States › Massachusetts
Apostille in Massachusetts
Issued by Secretary of the Commonwealth, Public Records Division, Commissions Section.
Verified against the official source on 2026-11-02Where is your Massachusetts document going?
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How to apply
| Ways to apply | By mailWalk-in |
|---|---|
| Office | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Public Records Division, Commissions Section |
| Walk-in address | One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108 (also Springfield: 436 Dwight Street, Room 102, Springfield, MA 01103; Fall River: 218 South Main Street, Suite 206, Fall River, MA 02721) |
| Mailing address | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section, One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108 |
| Payment accepted | check, money order |
| Notarization or prior certification | Documents must be notarized by a Massachusetts notary public (or signed by a valid Massachusetts official: justice of the peace, city/town clerk, court clerk, registrar of vital records). Before submitting, verify: notary signed name exactly as commissioned; notarial certificate is complete; notary expiration date shown correctly and completely; notary seal affixed and legible. Massachusetts does not authenticate federal or out-of-state documents, and does not authenticate notarized copies of government-issued documents. |
| Common documents | Marriage certificate (certified copy from city/town clerk), Divorce decree (certified copy from district court clerk), Birth certificate (Office of Vital Records or city/town clerk), In-state school transcripts or diplomas (registrar certifies before a notary), Massachusetts CORI, Police Certificate of Good Standing, Notarized documents (acknowledgment, jurat, signature witnessing, copy certification) |
| Fee details | $6.00 per document (Apostille or Certification). Checks or money orders for the exact amount; cash not recommended because the office cannot refund cash lost in transit. |
| Phone | 617-727-2836 |
| [email protected] |
Source
Editor's note
Data drawn from two official PDFs: the apostille/certification information sheet and the authentication request form (https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commissions/download/authentication-form.pdf). Processing time is not stated on either. The form notes hand delivery of more than three documents must be left overnight for next-business-day pickup, and in-office pickup is the default return option. Expedited service not mentioned; no online submission. Email and fax (617-727-5914) appear on the form only.