Oregon Apostille

Oregon Secretary of State apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Oregon, for $10 per document (a separate apostille for each 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.

Oregon 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 Oregon

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Oregon come from Oregon Secretary of State (Corporation Division). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $10 per document (a separate apostille for each document). (source)
  • Oregon issues one certificate for every country, in or outside the Apostille Convention.

How to send a request

  • By mail (Salem): mail the original documents with the Request for Apostille/Authentication form and a self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid, pre-printed FedEx or UPS label to the Corporation Division (source)
  • In person (Salem): public counter, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday except holidays; arrive by 4 p.m. for same-day processing (source)
  • Request form: Request for Apostille/Authentication (revision 6/25)
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • Counter service: arrive by 4 p.m. for same-day processing, though some requests take longer. (source)
  • Documents arriving by FedEx or UPS overnight or 2nd day get priority handling and are processed within 2 to 3 business days. (source)
  • USPS Priority Mail and Express Mail get no faster handling than regular mail; only FedEx or UPS deliveries are prioritized. (source)
  • The office does not translate; get the translation done and notarized before the apostille. (source)
  • You do not need to know whether the destination country wants an apostille or an authentication; the office says its form works in all countries. (source)
  • All certificates the office issues look the same, whatever country the document is going to. (source)

What Oregon needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Get an original certified copy (not a photocopy) of the birth or death record from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics or the Oregon county where the event took place. (source)
  • A county copy must be an original certified copy showing the official's printed name and signature. (source)
  • Original certified copies of marriage or divorce certificates are available from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • A document signed by a circuit clerk or circuit judge, such as a divorce decree or legal name change, must show the official's signature, printed name and title. (source)

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

  • Send the original notarized document with a complete notarial certificate; photocopies are not accepted and no county step is named. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Have the registrar (or whoever is in charge of the records) sign a statement on the transcript or diploma certifying it is authentic, and have that signature notarized. (source)
  • Send the original notarized document. (source)

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

  • Business documents on file with the Secretary of State (articles, certificates of existence, assumed names, trademarks) go in as certified copies. (source)
  • Bylaws or minutes not on file with the Corporation Division must be notarized first. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

Oregon 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

  • Records checks obtained online or from the FBI. (source)
  • Vital records from other states. (source)
  • Photocopies. (source)
  • Oregon cannot authenticate federal documents; documents under a federal agency seal go to the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

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

Oregon Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Oregon. The fee is $10 per document (a separate apostille for each document). Requests can be mailed to the office in Salem. 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 Oregon?

Get an original certified copy (not a photocopy) of the birth or death record from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics or the Oregon county where the event took place. A county copy must be an original certified copy showing the official's printed name and signature. Original certified copies of marriage or divorce certificates are available from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics. Then send it to Oregon Secretary of State with the $10 fee, naming the destination country.

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

Send the original notarized document with a complete notarial certificate; photocopies are not accepted and no county step is named.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Oregon 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

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

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