United States

Apostille in Rhode Island

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: Rhode Island Department of State (Secretary of State), Business Services Division

Which documents this office will accept

From the source: Original signatures/seals required

By document type

Document type	What this office requires
vital records	only RI Department of Health Center for Vital Records copies signed by the State Registrar (city/town-issued certificates not accepted)
court documents	certified by the issuing court (divorce decrees — RI Family Court Clerk)
probate records	certified by the city/town probate court
criminal background checks	with Attorney General's office seal/signature
personal and most educational documents	notarized by an RI notary (complete certificate, matching signature, inked stamp)

Certifications you may need first

No additional certification step is required before the apostille.

The request form

Form: A PDF request form.
Where to get it: https://docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/Apostille-Order-Form.pdf

Requesting online

Online route: Part of the request is made online; the documents themselves still reach the office on paper.
Where: https://services.sos.ri.gov/Home/Index
From the source: Online form + online payment; original documents still mailed in

Where to go in person

Providence

RI Department of State, Business Services Division/Apostille, 148 West River Street, Providence, RI 02904

Access: The source does not state whether this office takes walk-ins, appointments or drop-offs only.
Hours: Not published for this office.
From the source: In-person submission accepted; walk-in vs. appointment not stated on official page (unverified); same-day not stated

What it costs

Fee

Applies to

Details

$5.00 USD per document

All documents

$5 per document (mail/in person)

$5.00 USD per document

all (online portal orders)

Surcharge: plus a $0.75 enhanced access fee

Online portal: "$5.00 per document, plus a $0.75 enhanced access fee"

How to pay

By mail

Check or money order.

Online

Prepayment through the online portal.

Make it payable to

RI Department of State

Copy that exactly as written.

From the source

Check or money order payable to "RI Department of State" (no cash by mail; contact office if unable to pay by check/money order); online payment via the services portal

Where to send your documents

Mailing address: RI Department of State, Business Services Division/Apostille, 148 West River Street, Providence, RI 02904

How long it takes

By mail: "Documents submitted for legalization are processed within 3-5 business days of receipt"
From the source: No expedited processing (expedited return delivery only via prepaid DHL/FedEx/UPS label)

Getting your documents back

Expedited return delivery only via prepaid DHL/FedEx/UPS label

Checking status and verifying an apostille

Verify an issued apostille

No public verification register is published for this office. That is not the same as an apostille being unverifiable — ask the office how it confirms one.

Check a request's status

https://business.sos.ri.gov/Apostille/SubmissionStatus

Order-status check (no public apostille verification register found)

Remote online notarization

Status

Remote online notarization is permitted here.

Legal basis

R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 42-30.1-12.1 and 42-30.1-12.2 (P.L. 2022, ch. 438/439), effective June 30, 2022

In force since

June 30, 2022

What the notary must register

Notification — before the first remote act the notary must notify the commissioning agency (RI Department of State) and identify the technologies to be used (§ 42-30.1-12.1(f))

How the signer is identified

(1) personal knowledge (§ 42-30.1-6(a)); (2) oath/affirmation of a credible witness appearing before the notary; or (3) at least two (2) different types of identity proofing (statute does not name KBA/credential analysis/biometric specifically)

Fee caps

Remote act: $25.00 USD

Standard notarial act: $25.00 USD

From the source

Max RON fee: "a fee not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per document or notarization" for remote acts (R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-30.1-20.1); the same cap applies to standard acts (§ 42-30.1-20.1); all fees must be disclosed before the act. Audio-visual recording required, retained at least 10 years. Electronic notarial acts must be capable of authentication by the RI Department of State for apostille purposes

Every United States jurisdiction in this handbook

Other countries: Canada — Federal — Global Affairs Canada · Mexico — Federal — Secretaría de Gobernación (SEGOB)

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