Foreign embassies or consulates often require an apostille or notarial certificate for vital record certificates. The 1961 Hague Convention established the apostille as a form of authentication for its member states. The apostille certifies the authenticity of the issuing official’s signature. Countries that are nonmembers of the 1961 Hague Convention are issued notarial certificates, which also authenticates the issuing official’s signature. The Florida Secretary of State is the only designated Competent Authority to issue apostilles in the State of Florida.
OBTAINING AN APOSTILLE OR NOTARIAL CERTIFICATE IS A 2-STEP PROCESS THAT INVOLVES BOTH THE FLORIDA BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS AND THE FLORIDA DEPARMTENT OF STATE, DIVISION OF CORPORATIONS.
Before ordering, we urge you to contact the nearest consulate or embassy for the country in which you will be using the apostille or notarial certificate to obtain their requirements for the vital record certificate.
If you wish to expedite this two-step process, you may order online at www.vitalchek.com/flastorefront VitalChek is our only contracted vendor. VitalChek will collect your ordering information and credit card payment for both steps of the process. Our office will forward your vital record certificate via UPS to the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations for the apostille process. Once the process is completed, the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations will send the certificates via UPS to you. Please note, VitalChek charges an additional $7 processing fee in addition to both agency fees and 2 UPS shipping fees.
(Eligibility requirements for birth and death with cause of death are available on the birth and death web pages).