Washington State · Apostille service

Washington State apostille — same-day to seven days

Expedited apostille for Washington documents: we notarize, file with the Secretary of State, and ship worldwide — Nova Poshta delivery to Ukraine included. Service in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

01

Three speeds. The same certification chain.

Pick the urgency that matches your deadline — next business day, three days, or seven. The price covers the whole Secretary of State round-trip; each additional document is $75 on any tier.

Expedited

Next business day

Apostilled by the end of the next business day
  • Document received before 9 pm
  • Hand-walked to the WA Secretary of State
  • AATL PDF and FedEx/DHL drop-off the next business day
First document$300
Each additional$75
ShippingCarrier rate
Standard

Seven business days

Apostilled within seven business days
  • Best price — no rush surcharge
  • Use when your deadline is two or more weeks out
  • Same chain of certification as the rush options
First document$115
Each additional$75
ShippingCarrier rate

Prices are quoted in U.S. dollars. We price-match any quote from a comparable Washington State notary and may adjust or waive the fee in humanitarian or compassionate circumstances.

02

Mail-in apostille — $15 per document

Already-certified public records — birth, marriage, and death certificates from the issuing office — don't need a meeting at all. Mail them in and we take it from there.

  • Mail your documents to our Bothell office — we confirm eligibility before you send.
  • We handle the Secretary of State round-trip on the standard timeline — about 2 to 3 weeks including state processing.
  • We ship the apostilled documents back to you, or onward to any country — Nova Poshta to Ukraine included.
03

What we can apostille — and what Washington can't

Washington apostilles documents that are notarized or certified in Washington. Federal and out-of-state documents follow a different path — check the second list before you lose a week.

We handle these every week
  • Documents notarized by a Washington notary — we can notarize first, $15 per document.
  • Certified copies of Washington birth, marriage, and death certificates from the Department of Health or the county — no notarization needed. A plain photocopy is rejected.
  • Certified Washington court documents.
  • School transcripts and diplomas signed and sealed by the school. Private or out-of-state school documents need a Washington-notarized copy first.
  • Notarized Washington State Patrol background letters.
Washington cannot apostille these
  • Federal documents — FBI background checks, Certificates of Naturalization, USDA and IRS documents. Those go to the U.S. Department of State: $20 per document and roughly five weeks by mail. We can advise.
  • Vital records issued by another state — the issuing state apostilles them.
04

Prefer to do it yourself? Here's exactly how.

No gatekeeping — the Washington Secretary of State serves mail-in and counter requests directly. The current terms:

  1. 01The state fee is $15 per document, paid by check or money order payable to "Secretary of State".
  2. 02Standard mail processing typically takes 7–10 business days, plus mail time both ways.
  3. 03In a hurry? An extra $100 per 10 documents buys expedited 2–3-business-day handling.
  4. 04Same-day counter service exists in Tumwater and Cheney: a $150 same-day fee covers the first 10 documents. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing.

The official instructions and the request form live on the Secretary of State apostille page.

Figures verified July 2026 — always confirm current fees on the SoS page. Our $115 standard tier exists for everyone who'd rather not manage the round-trip.

05

Will your country accept an apostille?

More than 130 countries accept apostilles under the 1961 Hague Convention. Viet Nam joins on September 11, 2026 and Thailand on February 28, 2027 — until those dates, documents for the two still need consular legalization. Check your destination:

06

Common questions

How long does an apostille take in Washington?

Our expedited tier returns the apostille by the end of the next business day, priority in three business days, standard in seven. Doing it yourself by mail, the state's own processing typically runs 7–10 business days plus mail time both ways.

How much does an apostille cost?

The Washington Secretary of State's own fee is $15 per document if you file yourself. Our all-in service starts at $115 for the first document (standard, seven business days), $215 for three days, or $300 for next business day — each additional document $75.

Does a birth certificate need to be notarized first?

No. A certified copy from the Department of Health or the county recorder goes straight to apostille — and a plain photocopy is rejected, so order a fresh certified copy if you don't have one.

Can Washington apostille an FBI background check?

No — an FBI background check is a federal document, so only the U.S. Department of State can apostille it ($20 per document, roughly five weeks by mail). We can point you through that process.

What's the difference between an apostille and embassy legalization?

Hague Convention members accept a single apostille certificate. Non-member countries require the longer legalization chain instead — state authentication, then the U.S. Department of State, then the destination country's embassy.

Do you handle documents for Ukraine?

Yes — Ukraine accepts apostilles. We apostille your document, guide you on certified translation, and ship it by Nova Poshta straight to a branch in Ukraine. Service in Ukrainian and Russian.

Ready when you are

Tell me your deadline. I'll tell you when your apostille can be done.

Most emails answered within several hours during business hours. If your deadline is tomorrow, call — don't email.