Hawaii Apostille

Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Hawaii, for $3 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.

Hawaii 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 Hawaii

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Hawaii come from Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii (Apostilles and Certifications). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $3 per document. (source)
  • Certification (certificate for non-Hague countries) (for countries outside the Apostille Convention): $3 per document (the application covers apostille or certification). (source)

How to send a request

  • By mail (Honolulu): mail the printed Application Document with your document and payment (source)
  • In person (Honolulu): walk-in or document drop-box at the State Capitol, Monday to Friday 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM (source)
  • Online: fill out the application (and optionally pre-pay by credit card) online, then print the emailed Application Document and submit it with the physical document (source)
  • Request form: Online Apostille or Certification application (Application Document)

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • The Lt. Governor's office estimates 7 to 10 business days; there is no expedited service. (source)
  • Apostille orders placed through the Department of Health with a new vital record can take up to 3 to 4 weeks. (source)
  • Vital records: the Lt. Governor's FAQ lets records dated after January 1, 2025 go straight to its office and sends older ones to the Department of Health route. The Department of Health page (see the vital records steps) describes only the new-certificate route. (source)
  • The Lt. Governor's office reports phone connectivity problems and asks you to email for help. (source)

What Hawaii needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Lt. Governor's page: a birth, death or marriage certificate issued after January 1, 2025, with the State Registrar's signature and the embossed Department of Health seal, can be sent directly to the Lt. Governor. (source)
  • If your certificate was issued before January 1, 2025, or you do not have it, order a new certificate through the Department of Health Vital Records, which forwards it to the Lt. Governor. (source)
  • Department of Health page: its apostille route needs a request for a new certificate and does not accept certified copies you already have. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • A Hawaii court order needs the state or department seal and a certification by the record custodian or clerk that it is an official record or true copy. (source)

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

  • Have the document notarized by a Hawaii notary public. (source)
  • Then have the notary's signature certified at the Circuit Court Legal Documents Office of the circuit where the notary is registered, before sending it to the Lt. Governor. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Educational records are treated as private documents: notarize them with a Hawaii notary, then get the Circuit Court certification of the notary. (source)
  • The Circuit Court must verify the notary's signature and stamp before you send the document. (source)

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

  • Official Hawaii documents (driving records, Bureau of Conveyances documents, professional licenses) need the state or department seal plus a custodian's or record clerk's certification. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

For a country outside the Apostille Convention, Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii issues its Certification (certificate for non-Hague countries) 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

  • Personal checks. (source)
  • Notarized documents without the Circuit Court certification. (source)
  • An FBI background check is federal and gets its apostille from the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications. (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 Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii.
  • 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 Hawaii?

Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Hawaii. The fee is $3 per document. Requests can be mailed to the office in Honolulu. 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 Hawaii?

Lt. Governor's page: a birth, death or marriage certificate issued after January 1, 2025, with the State Registrar's signature and the embossed Department of Health seal, can be sent directly to the Lt. Governor. If your certificate was issued before January 1, 2025, or you do not have it, order a new certificate through the Department of Health Vital Records, which forwards it to the Lt. Governor. Department of Health page: its apostille route needs a request for a new certificate and does not accept certified copies you already have. Then send it to Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii with the $3 fee.

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

Yes. Have the document notarized by a Hawaii notary public. Then have the notary's signature certified at the Circuit Court Legal Documents Office of the circuit where the notary is registered, before sending it to the Lt. Governor.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii issues its certification (certificate for 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

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

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