Washington Apostille

Washington Secretary of State apostilles documents issued, recorded or notarized in Washington, for $15 per document (a document can be more than one 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.

Washington 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 Washington

Apostilles and authentication certificates for documents issued in Washington come from Washington Secretary of State (Corporations & Charities Division, Apostilles). Official page

Fees

  • Apostille: $15 per document (a document can be more than one page). (source)
  • Washington issues one certificate for every country, in or outside the Apostille Convention.
  • Expedited processing (2 to 3 business days), per 10 documents, on top of $15 per document: $100 (source)
  • Same-day in-person service in Tumwater or Cheney, for the first 10 documents, on top of $15 per document: $150 (source)

How to send a request

  • By mail (Olympia): mail the documents, the request form and a check or money order payable to the Secretary of State to the Corporations & Charities Division P.O. box; returns go by first-class mail unless you include a prepaid traceable label (source)
  • In person (Tumwater): same-day service while you wait at the Tumwater or Cheney counters, with a $150 same-day fee; limited by business hours, cutoff times and volume (source)
  • Request form: Apostille Authentication Request Form (revised 6.2025)
  • The request must name the country where the document will be used.

Processing time, as the office states it:

  • Standard: typically 7 to 10 business days after receipt, longer at high volume. (source)
  • Expedited: typically 2 to 3 business days after receipt. (source)
  • Same-day in person: processed while you wait. (source)
  • Washington now issues one combined certificate instead of separate apostille and authentication certificates. (source)
  • An abstract driving record from the Department of Licensing is accepted only if issued within 30 days of reaching the Secretary of State. (source)

What Washington needs first, by document

Birth, death or marriage certificate

  • Send the original (unaltered) or a certified copy; if you need one, order it from the county auditor that issued the marriage certificate or the Center for Vital Statistics in Tumwater. (source)

Court document (divorce decree, court order)

  • Send a certified copy issued by the Washington court or signed by the state or county official who keeps the record. (source)

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

  • Have a Washington notary complete, sign and stamp a full notarial certificate (in English, naming the Washington county) that is not stapled on; no county step is named. (source)

School diploma or transcript

  • Public school transcripts must be official documents (not photocopies) with an original stamp and signature of an authorized school representative. (source)
  • College and university transcripts must be official and signed by the registrar, with the school seal. (source)
  • Private school documents must be notarized by a Washington notary before you submit them. (source)

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

  • Background check: get a notarized clearance letter from the Washington State Patrol (include the original fingerprint card if it was fingerprint-based). (source)
  • Business entity records: order the certified copy and the apostille together on the Business Records Request Form; this cannot be done online. (source)

Countries outside the Apostille Convention

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

  • For a country outside the Apostille Convention, the certificate needs further certification by the U.S. Department of State, the country's embassy, or both. (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

  • Documents for use within the United States or its territories. (source)
  • Vital records issued by another state; they must be apostilled where issued. (source)
  • Notarized documents about allegiance, renouncing citizenship or sovereignty, or claims of immunity from law. (source)
  • Washington cannot authenticate federal documents (FBI checks, military notarizations, naturalization certificates); they go to 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 Washington 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 Washington?

Washington Secretary of State issues apostilles for documents issued, recorded or notarized in Washington. The fee is $15 per document (a document can be more than one page). Requests can be mailed to the office in Olympia. 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 Washington?

Send the original (unaltered) or a certified copy; if you need one, order it from the county auditor that issued the marriage certificate or the Center for Vital Statistics in Tumwater. Then send it to Washington Secretary of State with the $15 fee, naming the destination country.

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

Have a Washington notary complete, sign and stamp a full notarial certificate (in English, naming the Washington county) that is not stapled on; no county step is named.

What if the country is not in the Apostille Convention?

Washington 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

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

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