Washington D.C. Apostille

The District of Columbia Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications issues two types of authentications of public documents: apostilles and certifications. Apostilles are used by countries participating in the Hague Convention. Certifications are used by countries that do not participate.

You can request an apostille with the DC Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications by mail or in person. Submit the original notarized or certified document, contact information, and the foreign country in which the apostille will be used, and the state will issue the apostille.

The state fee is $15 per authentication.

NOTE: The DC Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications is not responsible for federal level authentications.

Washington D.C., and every other state, only authenticates signatures on documents that have been issued in Washington D.C.. If you have a document, such as Articles of Incorporation, which have been issued in another state, you must contact that Secretary of State.

Do I need a certified copy of the document before I can obtain an apostille?

Washington D.C. requires the original certified or notarized document to issue the apostille.

Frequently Asked Questions

When doing business in many countries abroad, you may be required to obtain an apostille of company documents. An apostille is a type of certification that will be used in countries participating in the Hague Convention. A state will issue an apostille of a notarized signature on a document, and lists the specific country in which the document will be used. Apostilles and certifications can be obtained for public and private documents, including corporate filings, diplomas, degrees, and job applications, marital and adoption documents, and deeds and contracts.

Which countries accept apostille documents?

For a list of the countries that accept apostilles, please visit the Status Table provided by the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

Do I need an apostille or a certification?

Apostilles are used for those countries that participate in the Hague Convention. For those countries that do not participate, a certification will be used instead of an apostille. Certification often requires additional review by the United States Department of State or by the embassy of the destination country.

How to obtain certified copies

In order to obtain an apostille of a corporate document in most states, you must submit a certified copy of the corporate document. In many states, this occurs in a different division from where apostilles are issued.

Notarization of documents

Nearly every state requires your documents to be notarized before submitting the apostille application. Pay careful attention to which body has the authority to notarize these documents, as it can take place at the city, county, or state level.

What is the contact information for the state in Washington D.C.?

District of Columbia Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications

Mailing Address:
441 4th Street, NW, Suite 810 South
Washington, DC 20001

Phone: (202) 727-3117
Fax: (202) 727-8457

Website: http://os.dc.gov/page/office-notary-commissions-and-authentications

Washington D.C. Apostille, Washington D.C. Authentication