Apostille in Florida: who issues it, which copy is accepted and the fee

A document issued in Florida is apostilled by the Florida Department of State, in Tallahassee, and we file it for you, in person or by mail. What decides who apostilles is the place that issued the document, not where you live. The state fee is US$ 10 per document, or US$ 20 when the document is certified by a Clerk of the Court.

What fails most often is not the apostille but the copy: Florida apostilles the right version of each document, and a notarized photocopy of a vital record usually comes back refused.

See the Apostille Service

Key takeaways

• A Florida document is apostilled by the Florida Department of State, in Tallahassee.
• The place that issued the document decides, not where you live.
• Vital records are apostilled as a certified copy from vital records, not a notarized photocopy.
• The state fee is US$ 10 per document, or US$ 20 with a Clerk of the Court certificate.
• The apostille and a certified translation can go in the same order.

Table of contents

• Who issues a Florida apostille
• Which copy is accepted
• What the state charges
• How to order it
• FAQ

Who issues a Florida apostille

Every US state apostilles its own documents through its Secretary of State. In Florida, that is the Florida Department of State, in Tallahassee, and we file the request directly, in person or by mail. A document from another state follows its own state’s rule, and a Brazilian one is apostilled in Brazil.

Which copy is accepted

Document	Which version is apostilled
Birth, marriage or death certificate	Certified copy from vital records, not a notarized photocopy
Divorce decree and other court documents	Copy certified by the Clerk of the Court
Diploma	With the registrar’s signature notarized first
Power of attorney and other private documents	Signed before a notary before the apostille

A notarization performed in Florida is recognized across the US. What does not work is apostilling a plain photocopy: we confirm the right version before you pay.

What the state charges

The state fee is US$ 10 per document, or US$ 20 when the document is certified by a Florida Clerk of the Court (US$ 10 for the apostille plus US$ 10 for the certificate of incumbency). These are Florida Department of State figures, checked in September 2026, and they appear on their own line in the quote, next to the service and shipping.

How to order it

• Send a scan of the document and tell us which country it is going to.
• We check that it is the right version before charging.
• Approve the itemized quote: official fee, service and shipping.
• We file it in Tallahassee and return the document by tracked mail.

If the destination also asks for a translation, we do it in the same order. Our certified translation in Florida page explains that service.

FAQ

Who apostilles a Florida document?

The Florida Department of State, in Tallahassee. We file it for you, in person or by mail.

What is the Florida apostille fee?

US$ 10 per document, or US$ 20 when the document is certified by a Florida Clerk of the Court. Florida Department of State figures, checked in September 2026.

Can a notarized copy of my certificate be apostilled?

Usually not. States apostille the certified copy issued by vital records. A notarized photocopy is the most common reason for refusal.

I live in Florida, but my document is from another state. Who apostilles it?

The state that issued it. The place of issue decides, not where you live.

Is a Florida apostille valid in every country?

It is valid in every Hague Convention country. For the others, the route is consular legalization, which we do not offer today.

Have a Florida document to apostille?

Send the scan and tell us where it is going. We check the version before charging.

See the Apostille Service

Related topics: apostille services | certified translation in Florida | certified translation | help center

Related article: How much does an apostille cost?