Birth certificates
Apostille on a birth certificate: fee and steps by state
Choose the state of birth and the number of certificates: the tool adds the certified copies and the apostilles issued by that state.
Certificate with an apostille for use abroad
Certificates + apostilles · California
$51
| Certified copies | $31 |
| Apostille per document | $20 |
| Apostilles | $20 |
Mail to Sacramento; in person +$6 per different official signature. Copies signed by a local health officer or county registrar first need county clerk certification or a recorder/CDPH copy.
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document so that it is accepted in another country that has joined the Hague Apostille Convention. For a U.S. birth certificate, it is issued by the state where the birth was registered, usually by the Secretary of State or an equivalent office, not by the federal government and not by the state where you live. The apostille certifies the signature of the official on the certificate, so the state checks that the copy bears a registrar signature it has on file; many offices require a recent certified copy, sometimes signed by the current state registrar, and refuse county copies or old ones. Of the 51 states and DC covered here, 49 publish their apostille fee, from $0 to $30 per document, paid on top of the certified copy. For a country outside the convention, the document instead needs an authentication from the state and then from the U.S. Department of State, followed by legalization at that country's embassy. Translations, when required, are a separate step done after the apostille. Fees were read on each state's official page, with the date.
Birth and death certificate fees in your state
First birth certificate copy · New York (outside NYC)
$30
| Extra birth copy, same order | $30 |
| First death certificate copy | $30 |
| Extra death copy, same order | $30 |
Fees and rules read on official pages by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the fees are checked
Apostille fee and total in each state
Total = one certified birth certificate at the state vital records fee plus one apostille. New York City births are apostilled by New York State after a county clerk step.
| State | Apostille | Certified copy | Total | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $5 | $15 | $20 | official page |
| Alaska | $5 | $30 | $35 | official page |
| Arizona | $3 | $20 | $23 | official page |
| Arkansas | $10 | $12 | $22 | official page |
| California | $20 | $31 | $51 | official page |
| Colorado | $5 | $25 | $30 | official page |
| Delaware | $30 | $25 | $55 | official page |
| District of Columbia | $15 | $23 | $38 | official page |
| Florida | $10 | $9 | $19 | official page |
| Georgia | $3 | $25 | $28 | official page |
| Hawaii | $3 | $10 | $13 | official page |
| Idaho | $10 | $16 | $26 | official page |
| Illinois | $2 | $15 | $17 | official page |
| Indiana | $0 | $10 | $10 | official page |
| Kansas | $10 | $20 | $30 | official page |
| Kentucky | $5 | $10 | $15 | official page |
| Louisiana | $20 | $15 | $35 | official page |
| Maine | $10 | $15 | $25 | official page |
| Maryland | $5 | $10 | $15 | official page |
| Massachusetts | $6 | $32 | $38 | official page |
| Michigan | $1 | $34 | $35 | official page |
| Minnesota | $5 | $26 | $31 | official page |
| Mississippi | $5 | $17 | $22 | official page |
| Missouri | $10 | $15 | $25 | official page |
| Montana | $10 | $16 | $26 | official page |
| Nebraska | $10 | $17 | $27 | official page |
| Nevada | $20 | $25 | $45 | official page |
| New Hampshire | $10 | $15 | $25 | official page |
| New Jersey | $25 | $25 | $50 | official page |
| New Mexico | $3 | $10 | $13 | official page |
| New York (outside NYC) | $10 | $30 | $40 | official page |
| North Carolina | $10 | $24 | $34 | official page |
| North Dakota | $10 | $15 | $25 | official page |
| Ohio | $5 | $21.50 | $26.50 | official page |
| Oklahoma | $25 | $15 | $40 | official page |
| Oregon | $10 | $25 | $35 | official page |
| Pennsylvania | $15 | $20 | $35 | official page |
| Rhode Island | $5 | $22 | $27 | official page |
| South Carolina | $5 | $12 | $17 | official page |
| South Dakota | $25 | $15 | $40 | official page |
| Tennessee | $2 | $15 | $17 | official page |
| Texas | $15 | $22 | $37 | official page |
| Utah | $5 | $25 | $30 | official page |
| Vermont | $10 | $10 | $20 | official page |
| Virginia | $10 | $15 | $25 | official page |
| Washington | $15 | $25 | $40 | official page |
| West Virginia | $10 | $12 | $22 | official page |
| Wisconsin | $10 | $20 | $30 | official page |
| Wyoming | $20 | $25 | $45 | official page |
The steps in order
- Check that the destination country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; otherwise ask about authentication and legalization.
- Order a new certified copy from the state vital records office, ideally the long form.
- Fill in the apostille request of the state's Secretary of State, naming the country.
- Send the certificate, the form and the fee, or go in person where walk-in service exists.
- Have the apostilled certificate translated if the destination requires it.
Birth and death certificate fees in your state
First birth certificate copy · New York (outside NYC)
$30
| Extra birth copy, same order | $30 |
| First death certificate copy | $30 |
| Extra death copy, same order | $30 |
Marriage and death certificates
The same office apostilles marriage and death certificates issued in the state, often at the same fee; a county marriage certificate sometimes needs a county clerk certification first. See marriage certificate copies for who issues them, and certified copy for the version to order.