Connecticut apostille services: online orders and the right document format

Connecticut apostille coordination

Miami Dade Apostille coordinates apostille processing for Connecticut documents by mail. Clients throughout Connecticut and across the country can send documents for review and submission guidance without visiting the Secretary of the State's office.

We are a private document coordination service — not a government agency, not a law firm, and not the Connecticut Secretary of the State. We do not issue apostilles or government records. We help clients identify the correct document, prepare it properly, and coordinate the process with the appropriate authority.

All Connecticut apostille orders are online — no paper order forms

The Connecticut Secretary of the State requires all apostille orders to be submitted through the online application portal. Paper order forms are no longer accepted.

For paper documents, mail the original or certified document along with your receipt or APO work order number after completing the online order. For e-apostilles, the process is completed digitally — a printed e-apostille is not valid.

Connecticut requires the notarization or certification on the document to be within the past ten years. This is a currency-of-certification requirement — it is based on when the document was certified, not the age of the underlying event (birth date, marriage date, etc.). An older certified copy may require a newly certified copy for this process.

Connecticut notary and public official signatures are eligible. Attorney signatures in the capacity of Commissioner of the Superior Court are excluded from this process — this is distinct from a court clerk signature.

e-Apostilles: eligible documents only

Connecticut began issuing e-apostilles on July 6, 2026 for certain eligible public documents. Vital records — including birth, death, marriage, and adoption certificates — are paper only and are not eligible for e-apostille. For dissolution of marriage decrees, confirm eligibility with the Connecticut SOTS before ordering.

A printed e-apostille is not valid. If the receiving authority requires a paper apostille, confirm eligibility with the Connecticut SOTS before ordering. The combined certificate format does not guarantee acceptance by a foreign authority — confirm bilateral Hague applicability and any additional legalization requirements with the receiving institution.

e-Apostille verification is available through the SOTS verification portal linked above.

Vital records: two steps — certified record, then apostille

For vital records, obtaining the certified record and obtaining the apostille are two separate steps. The Connecticut Department of Public Health issues the certified record; the Secretary of the State issues the apostille.

Official courier or hand delivery of vital record apostille packets: 165 Capitol Ave, Suite 1000, Hartford, CT 06106. For USPS and current shipping directions, check the SOTS apostille page. Contact: 860-509-6002.

Connecticut record routing at a glance

Use this table to identify the correct issuing office before ordering. Obtaining the right record format is the first step before submitting an apostille order.

Choose the certified record format appropriate to your recipient's requirements and your eligibility as an applicant. Residence does not reroute a document — the apostille must come from the authority in the state or country that issued it.

Submitting your paper documents

All orders begin with the online application. For paper documents, mail the original or certified document with your receipt or APO work order number after completing the online order. For eligible e-apostille documents, the process is completed digitally — no mailing is required. Check the current SOTS apostille page for the fee schedule, accepted payment methods, and return shipping instructions before submitting.

For international return shipping, prepaid international shipping is required. Check the SOTS page for current instructions — do not rely on prior-version requirements.

For vital record apostille packets, official courier or hand delivery goes to: 165 Capitol Ave, Suite 1000, Hartford, CT 06106. For USPS and current mailing directions, refer to the SOTS apostille page.

Federal documents and out-of-state records

FBI Identity History Summary reports are federal documents and require a federal apostille from the U.S. Department of State — not the Connecticut Secretary of the State. Residence in Connecticut does not reroute a federal document to the state authority.

Documents issued in another state must be apostilled by that state's competent authority. Residence does not reroute a document — the apostille must come from the authority in the state that issued it.

Remote Online Notarization (RON) for Connecticut documents

Florida-commissioned notaries may perform Remote Online Notarization (RON) for appropriate privately signed documents under Florida law. RON may be suitable for powers of attorney, affidavits, and similar privately signed documents where the signer, document type, identity verification, and any witness requirements are met — and where the receiving authority and destination country accept Florida RON notarizations. Confirm acceptance with the receiving authority before proceeding.

A document notarized by a Florida notary follows Florida authentication routing, subject to recipient acceptance. RON does not convert a Connecticut public record into a Florida record. For vital records, court records, and other government-issued documents, obtain certified copies from the issuing Connecticut authority.

Preparation checklist

Processing times depend on the current queue at the Connecticut Secretary of the State's office and the submission method. No government completion time is guaranteed. We confirm available service options after reviewing your document.

1. 1

   Confirm the destination country's requirements

   Determine whether the Hague Apostille Convention applies between the U.S. and the destination country. Obtain the receiving authority's current document checklist — requirements change. Connecticut's combined certificate format does not guarantee acceptance; confirm bilateral applicability and any additional legalization chain with the receiving authority.

2. 2

   Identify the correct document and issuing office

   Use the routing table above to identify the correct issuing office for your document type. For vital records, obtain a certified copy from the appropriate town office or CT State Vital Records (DPH). For dissolution of marriage, obtain the certified decree from the Superior Court clerk — not State Vital Records.

3. 3

   Check the certification date — not the event date

   Connecticut requires the notarization or certification on the document to be within the past ten years — this is based on when the document was certified, not the date of the underlying event. A recently certified copy of a record of a birth decades ago can meet the certification-date requirement. If your existing certified copy is older, you may need to order a new one for this process.

4. 4

   Determine e-apostille or paper apostille

   Birth, death, marriage, and adoption certificates require a paper apostille — they are not eligible for e-apostille. For dissolution of marriage decrees, confirm eligibility with the SOTS before ordering. For other eligible public documents, an e-apostille may be available. Confirm eligibility with the SOTS before ordering. A printed e-apostille is not valid.

5. 5

   Send scans for review before mailing originals

   Send clear scans for review before committing originals to the mail. This step catches missing notarial statements, certifications that are too old for this process, or wrong document types before they cause delays.

6. 6

   Complete the online order; mail originals for paper apostilles

   All orders begin with the SOTS online portal. For paper apostilles, mail the original or certified document with your receipt or APO work order number after completing the online order. For eligible e-apostille documents, the process is completed digitally — no mailing is required. Check the current SOTS page for the fee schedule, accepted payment methods, and return shipping instructions before submitting.

Frequently asked questions

Connecticut cities and areas served

Miami Dade Apostille serves clients throughout Connecticut by mail. Documents can be sent from anywhere in the state — no in-person visit is required.

• Hartford
• New Haven
• Stamford
• Bridgeport
• Waterbury
• Norwalk
• Danbury
• New Britain
• West Hartford
• Greenwich
• Fairfield
• Hamden
• Bristol
• Meriden
• Milford

Sources

• Connecticut SOTS: Authentication and apostille information ↗
• Connecticut SOTS: Online apostille application ↗
• Connecticut DPH: Vital records apostille information ↗
• CDC: Where to Write for Connecticut Vital Records ↗
• USA.gov: Authenticate a U.S. document ↗
• HCCH Apostille Convention status table ↗