Pinellas County Apostille Services

Which authority handles your document?

• Living in Pinellas County does not make every document eligible for a Florida apostille.
• Florida-issued records and Florida notarizations follow the state route; an out-of-state record usually belongs with its issuing state, and federal records follow federal requirements.
• Confirm the receiving country and authority before preparing the package.
• An apostille authenticates the official signature or seal, not the truth of the contents, and does not guarantee acceptance for every application.
• Where the Apostille Convention does not apply with the United States, further authentication and legalization may be needed.

Florida vital records: certification comes first

• Florida birth and death certificates should be qualifying certified records bearing the State Registrar's signature.
• The Department of State accepts appropriate Bureau of Vital Statistics and county health department certificates.
• Florida marriage and dissolution certificates may be issued by the Bureau or the appropriate court clerk.
• Do not replace these public records with a notary-certified photocopy.
• Confirm whether the destination needs a particular certificate format or the full divorce judgment rather than a certificate summary.

Where to obtain a birth certificate in Pinellas

• Pinellas Health lists online, mail and in-person ordering options.
• Its guidance also identifies birth-certificate service at two Tax Collector locations: 2500 34th Street North in St. Petersburg and 29399 U.S. Highway 19 North in Clearwater.
• Call 727-464-7777 to confirm that service before visiting.
• Certificate ordering is not apostille issuance.
• Requests require the appropriate eligibility and identification.
• The county directs pre-1930 and sealed birth-record requests to the Bureau in Jacksonville.
• Pinellas Vital Statistics can be reached at 727-507-4330, extension 6316.

Mid-County services and the Tarpon Springs closure

• The Health Department's Mid-County location is at 8751 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33771 and lists birth and death certificate services.
• Its general phone is 727-524-4410; confirm the relevant service hours and application requirements before traveling.
• The Health Department currently states that its Tarpon Springs office is permanently closed.
• That notice concerns the Health Department office; it does not mean that other agencies or college services in Tarpon Springs are closed.

Court judgments, marriage records and recorded documents

• Ask the Pinellas Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for the correct certified record and explain its intended overseas use.
• The Clerk separates court case records from Official Records searches for deeds, mortgages and other recorded instruments.
• Its online copy request center can provide a cost quote for records not otherwise available.
• The Public Records Liaison is at 315 Court Street, Room 400, Clearwater, FL 33756, phone 727-464-3341.
• This is a records-request contact, not the state apostille office.
• Confirm the division and location before visiting, especially for older or restricted records.

Electronic court copies need a format check

• The Clerk offers an online eCertification workflow for court documents.
• A digitally certified file and a paper original are different submission formats.
• Before purchasing a copy for overseas authentication, check with the Clerk and Florida Department of State which certification format is required.
• Do not assume that printing a PDF automatically satisfies the apostille process.
• We can review the document type and help coordinate the appropriate preparation before submission.

St. Petersburg College records for overseas use

• SPC uses the National Student Clearinghouse for official transcript requests.
• Its guidance distinguishes transcripts, enrollment verification, degree verification and diploma-related documents: confirm which record the foreign recipient needs before ordering.
• Paper and electronic delivery options exist, but an ordinary electronic order should not be assumed to satisfy apostille preparation.
• SPC says orders cannot be changed, canceled or refunded and cannot be placed by email, phone or fax.
• Ask Admissions and Records about the appropriate preparation for international use before ordering.
• The apostille is a separate Florida Department of State step.

School notarization and private documents

• Florida's guidance for public-school and public-university transcripts calls for a registrar or issuing official's signature, notarized with a full notarial statement.
• Private documents such as powers of attorney and affidavits likewise need appropriate execution and a complete notarial certificate.
• Eligible remote online notarization may be available after checking identity, witness and recipient requirements.
• For Florida business filings, use an original state-issued certified copy or certificate of status rather than an ordinary online printout.

A county record search is not an FBI background check

• The Pinellas Clerk says its record searches cover cases filed in Pinellas County.
• It directs statewide criminal-history requests to FDLE and national-history requests to the FBI.
• Confirm the requested scope before ordering: a county search should not be substituted for a state or federal report.
• An FBI report follows the U.S. Department of State authentication route.
• If your package also contains Florida certificates, we coordinate the separate processes.

How Miami Dade Apostille helps

• Send your document type, issuing authority and destination country before mailing originals.
• We review the proposed route, explain preparation steps and coordinate the appropriate submission and return arrangements.
• Translation services and eligible remote online notarization can also be discussed.
• Miami Dade Apostille is a private coordinator, not a government agency or law firm.
• We do not issue apostilles or provide legal advice; the receiving authority determines its requirements.
• Review requests can be submitted to [email protected] 24/7, 365 days a year, with a typical reply in approximately two hours during regular business hours.

Frequently asked questions

Pinellas County communities served

Miami Dade Apostille serves clients throughout Pinellas County by mail and coordination. Documents can be sent from anywhere in the county — no in-person visit to our office is required.

• Belleair
• Belleair Beach
• Belleair Bluffs
• Belleair Shore
• Clearwater
• Dunedin
• Gulfport
• Indian Rocks Beach
• Indian Shores
• Kenneth City
• Largo
• Madeira Beach
• North Redington Beach
• Oldsmar
• Pinellas Park
• Redington Beach
• Redington Shores
• Safety Harbor
• Seminole
• South Pasadena
• St. Pete Beach
• St. Petersburg
• Tarpon Springs
• Treasure Island

Sources

• U.S. Department of State: apostille requirements ↗
• Florida Department of State: accepted documents for apostille ↗
• Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County: birth certificates ↗
• Florida Department of Health: Mid-County location ↗
• Pinellas Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller: view records ↗
• Pinellas Clerk: eCertify overview ↗
• St. Petersburg College: transcript requests ↗