Wisconsin Apostille: Eligible Documents, Fees, and Submission

A Wisconsin apostille is a certificate that verifies the signature and seal on a Wisconsin-issued public document so it will be accepted in any of the 125-plus countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention. In Wisconsin, two state offices can issue one: the Secretary of State (SOS) and the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).¹ The standard fee at either office is $10 per document, and getting one issued without a round trip through the mail comes down to using the right office, preparing the document correctly, and including proper return postage.

Which Office To Use

Either the SOS or the DFI can apostille a qualifying Wisconsin document bound for a Hague Convention country.¹ The DFI tends to be faster at the standard rate, so if your document is going to a Hague member country and you’re watching the calendar, that’s often the better choice.

If your destination country is not a Hague member, you need an authentication rather than an apostille, and only the Secretary of State issues those.² You can check a country’s status on the Hague Conference website before deciding.³ An authentication through the SOS costs the same and is prepared the same way, but the process rarely ends there. Many non-Hague countries also require review by the U.S. Department of State and then legalization at that country’s embassy or consulate. Call the embassy before you start so you know every step.

Documents That Qualify

The document must originate in Wisconsin and carry a verifiable signature and seal from an authorized official or a properly commissioned Wisconsin notary.¹ Documents issued by another state’s officials have to be sent to that state.

Vital Records

Birth, marriage, and death certificates are among the most common requests. You need an official certified copy from the appropriate government office, bearing the issuing officer’s signature, date of issuance, and seal.⁴ Photocopies and notarized copies of vital records are rejected. Do not alter or photocopy certified copies.¹

Court Records

Divorce decrees, adoption orders, probate documents, and other court records qualify when certified by the appropriate court official with signature and seal. If a court-related document also needs notarization, such as an affidavit, the notarization must be performed by a Wisconsin notary using a physical stamp or embossed seal.¹

School and Business Documents

Diplomas, transcripts, and other school records qualify when a school official signs the document in front of a Wisconsin notary who completes a full notarial certificate. Powers of attorney, corporate resolutions, and other business or legal documents follow the same rule: a valid Wisconsin notary acknowledgment is required before submission.¹

Notarization Rules That Trip People Up

This is where most requests fail. Every notarized document must use a traditional wet-ink stamp or embossed seal. Wisconsin’s apostille offices do not accept digital or electronic notarizations.¹ If you had something notarized remotely with an electronic signature, you’ll need to redo it in person.

Under Wisconsin law, the notary’s certificate on a physical document must include:

The venue (state and county where the notarization took place).
The notary’s handwritten signature, matching the one on file with the state.
A clear impression of the notary’s seal or stamp, stamped or embossed on the document.
The commission expiration date, or a statement that the commission is permanent.
The date the notarial act was performed.

If any element is missing or illegible, the document comes back.⁵

Federal Documents Go Elsewhere

Wisconsin cannot apostille documents issued by federal agencies. FBI background checks, federal court records, patents, and anything else originating with the U.S. government must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.⁶ Send a federal document to Madison and it will come back unprocessed.

Fees and Processing Times

Both offices charge $10 per document at standard speed and $35 per document for expedited service. Turnaround differs.

At the Secretary of State, standard service runs an estimated 7 to 20 business days from the date the office receives your documents; expedited runs 2 to 4 business days.¹

At the DFI, standard service runs an estimated 3 to 7 business days and expedited runs 1 to 2.⁷

Neither timeline includes mailing time in either direction. For a Hague-bound document, choosing the DFI at the standard rate can save a week or more over the SOS.

How To Submit Your Request

The Secretary of State offers an online portal where you start your order and pay. After paying, you mail the physical documents to the office with a prepaid return envelope.¹ You can also submit everything by mail without the portal, including a check or money order with your order form. Cash is accepted only for in-person visits.⁸

The Secretary of State’s addresses:

By mail: Wisconsin Secretary of State, PO Box 7848, Madison, WI 53707-7848.
In person or courier drop-off: Wisconsin State Capitol, Room B41W, Madison, WI 53703.

The office opens Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM. In-person visitors can get same-day processing for a limited number of documents, or opt to pick up completed documents after mail-in processing.¹

If you’re using the DFI, check that office’s apostille services page for its submission instructions and address.²

Return Shipping

You provide the prepaid return shipping; the state will not cover postage. A regular USPS stamped envelope works, as does a prepaid shipping label from FedEx or UPS.⁹ DHL and FedEx Ground are specifically excluded. Buy tracking when you create the label and keep the number yourself; the office does not retain it for you. In-person pick-up is available if you’d rather skip return shipping altogether.

Why Documents Come Back

The most common reasons an apostille request gets rejected:

Photocopies submitted instead of certified originals from the issuing agency.
Electronic or remote online notarization instead of a physical stamp or embossed seal.
A notarization missing the commission expiration date, venue, or a legible seal.
Documents issued by another state’s officials, which must go to that state.
Federal documents, which must go through the U.S. Department of State.
No prepaid return envelope included with the submission.

Before you mail anything, confirm the destination country’s Hague status, check that every notarization carries all five required elements, and make sure the payment and return postage are in the envelope.

1
Office of the Secretary of State. Apostilles and Authentications
2
Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Apostille General Information
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HCCH. Apostille Section
4
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 69.21 – Copies of Vital Records
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Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 137.01 – Notaries
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USAGov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S.
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Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. DFI Apostille Fees
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Office of the Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions
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Wisconsin Secretary of State. Authentication and Apostille Instruction Sheet and Order Form