Arkansas Apostille

Arkansas Secretary of State apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Arkansas, for $10 per document. Pick the document and the country to see what it needs first and how to send it. This runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Arkansas office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

This runs in your browser. Nothing you pick is sent, saved or added to the page address.

Pick the state where the document was issued, recorded or notarized, not the state you live in.

Choose who issued the document, the kind of document and the country to see the steps.

Who issues apostilles in Arkansas

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Arkansas come from Arkansas Secretary of State (Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division; Elections Division for documents bearing an elected official's seal). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $10 per document. (source)
  • Certification (for countries outside the Apostille Convention): $5 per document. (source)

How to send a request

  • By mail (Little Rock; Fayetteville): mail to the Little Rock or Fayetteville office with the request form (source)
  • In person (Little Rock; Fayetteville): Business and Commercial Services (Little Rock or Fayetteville) or the Elections Division at the State Capitol; the Elections Division does not take credit cards (source)
  • Online: the request can be prepared online; the page does not say the documents themselves can be submitted online (source)
  • Request form: Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request Form (ARF-01)
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • The office aims to process requests within 24 to 48 hours of receipt and charges no expedite fee. (source)

What Arkansas needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Send the original certificate or a certified copy from the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records office; a notarized photocopy is not accepted. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • Documents bearing an elected official's seal, such as divorce decrees, judgments and marriage licenses, are handled by the Elections Division. (source)

Notarized document (power of attorney, affidavit, consent letter, translation)

  • Have the document notarized by an Arkansas notary public with an acknowledgement statement for every signature. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Diplomas and school transcripts go in notarized by an Arkansas notary public, through the Business and Commercial Services Division. (source)

Other state-issued document (business certificate, state background check)

  • Send originals or certified copies; a copy needs to be authenticated by a notary as a true and perfect copy, which is not allowed for vital or public records. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

For a country outside the Apostille Convention, Arkansas Secretary of State issues its Certification instead of an apostille. Then:

  • For a country outside the Convention, send the state-certified document to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, with Form DS-4194 and the $20 fee per document. (source)

Last, the destination country’s embassy or consulate in the United States legalizes it; ask it about its own steps, fees and timing before you send anything.

What the office will not accept or handle

  • Documents concerning immigration, citizenship or sovereignty. (source)
  • Documents without an accurate and complete Arkansas notarization or an Arkansas elected official's signature and seal. (source)
  • Documents issued by the U.S. Department of State cannot be apostilled or certified by Arkansas. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

  • It does not file anything. Requests go to Arkansas Secretary of State.
  • It does not cover documents from another state or a federal agency; those go to their own office.
  • It does not list embassy legalization rules for countries outside the Convention.
  • It does not promise processing times; fees and forms change, so check the office's page before you send originals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I get an apostille in Arkansas?

Arkansas Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Arkansas. The fee is $10 per document. Requests can be mailed to the office in Little Rock; Fayetteville. The office also serves people in person; check its page for hours and any appointment rule before going. The office also takes requests online.

How do I apostille a birth certificate from Arkansas?

Send the original certificate or a certified copy from the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records office; a notarized photocopy is not accepted. Then send it to Arkansas Secretary of State with the $10 fee, naming the destination country.

Does a document notarized in Arkansas need a county clerk certification first?

Have the document notarized by an Arkansas notary public with an acknowledgement statement for every signature.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Arkansas Secretary of State issues its certification instead of an apostille. Send it next to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications (Form DS-4194, $20 per document); the destination country's embassy or consulate then legalizes it.

How do I get an apostille for an FBI background check?

An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document, so a state office cannot apostille it. The U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications handles it: send Form DS-4194, the document and the $20 fee per document. The form asks for the country where the document will be used.

Do I need a paid apostille service?

No. Every office on this page accepts requests directly from the public by mail, and some take them online. A service can only file the same request with the same office for you.

Sources

Arkansas office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

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