District of Columbia Apostille
Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in District of Columbia, for $15 per document authenticated. 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.
District of Columbia office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.
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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 District of Columbia
Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in District of Columbia come from Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia (Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA)). Official page
Fees
- Apostille: $15 per document authenticated. (source)
- Foreign Certificate (a Department Head Certificate is also issued for both Hague and non-Hague countries) (for countries outside the Apostille Convention): $15 per document authenticated. (source)
How to send a request
- By mail (Washington): first submit the online Mail In Services Request Notification Form, then mail the documents with the hard-copy request form and a stamped return envelope (source)
- In person (Washington): Walk In Service Center, 9 am to 1 pm Monday to Friday except holidays, no appointment, same-day service; third parties may bring documents (source)
- Request form: ONCA Mail In Services Request Notification Form (online) and Mail In Authentication Service Request Form
Processing time, as the office states it:
What District of Columbia needs first, by document
Birth, death or marriage certificate
Court document (divorce decree, court order)
Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia does not say on its page whether this kind of document needs a step first. Ask the office before you mail an original.
Notarized document (power of attorney, affidavit, consent letter, translation)
- Have the document notarized by a DC notary public. (source)
School diploma or transcript
Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia does not say on its page whether this kind of document needs a step first. Ask the office before you mail an original.
Other state-issued document (business certificate, state background check)
- Send the certified document issued or signed by the DC government agency. (source)
Countries outside the Apostille Convention
For a country outside the Apostille Convention, Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia issues its Foreign Certificate (a Department Head Certificate is also issued for both Hague and non-Hague countries) instead of an apostille. Then:
- After ONCA issues a Foreign Certificate, you must have it authenticated by the U.S. Department of State. (source)
- 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 notarized outside DC; take them to the authority where the notary is commissioned. (source)
- Documents for use in Guam or Puerto Rico, which need no authentication. (source)
- ONCA does not authenticate federal documents such as citizenship documents and FBI background checks; contact the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office. (source)
Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.
What this page does not do
- It does not file anything. Requests go to Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia.
- 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 District of Columbia?
Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in District of Columbia. The fee is $15 per document authenticated. Requests can be mailed to the office in Washington. The office also serves people in person; check its page for hours and any appointment rule before going.
How do I apostille a birth certificate from District of Columbia?
Send a certified copy issued by the DC government agency. If you are ordering a DC birth certificate, the issuing office can send it straight to ONCA; say so on the mail-in notification form. Then send it to Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia with the $15 fee.
Does a document notarized in District of Columbia need a county clerk certification first?
Have the document notarized by a DC notary public.
What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?
Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia issues its foreign certificate (a department head certificate is also issued for both hague and non-hague countries) 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
- Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia: apostilles and authentications
- ONCA Mail In Services Request Notification Form (online) and Mail In Authentication Service Request Form
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table
- HCCH: United States competent authorities
District of Columbia office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.
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