The Maryland apostille process runs through the Secretary of State in Annapolis, costs $5 per document, and takes anywhere from one business day to about a week once your package arrives, depending on how you ship it.1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication You mail (or hand-deliver) the original document, a $5 check or money order, a note naming the country where the document will be used, and a return envelope with postage or a prepaid shipping label. If your document is going to a country that belongs to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, you get an apostille; if not, Maryland issues an authentication that still needs federal and embassy legalization afterward.
Which Documents Qualify
Maryland apostilles two kinds of documents: public records issued by a Maryland state or county authority, and private documents notarized by a Maryland-commissioned notary public.1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication
Public records include Maryland birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and corporate good-standing certificates that carry the issuing official’s seal and signature. Certified transcripts and diplomas from Maryland institutions qualify too, as long as they bear an institutional seal. Private documents cover things like powers of attorney and articles of incorporation.
Everything you submit must be an original or a certified copy from a Maryland authority. Plain photocopies, documents notarized in another state, and federal records are not eligible.
The Circuit Court Step for Notarized Documents
This is where most people trip. A private document notarized in Maryland cannot go straight to the Secretary of State. It first needs certification from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the notary was commissioned. The county is printed on the notary’s seal, so check there if you aren’t sure which courthouse to use.1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication
The circuit court clerk confirms that the notary’s commission was valid and the signature matches their records. That fee is typically about $1 per document.2Maryland Courts. Notary Public: Commissions and Certifications Once the clerk’s certification is attached, your document is ready for the Secretary of State.
Public records with an official seal from the issuing state or county agency skip this step and go straight to Annapolis.
What Goes in Your Package
Four items:
- The original document or certified copy, carrying the correct official seal or circuit court certification.
- A note with your contact information and the name of the country where the document will be used. The country matters because Hague members get an apostille and non-members get a different authentication certificate.1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication
- Payment of $5 per document by check or money order made out to the Secretary of State. Cash is not accepted. If the office has to produce a copy of the record for you, add 50 cents per page.3Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code State Government 7-106 – Authentication of Records
- A stamped self-addressed return envelope or a prepaid FedEx or UPS label. Make sure the return postage covers the original plus the attached apostille certificate.1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication
Where to Send It
The address is the Office of the Secretary of State, 16 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD 21401.4University of Maryland. Notary and Apostille Credential Certification You can use USPS, a private courier like FedEx or UPS, or walk the request in to the Annapolis office.1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication
How Long It Takes
Processing speed tracks your shipping choice, not the office’s workload. The Secretary of State’s posted turnaround times after receipt are:1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication
- FedEx or UPS: about one to two business days
- USPS Priority Mail: up to three to four business days
- Regular mail: up to one week
Those are processing windows only and don’t include transit either direction. When the apostille is ready, a separate certificate with a unique ID number and the state seal is attached to your original and sent back by whatever return method you provided. A plain stamped envelope means regular mail speed on the way home; a prepaid courier label is the fastest round trip.
If Your Destination Isn’t a Hague Country
An apostille is only recognized by Hague Apostille Convention members. For any other destination, you need full legalization, which starts with Maryland but doesn’t end there.
The Secretary of State issues an authentication certificate instead of an apostille, still at $5 per document.1Maryland Secretary of State. Certifications and Authentication From there the document goes to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C., at $20 per document, and finally to the destination country’s embassy or consulate for their legalization stamp.5U.S. Department of State. Requesting Authentication Services
The federal step alone can take up to five weeks by mail.5U.S. Department of State. Requesting Authentication Services Build that into your timeline if your destination country isn’t a Hague member.
Federal Documents Go Somewhere Else
Maryland can only apostille Maryland-origin documents. Federal records (FBI identity history summaries, federal court orders, documents from federal agencies) bypass the state entirely and go directly to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications at $20 per document.5U.S. Department of State. Requesting Authentication Services FBI background checks are the single most common federal document people mistakenly send to Annapolis, and those requests are always returned. Order the record from the FBI first, then send it straight to the Department of State.
Why Requests Get Rejected
Most rejections come from a short list of avoidable mistakes:
- Sending a notarized private document straight to the Secretary of State without the circuit court certification first.
- Submitting a document notarized by an out-of-state notary, or a federal document that doesn’t belong in the state process at all.
- A notary or official signature that doesn’t match the Secretary of State’s records. Recently issued certified copies help, because current officials’ signatures are more reliably on file.
- Incomplete notarization: a missing date, seal impression, or signature field. Check every entry before you mail.
- Wrong destination country on your cover note, which can lead to the wrong certificate type or a hold for clarification.
- Missing payment or no return envelope. Your documents sit until both arrive.
If a request is rejected, the office returns your documents with an explanation. You can resubmit once you’ve fixed the problem, but you go back to the end of the queue, so getting it right the first time is worth the extra five minutes of checking.
Translations
A Maryland apostille certifies the signature and seal on the document. It does not translate anything or vouch for a translation. Many destination countries require both an apostille and a certified translation into their official language, and some proceedings (immigration cases, court filings) require the translator’s attestation to be notarized on top of that.
If a translation is notarized by a Maryland notary and needs its own apostille, it goes through the same circuit court and Secretary of State path as any other notarized document. Confirm exactly what the receiving authority wants before you start. Apostilling the wrong piece of paper means starting over.