Acquiring a New York Apostille

Jun 22, 2021

2 min read

Updated: 24 hours ago

New York apostilles come from the Department of State. Local vital records and notarized documents must be certified by the County Clerk first.

When the County Clerk must certify first

Local or county-issued birth, death, and marriage certificates, and certificates of divorce, must first be certified by the County Clerk of the county where they were issued
Notarized documents must be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the notary is commissioned
New York City records (other than divorce certificates) must be certified by the New York County Clerk's Office
Vital records issued by the NYS Department of Health bearing the signature of the Director of Vital Statistics or the NYS Registrar do not need County Clerk certification
Orders of New York City birth and death certificates must include a Letter of Exemplification

For how this step works in general, see county clerk certification before the state apostille.

What else the Department requires

Only public documents issued in New York State and signed by a New York State official or county clerk are authenticated
Educational documents need certification by an institution official, with that signature notarized
New York State criminal background checks (DCJS) need the DCJS representative's signature on the document and the cover letter. Notarization is not required.
Federal and FBI background checks must be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State, not New York
Powers of attorney need a notarized copy
Request forms must be printed or typed, and incomplete forms are returned for correction

Frequently asked questions

Can I check that an apostille is real?

Yes. The Department says apostilles and certificates of authentication issued on or after April 9, 2013 can be verified online.

Can someone else take my documents in?

Many people use a representative. See can someone get an apostille for me.

Is a photocopy acceptable?

The Department authenticates public documents signed by a New York official or county clerk. See can you apostille a photocopy for how copies are treated.

Does my apostille expire?

The apostille has no expiration date, but the receiving country may require a recent document. See does an apostille expire.

Need a New York apostille handled for you?

American Apostille handles New York apostilles along with those from every other state and the federal government, for clients across the United States and abroad. Contact us with your document and destination country, and we will confirm the route before we start. Pay after it's done. No upfront payment.