BIRTH CERTIFICATE APOSTILLE
Birth Certificate Apostille for Florida and All 50 States
Miami Dade Apostille processes birth certificate apostilles for documents issued in Florida and all 50 U.S. states. Requirements vary by state, but every apostille must ultimately be issued by the appropriate state's Secretary of State (or equivalent office), based on a properly certified copy of the birth certificate.
General Rules
What Applies in Every State
- Only certified copies qualify — not notarized photocopies
- Notarization is not required for a birth certificate apostille
- Documents can be processed remotely by mail — no travel required
- Expedited processing is available subject to the issuing office and current availability
- Completed apostilles can be shipped internationally via FedEx, DHL, UPS, or USPS
Coverage
State-by-State Issuing Agency and Apostille Authority
The table below identifies common issuing offices and apostille authorities for 24 states. It is not an exclusive list — eligible county- and city-issued certified copies depend on the state's signature and certification rules, not merely the presence of a seal. State-issued U.S. birth certificates are authenticated by the issuing state's competent authority. Foreign-issued birth records must be authenticated through the issuing country; for non-Hague destinations, authentication or consular legalization may be required instead of an apostille.
| State | Certified Copy Issued By | Apostille Issued By |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | FL Dept. of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics | FL Department of State (Tallahassee) |
| New York | NYS Department of Health or eligible local registrar / NYC Health — see New York note below | NY Department of State |
| California | CA Dept. of Public Health | CA Secretary of State |
| Texas | TX Vital Statistics Unit | TX Secretary of State |
| Illinois | IL Dept. of Public Health | IL Secretary of State |
| Pennsylvania | PA Dept. of Health | PA Department of State |
| New Jersey | NJ Office of Vital Statistics and Registry | NJ Department of the Treasury |
| Georgia | GA Dept. of Public Health | GA Secretary of State |
| Ohio | Ohio Office of Vital Statistics | Ohio Secretary of State |
| Michigan | MI Dept. of Health and Human Services | MI Secretary of State |
| North Carolina | NC Vital Records Office | NC Secretary of State |
| Virginia | VA Dept. of Health, Division of Vital Records | VA Secretary of the Commonwealth |
| Massachusetts | MA Registry of Vital Records and Statistics | MA Secretary of the Commonwealth |
| Washington | WA State Dept. of Health | WA Secretary of State |
| Arizona | AZ Office of Vital Records | AZ Secretary of State |
| Indiana | IN State Dept. of Health | IN Secretary of State |
| Tennessee | TN Office of Vital Records | TN Secretary of State |
| Missouri | MO Bureau of Vital Records | MO Secretary of State |
| Maryland | MD Division of Vital Records | MD Secretary of State |
| Wisconsin | WI Vital Records Office | WI Secretary of State |
| Colorado | CO Vital Records Office | CO Secretary of State |
| Minnesota | MN Dept. of Health, Office of Vital Records | MN Secretary of State |
| South Carolina | SC Department of Public Health, Vital Records | SC Secretary of State |
| Alabama | AL Dept. of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics | AL Secretary of State |
County- and city-issued certified copies (for example, from Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, or Phoenix) are generally accepted as long as they carry the registrar's official seal and signature and meet the issuing state's eligibility rules. We also process apostilles for states not listed above — contact us to confirm your specific state's process.
Related Resources
Helpful Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions
Certification
No. Apostilles are issued only on certified copies from the issuing state, county, or city — not on notarized photocopies. Notarization is not required and does not substitute for a certified copy.
No. Only certified copies issued by the state or local vital records office qualify for apostille. Hospital-issued birth certificates are not eligible.
Yes, as long as they are certified copies bearing the registrar's official seal and signature and meet the issuing state's eligibility rules. Eligibility depends on the state's signature and certification requirements, not merely the presence of a seal.
Do I need to notarize my birth certificate before apostille?
Can I use a hospital-issued birth certificate?
Can county- or city-issued birth certificates be apostilled?
Remote Processing
Yes. You can email scanned copies or upload documents to start the review process. However, a physical official certified copy is generally required for apostille processing — an emailed photocopy alone is not sufficient to complete the apostille. Documents can be mailed to us and processed without you needing to travel.
Can I process my apostille remotely without visiting an office?
Shipping
Yes. We ship apostilled birth certificates worldwide using FedEx, DHL, UPS, or USPS.
Can completed apostilles be shipped internationally?
Expedited Processing
Expedited processing is available for time-sensitive requests, subject to the issuing office and current availability. Contact us to confirm options for your specific state and document.
Is expedited processing available?
For apostille, legalization, translation, or notarization, contact Miami Dade Apostille or start an order online.
Related Services
Apostille Services
- Apostille Services Overview
- Government Document Apostille
- Corporate Document Apostille
- Court Document Apostille
- Marriage Certificate Apostille
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Power of Attorney Apostille
- Academic Apostille
- Florida Document Apostille
- US Apostille Processing
- Apostille Requirements by Country
- Pricing & Fees