New Hampshire Apostille

New Hampshire Secretary of State apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in New Hampshire, 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.

New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in New Hampshire come from New Hampshire Secretary of State (Secretary of State's Office, State House Room 204). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $10 per document. (source)
  • certificate (for countries outside the Apostille Convention): $10 per document (same form and fee as an apostille). (source)
  • Same-day service for 10 or more documents: an additional fee for every 10 apostilles or certificates: $25 (source)

How to send a request

  • By mail (Concord): mail the documents with the request form, a check and a self-addressed prepaid return envelope (source)
  • In person (Concord): walk-in, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., State House Room 204; a large number of documents may not be ready until the next business day (source)
  • Request form: Apostille/Certificate Request Form
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

What New Hampshire needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Request an original, notarized copy of the vital record from your town or city clerk or the New Hampshire Vital Records Division; photocopies are illegal and refused. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • State court records count as public documents and must be notarized by a New Hampshire notary or justice of the peace who witnessed the signature, with the notary's seal. (source)

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

  • Have a New Hampshire notary or justice of the peace witness the signature and notarize the document, including the notary's seal; the office does not notarize. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Educational documents count as public documents and must be notarized by a New Hampshire notary or justice of the peace who witnessed the signer's signature. (source)

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

  • State documents such as criminal and police records, licenses and health certificates must also be notarized by a New Hampshire notary or justice of the peace who witnessed the signature. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

For a country outside the Apostille Convention, New Hampshire Secretary of State issues its certificate 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

  • Vital records not submitted in the form state law requires, including photocopies. (source)
  • Documents that have not been notarized; the office does not notarize. (source)
  • The office cannot put an apostille or certificate on federal documents such as FBI background checks, naturalization papers or passports. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

  • It does not file anything. Requests go to New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire?

New Hampshire Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in New Hampshire. The fee is $10 per document. Requests can be mailed to the office in Concord. 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 New Hampshire?

Request an original, notarized copy of the vital record from your town or city clerk or the New Hampshire Vital Records Division; photocopies are illegal and refused. Then send it to New Hampshire Secretary of State with the $10 fee, naming the destination country.

Does a document notarized in New Hampshire need a county clerk certification first?

Have a New Hampshire notary or justice of the peace witness the signature and notarize the document, including the notary's seal; the office does not notarize.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

New Hampshire Secretary of State issues its certificate 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

New Hampshire office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

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