How to Get an Apostille in Arizona: Documents, Submission, and Timeline

To get an apostille in Arizona, mail or hand-deliver an original certified or notarized Arizona document to the Secretary of State’s office in Phoenix along with a completed request form, a $3 fee per document, and a prepaid return envelope. Mailed requests are processed in about 10 business days; walk-in requests are handled the same day for an extra $25 per document.¹ The apostille verifies that the signature, seal, or stamp on your document belongs to a legitimate Arizona public official or notary. It does not verify the content of the document itself.

What the Arizona Secretary of State Will Authenticate

The office authenticates documents that originated in Arizona or carry the signature of an official whose oath is on file with the state. In practice, that means a certified public record or a document notarized by a currently commissioned Arizona notary. The submission must be an original. Photocopies are rejected.¹

Documents commonly accepted include:

Certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates from the Arizona Department of Health Services or a county health department.
Divorce decrees, judgments, and other court orders certified by the Clerk of the Court.
Corporate documents issued by the Secretary of State’s Corporations Division, such as certificates of good standing.
Notarized private documents like powers of attorney, affidavits, diplomas, and contracts.

Documents signed or notarized by a federal official are not eligible through the state office, and neither are documents originating in another state. Federal documents go through the U.S. Department of State; out-of-state records go through that state’s authenticating office.¹

Preparing the Document

The most common reason apostille requests get rejected is a preparation problem with the underlying document. A few minutes of checking before you mail can save weeks.

Vital Records

Birth, death, and marriage certificates must be full certified copies with the original signature and seal of the issuing registrar. The wallet-sized keepsake copies given out at hospitals do not qualify. Order a certified copy from the Arizona Department of Health Services or the relevant county health department if you don’t already have one.¹

Notarized Documents

The notary must be a currently commissioned Arizona notary. The notarization needs a legible signature, the date, and the notary’s seal. If the commission has expired or the notary isn’t registered in Arizona, the request will be rejected.¹

Court Records

Divorce decrees, custody orders, and other court records need a recent certification bearing the original signature of the Clerk of the Court. An older certified copy sitting in a file drawer at home may or may not be accepted; if the decree is several years old, request a fresh certified copy from the clerk before you submit.

What to Include in Your Package

A complete submission has four pieces:

The Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request form from the Secretary of State’s website, filled out with the destination country and your contact information.
The original certified or notarized document.
Payment of $3 per document. Mailed requests pay by check or money order made out to “Secretary of State.” Walk-in requests can also pay cash or credit card.¹
A self-addressed, prepaid return envelope with sufficient postage. Requests without return postage are not processed. Because you’re sending originals, a trackable service like USPS Priority, FedEx, or UPS is worth the small extra cost.

How to Submit and How Long It Takes

Arizona does not offer electronic apostilles. Requests come in by mail or in person.

By Mail

Send the package to: Arizona Secretary of State, Attn: Apostille Department, 1700 W. Washington Street, 7th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2808. Processing takes about 10 business days from receipt, and mailed requests cannot be expedited.¹ Add mailing time in both directions, and plan for roughly three weeks door to door.

In Person

Walk-in requests at the Phoenix office are processed the same day for an added $25 expedite fee per document, for a total of $28 per document.¹ For a tight deadline or documents you’d rather not put in the mail, this is the faster path.

For status inquiries, the office can be reached at 602-542-6187 or 1-800-458-5842.

Apostille or Certificate of Authentication

Both come from the same office, use the same form, and cost the same $3. Which one you receive depends on where the document is going. Countries that have joined the Hague Apostille Convention accept an apostille without further legalization.² For non-member countries, the office issues a certificate of authentication, and the document then needs additional legalization through the U.S. Department of State and the destination country’s embassy or consulate. You can check membership on the Hague Conference’s status table.³ List the destination country on the request form and the office issues the correct document.

Federal Documents Go Somewhere Else

Anything signed or sealed by a federal official falls outside the Arizona Secretary of State’s authority. That includes FBI background checks, immigration records, documents notarized by military notaries, and papers bearing a federal agency seal.¹ These go to the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications on Form DS-4194. The federal fee is $20 per document. Mailed requests take about five weeks, and walk-in drop-off service at the Washington, D.C. office takes about seven business days. Same-day emergency appointments are limited to travelers with life-or-death family emergencies abroad.⁴

Translations

The apostille itself uses a standardized format with headings in English and French and is generally accepted as issued. The underlying document is a separate question. Some countries want the original apostilled first and translated afterward; others expect the reverse. Check with the receiving institution or the destination country’s embassy on whether a certified translation is required, whether it must be notarized, and in what order the steps should happen. If the translation needs notarization, an active Arizona notary must handle it for the Secretary of State to apostille the translator’s certificate.

1
Arizona Secretary of State. Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request
2
USAGov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S.
3
Hague Conference on Private International Law. Convention of 5 October 1961 – Status Table
4
U.S. Department of State. Requesting Authentication Services