Rhode Island Apostille

Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State) apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Rhode Island, 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.

Rhode Island office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

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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 Rhode Island

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Rhode Island come from Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State) (Business Services Division / Apostille). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $5 per document. (source)
  • Legalization (for countries outside the Apostille Convention): $5 per apostille or legalization (one order form and fee for both). (source)

How to send a request

  • By mail (Providence): mail the documents, the order form and a check or money order payable to RI Department of State (no cash) to the Business Services Division; returns go by USPS first class unless you enclose a prepaid DHL, FedEx or UPS label (source)
  • In person (Providence): drop off the documents, form and fee at the Business Services Division (hours not stated on the apostille pages) (source)
  • Request form: Apostille/Legalization Order Form (revised 07/2023)
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • Requests are processed within 3 to 5 business days of receipt; you can check status in the office's online database. (source)
  • If you are ordering a vital record, you can ask the Department of Health to send it straight to the Department of State; email the office for instructions. (source)
  • Not sure your document qualifies? Email a scan to notaries@sos.ri.gov for pre-clearance. (source)

What Rhode Island needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Order the birth, death or marriage certificate from the RI Department of Health's Center for Vital Records, signed by the State Registrar or Deputy State Registrar; city or town copies cannot be apostilled. (source)
  • Birth and marriage certificates older than 100 years and death certificates older than 50 years must come from the RI State Archives. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • Divorce decrees, custody orders and other family matters must be issued by the RI Family Court Clerk's Office. (source)
  • Other judgments and orders must be certified by the court that issued them; probate records by the probate court of the city or town. A notary cannot certify court records. (source)

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

  • Have the document properly notarized by a commissioned Rhode Island notary public; no county step is named. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • URI, RIC and CCRI records: send the original signed record with the school seal; no notarization is needed. (source)
  • All other schools and colleges: the record must be notarized by a Rhode Island notary, either when the school official signs it or by a notary copy certification of the original. (source)

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

  • For a criminal background (BCI) record, tell the Attorney General's office it is for use overseas so it bears the Attorney General's signature and seal. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

For a country outside the Apostille Convention, Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State) issues its Legalization instead of an apostille. Then:

  • For a country outside the Apostille Convention, the document then needs further legalization through the U.S. Department of State before it goes overseas. (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

  • Birth, marriage and death certificates issued by Rhode Island cities or towns. (source)
  • Public records issued by another state or country. (source)
  • Documents without an original signature from a Rhode Island official or notary (no photocopies). (source)
  • Documents for use inside the United States or its territories. (source)
  • Rhode Island cannot legalize federal documents, such as naturalization records or federal background checks. (source)

Checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

What this page does not do

  • It does not file anything. Requests go to Rhode Island Department of State (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 Rhode Island?

Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State) issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Rhode Island. The fee is $5 per document. Requests can be mailed to the office in Providence. 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 Rhode Island?

Order the birth, death or marriage certificate from the RI Department of Health's Center for Vital Records, signed by the State Registrar or Deputy State Registrar; city or town copies cannot be apostilled. Birth and marriage certificates older than 100 years and death certificates older than 50 years must come from the RI State Archives. Then send it to Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State) with the $5 fee, naming the destination country.

Does a document notarized in Rhode Island need a county clerk certification first?

Have the document properly notarized by a commissioned Rhode Island notary public; no county step is named.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State) issues its legalization 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

Rhode Island office checked against official sources on October 24, 2026.

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