Who issues an apostille for a birth certificate?

The Secretary of State (or equivalent office) of the state where the birth certificate was issued. The U.S. Department of State only apostilles federal records, such as a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

Can I get an apostille in the state where I live now?

No. The apostille has to come from the state that issued the birth certificate, because that office is verifying its own official's signature. If you were born in Texas and live in Florida, you need the Texas Secretary of State.

How much does a birth certificate apostille cost?

It depends on the state: $15 per document in Texas, $20 per apostille in California (plus $6 per distinct official signature in person), and $10 per document in Florida. The certified copy from vital records, shipping, translation, and any courier fee are extra.

Can I apostille an old birth certificate I already have?

Sometimes. Texas won't apostille certified records issued more than five years ago, and California may need county clerk certification on copies signed by a local registrar. Ordering a new certified copy is usually the safest route, and many countries want a recent one anyway.

Can I get a notarized copy of my birth certificate apostilled?

Generally no. States want a certified copy issued by vital records. Florida law specifically doesn't allow notaries to attest copies of birth certificates.

Does an apostille on a birth certificate expire?

The apostille itself doesn't have an expiration date, but the receiving country or agency may only accept a birth certificate issued within a certain number of months. Check their rule before you order.

What if the country isn't in the Hague Apostille Convention?

You'll typically get a state certification, then an authentication certificate from the U.S. Department of State ($20 per document), then legalization at that country's embassy or consulate.

Is this legal advice?

No. This page is informational only. Requirements change, so check the official state and State Department pages before sending originals.

How to get an apostille on a U.S. birth certificate

Updated 2026-10-16

A U.S. birth certificate is a state record, so the apostille comes from the Secretary of State (or equivalent office) in the state where the birth was registered, not from the U.S. Department of State and not from the state where you live now. The one big exception is a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240), which is a federal record and gets its apostille from the State Department. This guide covers which office to use, how to order a copy that will actually be accepted, state-by-state fees and rules for Texas, California, and Florida, and the mistakes that get packets sent back. Requirements were checked against travel.state.gov, sos.texas.gov, sos.ca.gov, cdph.ca.gov, and dos.fl.gov in October 2026. Informational only, not legal advice.

Quick answer

Who apostilles it: the Secretary of State (or equivalent) of the state that issued the birth certificate. A Texas office can't apostille a California birth certificate.
What to send: a certified copy from the state or county vital records office, signed by an official whose signature the Secretary of State can verify. Photocopies, notarized copies, and hospital souvenir certificates won't work.
Typical state fee: $15 in Texas, $20 in California, $10 in Florida, per document. Vital records fees for the certified copy are separate.
Born abroad to U.S. citizen parents? Your Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State's Passport Vital Records office, not by a state.
Non-Hague country? You'll usually need a state certificate, then a U.S. Department of State authentication certificate, then legalization at that country's embassy or consulate.

Step-by-step: how to apostille a birth certificate

Ask the foreign agency what it wants: an apostille (for Hague Apostille Convention countries) or an authentication (for non-Hague countries), whether it requires a recently issued copy, and whether it needs a certified translation.
Order a new certified copy from the vital records office in the state where the birth was registered (state vital records, or a county office where the state allows it). Ask for the long-form or full version if the receiving country needs parents' names or other details.
Check the signature on the copy. The Secretary of State is verifying the official who signed it, so it has to be an official on its list. In California, for example, that's a county clerk, county recorder, or the State Registrar. In Florida it's the State Registrar.
Don't notarize, laminate, staple, or write on the certificate. Send it exactly as issued.
Fill out that state's apostille request form or cover sheet and name the country where the document will be used.
Pay the state fee (by check or money order for mail requests in Texas, California, and Florida) and include a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope or label.
Mail it, walk it in, or use a courier. Mail is cheapest; walk-in counters are fastest if you can get there.
If the destination isn't a Hague country, send the state-certified document on to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications ($20 per document), then to the destination country's embassy or consulate for legalization.

Birth certificate apostille rules in Texas, California, and Florida

These are the three states we've rebuilt with verified fees and addresses. Each state page has the full mailing and walk-in details and current processing times.

State	Who apostilles it	State fee	Birth certificate rules that trip people up
Texas	Texas Secretary of State, Authentications Unit (Austin)	$15 per document ($10 for adoption proceedings, max $100 per child)	Send an original Texas-issued certified copy. Certified records must have been issued within the past five years; older copies may not be verifiable and can't be apostilled. Copies of certified records aren't accepted.
California	California Secretary of State, Notary Public Section (Sacramento or Los Angeles)	$20 per apostille, plus $6 special handling per distinct official signature when filed in person	The SOS can apostille signatures of county clerks, county recorders, and the State Registrar (CDPH). A copy signed by a local registrar or health officer may first need certification by the county clerk, or you can order a new copy from the county recorder or CDPH.
Florida	Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Section (Tallahassee)	$10 per document	Submit a birth certificate from the Bureau of Vital Statistics or a County Health Department signed by the State Registrar. Florida notaries can't certify copies of birth certificates. Birth records before 2004 contain limited information, so confirm with the consulate that yours will be accepted.

Born abroad? Apostilling a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA, Form FS-240) shows that a child born overseas got U.S. citizenship at birth. Because it's issued by the State Department, no state can apostille it. To request an apostille, send the State Department's Passport Vital Records office a notarized Form DS-5542, a photocopy of the front and back of a valid photo ID, and payment if needed. The State Department says the cost is $50 if you need a new copy of the CRBA; if you already have a CRBA issued within the last five years, the apostille is free. Make the check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of State" and mail it to U.S. Department of State, Passport Vital Records, 44132 Mercure Circle, PO Box 1213, Sterling, VA 20166-1213. This route is only for countries in the 1961 Hague Convention.

Which copy of a birth certificate can be apostilled?

Version	Can it be apostilled?	Why
New certified copy from state or county vital records	Yes, in most states	It carries an original official signature and seal the Secretary of State can verify. Some states, like Texas, also limit how old the copy can be.
Older certified copy signed by a previous registrar	Sometimes	Depends on the state. Florida confirms the State Registrar's signature was valid when issued. Texas won't apostille certified records issued more than five years ago. When in doubt, order a fresh copy.
Copy signed by a local registrar or health officer	Sometimes, after an extra step	California, for example, requires county clerk certification first or a new copy from the county recorder or CDPH.
Photocopy or scan	No	Texas, California, and Florida all reject photocopies.
Notarized photocopy	Generally no	A notary can't turn a photocopy of a public record into an original. Florida law specifically bars notaries from attesting copies of birth certificates.
Hospital or souvenir birth certificate	No	It isn't signed by a public official, so there's nothing for the Secretary of State to verify.
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)	Yes, by the U.S. Department of State	It's a federal record. See the section above.

Mail vs walk-in vs courier

Mail is the cheapest route but runs on each state's backlog, and none of these three states will pull a mailed request out of line to rush it. Texas offers same-day walk-in service on Mondays and Fridays and appointments Tuesday through Thursday in Austin. California's Sacramento and Los Angeles counters typically finish in about 30 minutes. Florida's Tallahassee walk-in counter completes most requests while you wait. If you can't get to the capital and have a deadline, an apostille courier can file at the counter for you and add a service fee on top of the state fee. If your birth certificate is from one state but you live in another, a courier in the issuing state is often the fastest option.

Translations

Many countries want a certified translation of the birth certificate, and sometimes of the apostille too. Ask the receiving agency whether the translation should be done in the U.S. before the apostille or in the destination country after it. Texas, for example, says a notary must witness the translator signing the translation, and the original document must be submitted along with the notarized translation for authentication. For federal documents, the State Department says to have the translation notarized, not the original.

Common reasons birth certificate apostille requests get rejected

Sending it to the wrong state, such as the state where you live now instead of the state where you were born.
Sending a state birth certificate to the U.S. Department of State, or a CRBA to a state.
A photocopy, scan, or notarized copy instead of a certified copy.
A copy signed by an official the Secretary of State can't verify, such as a local registrar in California without county clerk certification.
A certified copy that's too old for the state (Texas: more than five years) or for the receiving country.
Leaving the destination country off the request form or cover sheet.
Wrong fee or payment method, or no prepaid return envelope.
Getting an apostille when the country needs an authentication and embassy legalization, or the reverse.

Cost breakdown

State fees are from each state's official apostille page. Other costs vary.

Item	Cost
Certified birth certificate from vital records	Set by the state or county vital records office
State apostille	Texas $15; California $20 (+$6 per distinct official signature in person); Florida $10
CRBA apostille (U.S. Department of State)	Free with a CRBA issued in the last five years; $50 if you need a new copy
U.S. Department of State authentication (non-Hague countries only)	$20 per document
Embassy or consulate legalization (non-Hague countries only)	Set by the embassy
Certified translation (if required)	Varies by translator
Tracked shipping both ways	Varies
Apostille courier (optional)	Varies by company

Related state guides

FAQ

Who issues an apostille for a birth certificate?: The Secretary of State (or equivalent office) of the state where the birth certificate was issued. The U.S. Department of State only apostilles federal records, such as a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Can I get an apostille in the state where I live now?: No. The apostille has to come from the state that issued the birth certificate, because that office is verifying its own official's signature. If you were born in Texas and live in Florida, you need the Texas Secretary of State.
How much does a birth certificate apostille cost?: It depends on the state: $15 per document in Texas, $20 per apostille in California (plus $6 per distinct official signature in person), and $10 per document in Florida. The certified copy from vital records, shipping, translation, and any courier fee are extra.
Can I apostille an old birth certificate I already have?: Sometimes. Texas won't apostille certified records issued more than five years ago, and California may need county clerk certification on copies signed by a local registrar. Ordering a new certified copy is usually the safest route, and many countries want a recent one anyway.
Can I get a notarized copy of my birth certificate apostilled?: Generally no. States want a certified copy issued by vital records. Florida law specifically doesn't allow notaries to attest copies of birth certificates.
How do I apostille a Consular Report of Birth Abroad?: Send a notarized Form DS-5542, a copy of your photo ID, and payment if needed to U.S. Department of State, Passport Vital Records, 44132 Mercure Circle, PO Box 1213, Sterling, VA 20166-1213. It's free if your CRBA was issued in the last five years, and $50 if you need a new copy.
Does an apostille on a birth certificate expire?: The apostille itself doesn't have an expiration date, but the receiving country or agency may only accept a birth certificate issued within a certain number of months. Check their rule before you order.
What if the country isn't in the Hague Apostille Convention?: You'll typically get a state certification, then an authentication certificate from the U.S. Department of State ($20 per document), then legalization at that country's embassy or consulate.
Is this legal advice?: No. This page is informational only. Requirements change, so check the official state and State Department pages before sending originals.

Official sources

State apostille offices

Get a quote / Find a provider

Tell us what you need and we'll reply by email with options and pricing. No obligation.