Kentucky Apostille

Kentucky Secretary of State apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Kentucky, for $5 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.

Kentucky 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 Kentucky

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Kentucky come from Kentucky Secretary of State (Authentications and Apostilles). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $5 per document. (source)
  • Kentucky issues one certificate for every country, in or outside the Apostille Convention.

How to send a request

  • By mail (Frankfort): mail the documents, the request form and the fee to the address on the request form (source)
  • In person (Frankfort): walk-in, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., completed while you wait (source)
  • Online: e-Apostille: upload one PDF and pay online; the certificate comes back as a PDF by email; not available for vital records (source)
  • Request form: Request for Apostille or Authentication
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • Mailed-in requests are completed within 3 business days and returned by first-class mail. (source)
  • Walk-in requests are completed while you wait. (source)

What Kentucky needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Get a current certified copy from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics; it must carry the signature of the current State Registrar. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • Take a Circuit Court Clerk record to the County Clerk of that county to certify the Circuit Clerk's signature first. (source)

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

  • For a paper document, have a Kentucky notary notarize the signature, then have the County Clerk where the notary is registered certify the notary's signature. (source)
  • A PDF electronically notarized by an authorized Kentucky Online Notary Public skips the county clerk and goes through the online portal. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Have the school official's signature on the transcript or diploma notarized by a Kentucky notary, then have the County Clerk where the notary is registered certify the notary's signature. (source)

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

  • For a Kentucky criminal background check, ask the Kentucky State Police for a notarized check, then have the County Clerk certify the notary's signature. (source)
  • Certified copies of County Clerk records must be signed by a current County Clerk or Deputy Clerk. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

Kentucky 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 issued by another state, a foreign government or the U.S. government. (source)
  • Requests for documents without the required signatures. (source)
  • Background checks from the Administrative Office of the Courts, which lack the required signatures. (source)
  • FBI background checks, IRS records, passports and other federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State; U.S. District Court documents go to the court that issued them. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

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

Kentucky Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Kentucky. The fee is $5 per document. Requests can be mailed to the office in Frankfort. 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 Kentucky?

Get a current certified copy from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics; it must carry the signature of the current State Registrar. Then send it to Kentucky Secretary of State with the $5 fee, naming the destination country.

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

Yes. For a paper document, have a Kentucky notary notarize the signature, then have the County Clerk where the notary is registered certify the notary's signature. A PDF electronically notarized by an authorized Kentucky Online Notary Public skips the county clerk and goes through the online portal.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Kentucky 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

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

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