Indiana Apostille

Indiana Secretary of State apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Indiana, for $2 per authentication (no fee for birth and death certificates, adoption documents, and student transcripts and diplomas). 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.

Indiana 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 Indiana

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Indiana come from Indiana Secretary of State (Business Services, Authentications). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $2 per authentication (no fee for birth and death certificates, adoption documents, and student transcripts and diplomas). (source)
  • Indiana issues one certificate for every country, in or outside the Apostille Convention.

How to send a request

  • By mail (Indianapolis): mail the Authentication Request Form, the original or certified copy and a check or money order, with a self-addressed stamped envelope (source)
  • In person (Indianapolis): with an appointment, up to 10 documents processed while you wait; without one, up to 5; the Indianapolis office is the only location (source)
  • Request form: Authentication Request Form
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • Normally 1 to 2 business days from receipt. (source)
  • No filing fee is charged for birth and death certificates, adoption documents, or student transcripts and diplomas; other documents are $2 per authentication. (source)

What Indiana needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates do not need to be notarized. (source)
  • A marriage license must first be certified by the current circuit court clerk of the county where the marriage took place. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • Get a copy of the final divorce decree from the county where it was entered. (source)

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

  • The document needs a properly completed notarial certificate. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Have the school certify the transcript or diploma in front of a notary, who notarizes that statement. (source)

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

  • Send the original or a certified copy of the document. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

Indiana issues one certificate for every country, in or outside the Apostille Convention.

  • 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 for use in Puerto Rico. (source)
  • Vital records from other states. (source)
  • Documents under the seal of a federal agency must be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

  • It does not file anything. Requests go to Indiana 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 Indiana?

Indiana Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Indiana. The fee is $2 per authentication (no fee for birth and death certificates, adoption documents, and student transcripts and diplomas). Requests can be mailed to the office in Indianapolis. 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 Indiana?

Birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates do not need to be notarized. A marriage license must first be certified by the current circuit court clerk of the county where the marriage took place. Then send it to Indiana Secretary of State with the $2 fee, naming the destination country.

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

The document needs a properly completed notarial certificate.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Indiana issues one certificate for every destination, in or outside the Convention. For a country outside the Convention, send that certificate to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications (Form DS-4194, $20 per document), and then to the country's embassy or consulate for legalization.

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

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

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