait | Walk-in counter. |
| Louisiana | Secretary of State, Commissions Division, Baton Rouge | Not published Confirm with the office | Walk-in counter. |
| Maine | Secretary of State, Augusta | 10 to 15 business days | Mail or courier only. |
| Maryland | Secretary of State, Certification Desk, Annapolis | 7 to 14 business days by mail. About 3 to 4 days by FedEx or UPS | Mail or courier only. |
| Massachusetts | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section, Boston | Counter: up to 3 documents while you wait. Mail: 2 to 3 weeks | Walk-in counter. |
| Michigan | Office of the Great Seal, Lansing | 1 to 2 weeks by mail, no expedite | By appointment. |
| Minnesota | Secretary of State, Saint Paul | Not published Confirm with the office | By appointment. |
| Mississippi | Secretary of State, Notary Division, Jackson | Not published Confirm with the office | Mail or courier only. |
| Missouri | Secretary of State, Jefferson City (branches in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield) | Same or next day by mail (handbook) | Walk-in counter. |
| Montana | Secretary of State, Helena | 3 to 5 business days | By appointment. |
| Nebraska | Secretary of State, Lincoln | 3 to 5 business days. Walk-ins same day | Walk-in counter. |
| Nevada | Secretary of State, Carson City | Not published, confirm with the office (official pages conflict) | Walk-in counter. |
| New Hampshire | Secretary of State, Room 204, State House, Concord | Counter weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Mail: not published | Walk-in counter. |
| New Jersey | Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), Trenton | 12 to 20 business days standard | Drop-off or mail. |
| New Mexico | Secretary of State, Santa Fe | Not published Confirm with the office | Drop-off or mail. |
| New York | Department of State (after a County Clerk step for NYC and local copies) | Mail: not published. Same day at 5 walk-in offices | Walk-in counter. |
| North Carolina | Secretary of State, Authentication Office, Raleigh | Not published, confirm with the office (hand delivery is faster) | Walk-in counter. |
| North Dakota | Secretary of State, Bismarck | Usually within 3 business days | Walk-in counter. |
| Ohio | Secretary of State, Columbus | 2 to 3 days by mail | Confirm with the office. |
| Oklahoma | Secretary of State, Oklahoma City | Not published Confirm with the office | Walk-in counter. |
| Oregon | Secretary of State, Corporation Division, Salem | 2 to 3 business days for FedEx or UPS. Same day at the counter if in by 4 p.m. (not guaranteed) | Walk-in counter. |
| Pennsylvania | Department of State, Harrisburg | About 2 to 3 weeks by mail. Walk-ins while you wait | Walk-in counter. |
| Rhode Island | Department of State, Providence | 3 to 5 business days | Drop-off or mail. |
| South Carolina | Secretary of State, Columbia | Not published Confirm with the office | Drop-off or mail. |
| South Dakota | Secretary of State, Apostille Office, Pierre | Within 2 business days by mail ($50 expedited appointments) | Drop-off or mail. |
| Tennessee | Secretary of State, Office of Authentications, Nashville | Mail: not published. Same day in person if you arrive by 2 p.m. | Walk-in counter. |
| Texas | Secretary of State, Authentications Unit, Austin | Up to 2 weeks by mail. Same day in person (walk-in Monday and Friday) | Walk-in counter. |
| Utah | Lieutenant Governor, Salt Lake City | 1 to 3 business days after arrival | By appointment. |
| Vermont | State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA), Middlesex, for the Secretary of State | Not published Confirm with the office | Drop-off or mail. |
| Virginia | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Richmond | 7 to 10 business days by mail | By appointment. |
| Washington | Secretary of State, Tumwater | 7 to 10 business days. 2 to 3 with a $100 expedite | Walk-in counter. |
| West Virginia | Secretary of State, Charleston | Target 48 business hours. Walk-ins in minutes | Walk-in counter. |
| Wisconsin | Secretary of State or Department of Financial Institutions, Madison | 7 to 20 business days. Expedited 1 to 3 days | Walk-in counter. |
| Wyoming | Secretary of State, Cheyenne | Not published Confirm with the office | By appointment. |
Names link to our guide for that state where one exists. Fees for the same offices are in the apostille cost by state guide.
What the published numbers tell you
Offices that can finish while you wait
Walk-in service is the fastest route that exists. Massachusetts apostilles up to 3 documents at its Boston counter while you wait. New York serves walk-ins at five offices on the same day. Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida and Kentucky describe walk-ins as while you wait. West Virginia reports minutes, Georgia under 20 minutes, California usually within 30 minutes and Colorado under an hour for expedited walk-ins. Tennessee is same day if you arrive by 2 p.m. Oregon is same day if you are in by 4 p.m., though it gives no assurance. Texas does same-day walk-in on Monday and Friday.
A counter does not help a person who lives overseas. It helps a courier or agent standing in line for you. That is how we use it when a state allows.
Offices that move fast by mail
Delaware says typically the same business day and Missouri says same or next day. South Dakota says within 2 business days, and Georgia and Indiana say 1 to 2. Ohio says 2 to 3 days. Kentucky and North Dakota say within 3 business days. Rhode Island, Kansas, Nebraska and Montana say 3 to 5. Alaska says typically mailed within 48 hours. Arkansas and West Virginia give 24 to 48 hours and 48 business hours as targets, not promises.
Offices where mail takes weeks
New Jersey lists 12 to 20 business days as standard, with an expedited option at $40. Arizona lists 10 to 20 business days by mail. Wisconsin lists 7 to 20 business days, with an expedited option at $35 that takes 1 to 3 days. Maine lists 10 to 15 business days. Massachusetts and Pennsylvania give about 2 to 3 weeks by mail and Texas up to 2 weeks. Illinois and Maryland say 7 to 14 business days. Michigan says 1 to 2 weeks with no expedite. Virginia, Washington and Hawaii say 7 to 10 business days. Washington adds a $100 expedite that cuts it to 2 or 3.
Offices that publish nothing useful
Vermont, Minnesota, the Carolinas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Wyoming publish no time. Florida, California and Colorado process mail in the order received. Nevada’s pages conflict, so we print none. In these states the free document review is where we ask the office for a current estimate.
Eight things that add days or weeks
- 1
A certified copy that arrives late
Illinois health department mail orders take about 12 weeks, so the county clerk is the usual workaround. Hawaii’s health department route can run 3 to 4 weeks, while the Lieutenant Governor says 7 to 10 business days for its own step.
- 2
The wrong payment
Nebraska sends the file back for the wrong amount. North Dakota expects the payee to be ND DHHS. Mississippi Vital Records refuses personal checks. Oklahoma refuses personal checks for mailed requests, and Wyoming takes no credit cards.
- 3
The wrong copy
Washington’s informational copy costs the same and fails. Rhode Island refuses city and town hall copies. New Jersey will not accept a town clerk copy.
- 4
Appointment-only counters
Arizona’s Phoenix counter becomes appointment-only on 2 November 2026. Minnesota, Michigan, Idaho and Montana use appointments too. Maryland has suspended walk-ins.
- 5
Too many documents at once
Maine asks for an appointment call before you send more than 5 documents.
- 6
A two-step state
New York requires a County Clerk step for New York City and local copies, then the Department of State. California requires a county clerk certification on health officer copies.
- 7
International transit
Customs, remote addresses and slow returns add days a state never counts.
- 8
A federal step you forgot
An FBI report goes to the US Department of State, a different line with its own timing. We could not read its current processing page on 26 October 2026, so confirm the figure before you plan around it.
What Economy, Express and Rush mean for the timeline
Boston Apostille Service is a private document preparation and courier service in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Our levels describe how fast we work the file once a correct, complete set is in hand. Rush is the fastest, 1 to 2 days for Massachusetts and New Hampshire documents. For other states it depends on how busy the state office is. Express takes 2 to 5 business days and Economy 1 to 2 weeks. Transit time is extra.
Massachusetts prices include the state fee and return postage, per document: Economy $149.95, Express $199.95 and Rush $385.95. For any other state we confirm that state’s fee and speed in the free document review and send one flat-rate quote before you pay.
The Massachusetts counter at One Ashburton Place in Boston is a separate fact about the state. It serves up to 3 documents while a person waits. It is not our service level, and our Rush service is not same-day. New Hampshire’s counter at the State House in Concord runs weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. See also our pricing guide and the fastest Massachusetts route.
Three examples with the arithmetic shown
Massachusetts marriage record
A client has a Massachusetts certified copy and needs it for a Spanish file. The Boston counter takes up to three documents while a person waits, so the state step can finish in one visit. Courier time and any translation come after that.
Long-form birth record for Berlin
Texas says up to 2 weeks by mail. Add the time to get a recent long-form copy and the courier legs to and from the state. For an urgent file, the Texas walk-in days of Monday and Friday matter, and an agent can stand in line.
Document needed for a visa slot
Wisconsin lists 7 to 20 business days by mail and 1 to 3 days expedited, with a fee of $35. A client with an appointment date asks about the expedite first, then the courier.
In each case the sum is the same: copy time, plus the office time from the table, plus transit both ways, plus translation if needed. We build that sum with you during the free review.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a state apostille take?
Published state times run from minutes at a counter to about 20 business days by mail. Texas says up to 2 weeks, Massachusetts mail 2 to 3 weeks and New Jersey 12 to 20 business days. Our table lists every state, dated 26 October 2026.
How long does a federal apostille take?
It depends on the US Department of State, and the figure changes through the year. We could not read the current page on 26 October 2026, so we print no number. We confirm the current estimate during the free review.
Can an apostille be done the same day?
Sometimes, if a person goes to a state counter. Massachusetts, New York, Georgia, Tennessee and several others offer walk-in service. It does not apply to mail, and our Rush service is not same-day.
How long does an apostille take for a birth certificate?
First get a certified copy, which can be quick or slow by state. Illinois health department mail orders take about 12 weeks. Then add the state apostille time from the table, plus courier time both ways.
Does an apostille expire?
The apostille itself carries no expiry date, but the receiving authority may limit how old the underlying document can be. Check that rule before you order a copy. Our guide on expiry covers the details.
Why is my apostille taking longer than the published time?
Common causes are a copy the office refuses, the wrong payment amount, a missing return label or a seasonal queue. Tracking and a call to the office usually show which. We watch these on every case.
How do I speed up an apostille from abroad?
Order the right certified copy first, use a tracked international courier with a prepaid return label, and ask whether the state offers expedite or counter service. An agent in the US can use a counter for you.
Related guides
Where these figures come from
Each time comes from the apostille office’s own page or order form for that state, read on 26 October 2026. Start with the Hague Conference’s United States authorities page. Examples include the Texas Secretary of State, the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth and the New Jersey Division of Revenue. We are not affiliated with any state office. Questions: use the application form or call (978) 424-4629, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm Eastern. Hablamos Español.
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