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Which office issues your apostille?
In most cases, the apostille is issued by the state where the document was issued or notarized. Federal documents follow a different route.
State documents
Birth certificates, marriage certificates, court records and school transcripts are normally apostilled by the Secretary of State of the state that issued them. Each state publishes its own fee, address and processing times. For example:
- Texas: the Secretary of State’s Authentications Unit lists in-person service and mail requests on its official page.
- Illinois: the Secretary of State publishes mail and in-person options with different timelines.
- Ohio: mailed requests are processed in a few days; details are on the official page.
Notarized documents
Documents signed before a notary are normally apostilled by the state that commissioned that notary. Check the notary’s commission before you send the document.
Federal documents
Documents issued by federal agencies, such as the FBI background check, are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not by a state office.
Tip
Our state pages list the official source and the date we checked it. Always confirm there before you send money or documents.