Apostille Map

Florida Apostille: $10 Fee, Address & Processing Times (2026)

Updated 2026-10-14

The Florida Secretary of State, through the Division of Corporations, is the only Florida authority that issues apostilles and notarial certifications for Florida public documents used abroad. The base fee is $10.00 per document; documents certified by a Florida county Clerk of Court are $20.00 per document when requesting an apostille ($10 apostille + $10 Certificate of Incumbency). Mail goes to Tallahassee; walk-ins are completed while you wait at the Centre of Tallahassee. There is no expedited mail service. Below are the fees, addresses, payment rules, and rejection traps, checked against dos.fl.gov in October 2026.

Florida apostille at a glance

Details
Issuing officeFlorida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Apostille / Notarial Certification Section)
Fee (most documents)$10.00 per document
Fee (Clerk of Court certified)$20.00 per document when requesting an apostille for a document certified by any Florida county Clerk of Court ($10 apostille + $10 Certificate of Incumbency)
Request formApostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form (name the destination country)
USPS mail addressDivision of Corporations, ATTN: Apostille Section, P.O. Box 6800, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800
Courier / walk-in addressDivision of Corporations, ATTN: Apostille Section, 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303 (The Centre of Tallahassee)
Walk-in hoursMonday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (except state holidays); no appointment required
Mail processingIn order received; no expedite. DOS Document Processing Dates page (updated 10/14/2026) showed Apostille Requests currently processing documents received 09/28/2026. Recheck before you ship.
Walk-in processingMost requests completed while you wait
PaymentCheck or money order payable to Florida Department of State; U.S. currency drawn on a U.S. bank. Cash and credit cards not accepted.
Contact (Apostille)(850) 245-6945

Which documents Florida can apostille

Florida apostilles (or issues notarial certifications for non-Hague countries) for Florida public documents and documents notarized by a Florida notary public. Official lists include Florida agency or official documents; birth and death certificates; circuit court and county clerk documents; marriage and divorce certificates; school transcripts; vehicle titles; Florida criminal background checks (FDLE and local law enforcement); Florida notary-notarized documents; and Secretary of State certified copies and certificates of status. Photocopies are not acceptable—you need an original certified copy or certificate of status, or a notarized document with a full notarial statement and the original notary signature, stamp, and seal. Federal documents (FBI background checks, naturalization certificates, IRS letters) go to the U.S. Department of State. Documents from another state go to that state's competent authority. Related guides on this site cover birth certificates, marriage certificates, FBI background checks, and diplomas.

How to get an apostille in Florida by mail

  1. Get the right document: an original certified Florida public document, or a document with a full Florida notarial statement and original notary signature, stamp, and seal—not a photocopy.
  2. Complete the Department of State's Apostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form. Name the country where the document will be used.
  3. Pay $10.00 per document (or $20.00 per Clerk of Court–certified document when requesting an apostille) with a check or money order payable to Florida Department of State. Cash and cards are not accepted.
  4. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your name and address as both sender and recipient, or a prepaid, pre-addressed air bill with your name and address as both sender and recipient. The office will not use COD or collect-on-delivery return labels.
  5. Mail everything to: Division of Corporations, ATTN: Apostille Section, P.O. Box 6800, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800.
  6. Expect first-come, first-served processing with no mail expedite. Check the DOS Document Processing Dates page for the current apostille backlog before you ship originals.

Mail vs walk-in vs courier

OptionSpeedLimits / notes
Mail (USPS)Depends on backlog; check Document Processing DatesCheapest if you are not near Tallahassee. No expedite once received. As of the 10/14/2026 DOS update, apostille mail received 09/28/2026 was being processed.
Walk-in (Tallahassee)Most requests while you wait2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810; Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; no appointment. Bring the form, document, payment, and return envelope/air bill.
Courier drop-off (FedEx/UPS/DHL)Same intake as mail once received; walk-in if you hand-deliverUse the physical address (couriers cannot deliver to the P.O. Box): 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303.
Private courier / expediterOften a few business days including shipping and filingUseful if you cannot appear in person. Adds a service fee on top of the $10 / $20 state fee. The state itself does not offer expedited processing.

Common reasons Florida apostille requests are rejected

  1. Sending a photocopy instead of an original certified copy, certificate of status, or properly notarized original.
  2. A notarization missing a full notarial statement, or missing the original notary signature, stamp, or seal.
  3. Leaving the destination country off the request form.
  4. Wrong fee (especially omitting the extra $10 Certificate of Incumbency for Clerk of Court–certified documents), or paying by cash or credit card.
  5. Sending a federal document (such as an FBI background check) to the Florida Division of Corporations.
  6. No return envelope or prepaid air bill, or a return label that bills the office / uses COD.

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FAQ

How much does an apostille cost in Florida?
$10.00 per document for most requests. Documents certified by any Florida county Clerk of Court cost $20.00 per document when you request an apostille ($10 for the apostille and $10 for a Certificate of Incumbency). Pay by check or money order payable to Florida Department of State—cash and credit cards are not accepted.
How long does a Florida apostille take?
Mail is processed in the order received; the Division of Corporations does not offer expedited service. As of the DOS Document Processing Dates page updated 10/14/2026, Apostille Requests were processing documents received 09/28/2026—recheck dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/document-processing-dates/ before you ship. Walk-in requests at 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee are usually completed while you wait (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.).
Where do I mail documents for a Florida apostille?
USPS: Division of Corporations, ATTN: Apostille Section, P.O. Box 6800, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800. Couriers (FedEx/UPS/DHL) and walk-ins: Division of Corporations, ATTN: Apostille Section, 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303. Include the request form, document, payment, and a self-addressed stamped return envelope or prepaid air bill.
Can Florida apostille a photocopy?
No. You need an original certified copy or certificate of status of a public document, or a notarized document with a full notarial statement and the original notary public signature, stamp, and seal. Photocopies are not acceptable.
Can the Florida Division of Corporations apostille an FBI background check?
No. FBI background checks are federal documents. The U.S. Department of State apostilles them. See our FBI background check apostille guide on this site. Florida criminal background checks from FDLE or local Florida law enforcement can be apostilled in Florida.
Is this legal advice?
No. Requirements and processing dates change. Verify on dos.fl.gov before you file.

Official sources

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