Pennsylvania Apostille

Pennsylvania Department of State (Secretary of the Commonwealth) apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Pennsylvania, for $15 per document (not per page). 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.

Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Pennsylvania come from Pennsylvania Department of State (Secretary of the Commonwealth) (Office of Notaries, Commissions & Legislation, Apostilles & Certifications). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $15 per document (not per page). (source)
  • Pennsylvania issues one certificate for every country, in or outside the Apostille Convention.

How to send a request

  • By mail (Harrisburg): mail the original documents, a cover letter or the request form naming the destination country, a check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a self-addressed stamped envelope (or prepaid air bill; FedEx and DHL are not accepted for return) (source)
  • In person (Harrisburg): walk-in, first come first served, at the North Office Building, Room 201; payment on completion by check, money order or card (no cash); the front doors lock after 3 p.m. (source)
  • Request form: Apostille/Certification Request Form (linked as Request for Legalization of Documents; a cover letter also works)
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • Mailed requests typically take about two to three weeks, not counting mailing time. (source)
  • Pennsylvania now issues a single certificate for countries inside and outside the Apostille Convention. (source)
  • Certificates now carry an electronic seal printed in black ink instead of a raised gold seal, and can be verified online by certification number. (source)
  • Walk-in service no longer takes cash (since November 25, 2024); pay by check, money order or credit card. (source)
  • Credit cards are accepted for walk-in service only. (source)

What Pennsylvania needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • For birth and death records, the office points you to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Vital Records. (source)
  • A death certificate must be signed by the state registrar; one signed by a local registrar is not accepted. (source)
  • A marriage certificate must be signed by the register of wills or clerk of the orphans court, not only the officiant. (source)
  • Do not have a birth certificate notarized; send the certified original. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • A county document must be signed by the clerk in charge of the county office; one signed by an assistant or deputy clerk is not accepted. (source)

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

  • Send the original; the notarial certificate must be worded and completed in English (another language may appear next to it). No county step is named. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Have the diploma or transcript notarized by a Pennsylvania notary public before you request the apostille or certification. (source)

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

  • Send the original, signed by the proper Pennsylvania official and bearing that official's seal; photocopies are not accepted. (source)
  • A criminal record check must be notarized by a Pennsylvania notary public first. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

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

  • A certification may need further authentication by the U.S. Department of State and then the embassy of the country where it will be used. (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

  • Photocopies of notarized or certified documents. (source)
  • Cash by mail or drop-box. (source)
  • FedEx or DHL for returning your documents. (source)
  • FBI background checks and other federal documents are handled 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 Pennsylvania Department of State (Secretary of the Commonwealth).
  • 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 Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania Department of State (Secretary of the Commonwealth) issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Pennsylvania. The fee is $15 per document (not per page). Requests can be mailed to the office in Harrisburg. 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 Pennsylvania?

For birth and death records, the office points you to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Vital Records. A death certificate must be signed by the state registrar; one signed by a local registrar is not accepted. A marriage certificate must be signed by the register of wills or clerk of the orphans court, not only the officiant. Do not have a birth certificate notarized; send the certified original. Then send it to Pennsylvania Department of State (Secretary of the Commonwealth) with the $15 fee, naming the destination country.

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

Send the original; the notarial certificate must be worded and completed in English (another language may appear next to it). No county step is named.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Pennsylvania 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

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

Know someone who could use this? Share this free tool:

Share: