Why a Florida Apostille Is Valid From Any State

Apostilles certify the notary — not you

An apostille has one job: it tells the receiving country that the official act on your document is genuine. When your document is notarized, the apostille certifies the notary's commission. It never certifies where you were sitting.

Online notarization makes the notary's state travel to you

Florida law (Chapter 117, Part II) lets a Florida-commissioned online notary perform notarizations by secure video for signers located anywhere — and the notarial act is governed by Florida law regardless of the signer's location. Sign from Houston, Boston, Bogotá, or Madrid: the moment our notary seals it, your document is a Florida notarial act.

Florida's Secretary of State apostilles Florida acts

Each US state's competent authority apostilles its own officials' acts. Since your notarization is a Florida act, the Florida Department of State is the correct — and only — office to apostille it. We file it there for you, with the state fee and destination-country cover letter handled.

Every US apostille is equal — by treaty

Under the Hague Convention, member countries must accept an apostille from any US competent authority. There is no ranking between states: a Florida apostille carries exactly the same legal force in Mexico City, Rome, or Mumbai as one from Texas, New York, or California. The embassy checks that the certificate is genuine — full stop.

What this means practically

You never visit or mail anything to your own state's apostille office
No notary trips — the notarization happens on your screen
One order, one price, tracked delivery of the finished package
Works identically from all 50 states, and often from abroad

The Certificate

Here’s exactly what you’ll receive

Your notarized document comes back with the official Florida Secretary of State apostille certificate attached — security paper with a gold embossed seal, a unique identification number, and the Secretary of State’s signature. It’s the exact format defined by the 1961 Hague Convention, recognized in 115+ member countries with no further legalization.

The original apostille certificate on security paper — not a copy, not a PDF
Unique verification number any receiving authority can confirm with Florida
Stapled to your document by the Department of State exactly as embassies expect
Delivered fully tracked to your door — in the US or anywhere abroad

Official Florida Department of State apostille certificate

How It Works

Four steps. Zero errands.

01

Send your request

One-minute form — we reply with your secure payment link and video session invitation.

02

Verify your identity

A quick photo-ID scan plus identity verification — about 3 minutes, all in your browser.

03

Sign on video with the notary

A live, recorded video session with a Florida-commissioned online notary. Sign electronically while the notary witnesses and seals.

04

We apostille & ship

We certify the notarized document, file it with the Florida Department of State, and ship the apostilled package to your door, fully tracked.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to mail you anything?

No. You upload your document and sign in a live online session. We handle the printing, certification, and Florida Department of State filing on our end — the only physical shipment is the finished apostilled package delivered to you.

What exactly do I receive at the end?

A tracked package containing your notarized document with the official Florida apostille certificate attached by the Department of State — security paper, gold embossed seal, unique verification number — plus the digitally sealed PDF from your session for your records.

Is online notarization legal?

Yes. Remote online notarization is authorized by Florida Statutes Chapter 117, Part II, is recognized across the US, and the Florida Department of State accepts remotely notarized documents for apostille.

Can you ship the finished package abroad?

Yes — the worldwide delivery option sends the apostilled package by express international courier directly to any Hague Convention country, fully tracked, typically arriving in 2–5 business days after the apostille is issued.

How long does the whole process take?

Typically 7–10 business days door to door: your notary session within about a day of confirming, roughly five business days of Florida Department of State processing, then tracked delivery.

Does an apostille expire?

The apostille certificate itself has no expiration date. Some receiving authorities, however, want the underlying document to be recent — commonly within 3–6 months for civil-status documents — so check your receiver's freshness requirement, not the apostille's.

Why a Florida Apostille Works — Wherever You Are