Ohio Apostille

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

Ohio 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 Ohio

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

Fees

  • Apostille: $5 per document. (source)
  • Certificate of authentication (for countries outside the Apostille Convention): $5 per document. (source)

How to send a request

  • By mail: pay by check, money order or credit card (include the credit card authorization form); no foreign checks or money orders; send the exact fee (source)
  • Request form: Authentication/Apostille Request Form
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • Mailed apostille requests are processed in two to three days, as the office states it. (source)
  • Translations: the office does not translate; have the document translated first, then notarized, before submitting it. (source)

What Ohio needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

Ohio Secretary of State does not say on its page whether this kind of document needs a step first. Ask the office before you mail an original.

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

Ohio Secretary of State 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)

  • Send the original with the notary's certificate; the office apostilles documents notarized by an Ohio notary public. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Have the school record or transcript notarized first; most Ohio schools and universities have staff who can notarize their academic documents. (source)

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

  • The document must carry the original or facsimile signature of an Ohio public or elected official acting in an official capacity. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

For a country outside the Apostille Convention, Ohio Secretary of State issues its Certificate of authentication instead of an apostille. Then:

  • Before sending the document overseas, contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications, which says whether further steps are needed. (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

  • Do not remove, detach or reattach the certificate; that invalidates it. (source)
  • Ohio does not handle federal documents: federal agency documents go to the U.S. Department of State and federal court documents to the issuing federal court; Ohio can authenticate a notarized true-copy statement on one. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

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

Ohio Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Ohio. The fee is $5 per document. Requests can be mailed.

How do I apostille a birth certificate from Ohio?

Ohio Secretary of State does not say on its page what a birth certificate needs before the apostille. Ask the office, or order a certified copy from the state vital records office, before mailing an original.

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

Send the original with the notary's certificate; the office apostilles documents notarized by an Ohio notary public.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Ohio Secretary of State issues its certificate of authentication 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

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

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