United States

Apostille in Kentucky

Verified as of August 9, 2026

Everything below is transcribed from this office's own published sources and printed in its words. A value we could not confirm against an official page carries an unverified marker — but the absence of that marker is not a guarantee that a fact was checked, and the source's own doubts stay inside the notes reproduced here verbatim. Confirm fees, addresses and deadlines with the office before you send documents or money.

Who issues the apostille

Competent authority: Kentucky Secretary of State (Authentications and Apostilles)

Which documents this office will accept

By document type

Document type	What this office requires
vital records	must bear signature of the current State Registrar
county records	signed by current County Clerk/Deputy Clerk

Certifications you may need first

This office runs 2 separate chains, each for a different kind of document. Follow the one that matches yours — the numbering starts again in each.

PAPER documents notarized by a Kentucky notary

County clerk (certifies the KY notary's signature)
You can skip this step: ky-e-notarized-pdf — electronically notarized PDFs by a KY online notary need NO county clerk certification and receive an e-Apostille via the portal

Court records signed by the Circuit Clerk

Corresponding County Clerk (certifies the Circuit Clerk's signature)

Complete these before the apostille request itself.

The request form

Form: A PDF request form.
Where to get it: https://www.sos.ky.gov/admin/Documents/ApostilleAuthentication.pdf

Requesting online

Online route: This office issues a genuine electronic apostille through its online portal.
Where: https://web.sos.ky.gov/apostille/eapostillerequest.aspx
From the source: e-Apostille portal

Where to go in person

Frankfort

1025 Capital Center Drive, Suite 201, Frankfort, KY

Access: Open for walk-in service.
Hours: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon–Fri
Same-day service: Available.
From the source: No appointment stated; same-day while-you-wait

What it costs

Fee

$5.00 USD per document

"fee of $5 per document"

How to pay unverified

By mail: Check or money order.
Online: Prepayment through the online portal.
Make it payable to: Not published. This office accepts a mailed check or money order but prints no payee name — confirm the payee on the official request form before you write it.
From the source: Mail: check/money order; online (e-Apostille): online payment; in person: payment on site (methods not itemized — unverified). Payee string not published in the source block

“Unverified” marks a value we could not confirm against an official page. Facts without the marker are not therefore audited — always confirm money and addresses with the office before you send anything.

Where to send your documents

Mailing address: Office of the Secretary of State, Authentications and Apostilles, P.O. Box 718, Frankfort, KY 40602

How long it takes

By mail: Mail: "completed within 3 business days" of receipt, returned via USPS 1st Class
In person: Walk-in: "completed as you wait" (same day)
From the source: e-Apostille delivered by email as PDF (timeframe not stated)

Getting your documents back

Expedited return with self-addressed prepaid FedEx/UPS/USPS Priority label

Checking status and verifying an apostille

Verify an issued apostille: https://web.sos.ky.gov/apostille/verification.aspx
Check a request's status: No status-tracking page is published for this office.

Remote online notarization

Status: Remote online notarization is permitted here.
Legal basis: KRS 423.300–423.455 (online notarization at KRS 423.355; remotely located individuals at KRS 423.455); effective January 1, 2020 (2019 Ky. Acts ch. 86, SB 114)
In force since: January 1, 2020
What the notary must register: Yes — must register with the Secretary of State as an online notary public before performing online notarizations; registration becomes effective 30 days after compliance with all registration requirements and payment of the registration fee (KRS 423.390(13)); registration fee amount set per KRS 423.430 (dollar amount not stated on official page — unverified)
How the signer is identified: One of: (1) personal knowledge; (2) remote presentation of a government-issued ID + credential analysis + identity proofing including dynamic KBA (minimum 5 questions, 80% pass); or (3) a valid public key certificate complying with X.509 (KRS 423.325(3)). Credible witness not listed for online acts
Fee caps: No maximum fee is recorded here for a remote act or for a standard notarial act. A missing cap is not the same as “no cap” — the reason is in the notes below.
From the source: No statutory cap on RON or standard fees — fee must comply with KRS 64.300 and be "clearly disclosed to the person requesting the service in advance" (KRS 423.430(1)); no fee may be charged for papers filed in support of veterans' benefits claims (KRS 64.300) (unverified). Electronically notarized PDFs by a Kentucky online notary can receive an e-Apostille without county clerk certification

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