An apostille and a notarization are two separate steps performed by two different authorities, your document has to be notarized first, and only then can the Florida Department of State attach an apostille to it. A notary never issues an apostille themselves, no matter who you go through. Understanding that sequence is the difference between a document that’s ready for international use and one that gets sent back.
What an apostille actually authenticates
An apostille doesn’t verify the contents of your document. It verifies that the notary’s signature on it is real, that the person who signed it was in fact a commissioned Florida notary at the time. That’s the entire function. Once notarized, the document goes to the Florida Department of State’s Division of Corporations in Tallahassee, the only office in the state authorized to issue an apostille, where they confirm the notary’s commission and attach a separate, numbered certificate to the front of the document.
Hague countries versus everyone else
An apostille only works for the roughly 125 countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. If your document is headed somewhere that isn’t a member, Florida issues a different certificate called a certification instead, and depending on the country, you may need additional legalization through that country’s embassy or consulate on top of it. Which one you need depends entirely on the destination country, not on the document itself.
What it actually costs and how long it takes
The Florida Department of State charges $10 per document for an apostille or certification, separate from whatever your notary charges and separate from return shipping. Worth knowing directly from the state’s own FAQ: they process requests in the order received and don’t offer an expedited option, walk-in submission in Tallahassee is available and often faster than mailing, but there’s no official rush service to pay extra for.
Why remote notarization isn’t always the right choice here
This is the part most guides skip. Some countries and receiving institutions are inconsistent about accepting apostilles built on a remotely notarized signature, particularly for powers of attorney, even though Florida law fully recognizes remote online notarization as valid. If you know a document is headed for an apostille, it’s worth confirming eligibility before choosing RON over an in-person mobile signing, an extra step now is far cheaper than finding out after the fact that a specific country’s registry wants a wet-ink original.
What we actually do in this process
To be direct about scope: Seal Now handles the notarization itself and can prepare and submit your document to the Florida Department of State on your behalf, but we don’t issue the apostille. Only the state does that. What we’re actually offering is handling the entire chain so you’re not coordinating between a notary and a separate apostille service yourself, not skipping a step that legally has to go through Tallahassee.
Frequently asked questions
What documents commonly need an apostille?
Powers of attorney, corporate documents, diplomas, and vital records like birth or marriage certificates are the most common. Vital records issued by Florida’s Department of Health can sometimes be apostilled directly without a separate notarization step, since they’re already public documents.
Can a copy be apostilled, or does it need to be the original?
Generally the original notarized document, not a photocopy. A notarized copy of something, or a document that was itself only ever a copy, often can’t be apostilled the same way an original signed document can.
Is an apostille the same as an embassy legalization?
No. An apostille replaces the older embassy legalization chain, but only for Hague Convention member countries. For non-member countries, something closer to the older embassy process may still apply.
Seal Now is not a law firm and this article does not constitute legal advice. Apostille and certification requirements vary by destination country, confirm specific requirements with the receiving institution or a licensed attorney before submitting.