Pennsylvania Apostille Services
Pennsylvania documents need the right official signature before international authentication. Miami Dade Apostille helps review and coordinate processing for birth and death certificates, marriage records, divorce decrees, school records, powers of attorney, affidavits and other eligible documents. Share the issuing office and destination country before mailing originals.
Before you start
- Identify the document type and the office that issued it.
- Confirm the destination country's treaty relationship and the receiving authority's exact requirements.
- Send us a scan for preparation review before committing originals.
Check the signature before submission
- Pennsylvania requires original documents bearing the proper official signature and seal.
- County documents must be signed by the clerk in charge; assistant or deputy clerk signatures are not accepted.
- Marriage certificates need the register of wills or clerk of the orphans' court signature, not only the wedding officiant's signature.
- Birth certificates should not be notarized.
- For notarized private documents, the notarial certificate must be completed in English; a version in another language understood by the notary may appear immediately alongside it.
Marriage certificate note: The officiant's signature alone is not sufficient. The record must carry the register of wills or clerk of the orphans' court signature. Request the county-certified record, not a copy of the ceremony certificate.
Tell Vital Records about international use
- When ordering a Pennsylvania birth certificate for overseas use, the Health Department directs applicants to select dual citizenship or Other under Intended Use.
- If choosing Other, specify international purposes.
- Obtaining the birth certificate and obtaining the apostille are separate steps.
- For records before 1906, contact the appropriate county courthouse about available records.
Death certificates need the state registrar
- A locally registered death certificate may not carry the signature needed for authentication.
- Pennsylvania Health directs international-use applicants to order a death certificate bearing the state registrar's signature, then arrange the separate Department of State authentication.
- Check the signature before sending a certificate already in your possession.
Marriage and divorce records come from the county
- Request a marriage license record from the Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the county that issued the license.
- Divorce records are generally held by the county Prothonotary; contact the county where the divorce was filed.
- Explain that you need a certified copy for overseas authentication so the office can prepare the appropriate certification.
- A research image or online case view is not the same request.
Penn State transcripts and diplomas
- Penn State's Registrar notarizes documents produced by that office and returns the notarized material to the student for further processing.
- For an online official transcript order, attach the completed notary services request form.
- Electronic transcripts and Ce-Diplomas cannot be notarized through this service.
- The office prepares an authenticity letter whose signature is notarized; notary availability can extend processing.
- Contact [email protected] or 814-863-0000 about appointment arrangements.
- Other Pennsylvania schools have their own records procedures; ask the registrar before ordering.
Electronic transcripts and Ce-Diplomas are excluded from Penn State's notarization service. Request a paper official transcript and attach the notary services request form.
Prepare the state request and return shipping
- The state request form asks for contact details, destination country and document count.
- Include the current fee and a stamped return envelope or an accepted prepaid courier air bill.
- The published form excludes FedEx and DHL for return shipments and limits credit-card payment to walk-in service.
- Keep the staple intact after authentication.
- Recheck the latest form before dispatch.
Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation, 201 North Office Building, 401 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Understand the updated certificate format
- Pennsylvania now describes a single certificate with a printed black electronic seal and French and Spanish translations.
- This appearance change does not itself remove additional legalization requirements for a destination outside the applicable Apostille Convention relationship.
- Identify the destination accurately and confirm the receiving authority's requirements.
- Contact the certification office at [email protected] or 717-787-5280 for state-process questions.
State and federal documents follow different routes
- FBI background checks follow the federal U.S. Department of State process. Pennsylvania state authentication is not a substitute.
- We can help identify the correct route from the actual issuer and destination, including whether further authentication or consular legalization needs coordination.
- An apostille does not guarantee that the recipient will accept the document for every purpose.
Pennsylvania document routing
| Document | Start here |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate | Pennsylvania Department of Health — select dual citizenship or Other (specify international) under Intended Use. Pre-1906 records: contact county courthouse → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| Death certificate | Pennsylvania Department of Health — order the version bearing the state registrar's signature for international use → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| Marriage license record | Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the license county. Must carry register of wills / orphans' court clerk signature, not only officiant's → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| Divorce record | County Prothonotary in the county where the divorce was filed. Request certified copy for overseas authentication → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| Penn State transcript / diploma | Penn State Registrar — attach notary services request form to online transcript order. Electronic transcripts and Ce-Diplomas excluded. Registrar returns notarized document to student → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| Other school transcript / diploma | Issuing school registrar — ask about certification and notarization for overseas use → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| County court record | Clerk in charge of the issuing court (not assistant or deputy clerk) → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| Notarized document (POA, affidavit, etc.) | Complete Pennsylvania notarization with English notarial certificate before submission → Pennsylvania DOS. |
| Corporate / business document | Contact Pennsylvania DOS for preparation and filing requirements. |
| Out-of-state public record | Belongs with the issuing state — Pennsylvania cannot authenticate another state's records. |
| FBI background check / federal record | Federal document — U.S. Department of State route, not Pennsylvania. See our FBI apostille guide. |
Review your documents with Miami Dade Apostille
- We coordinate document preparation and state or federal processing, with certified translations through qualified translators.
- We handle the required steps from start to finish, so you do not have to navigate each office on your own.
- Remote online notarization may be available for eligible private documents subject to identity, witness, document and recipient requirements. A Florida notarial act follows the Florida route and cannot replace Pennsylvania certification of a public record.
- Miami Dade Apostille is a private service, not a government agency or law firm, and does not provide legal advice.
Working toward a deadline? Send us a scan before committing originals — we can review requirements and help coordinate the correct process.
Frequently asked questions
Pennsylvania locations served
Miami Dade Apostille serves clients throughout Pennsylvania by mail. Documents can be sent from anywhere in the state — no in-person visit to our office is required.
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Allentown
- Erie
- Reading
- Scranton
- Bethlehem
- Lancaster
- Harrisburg
- State College
Sources
- Pennsylvania.gov: get document certifications and apostilles ↗
- Pennsylvania Department of Health: birth certificate FAQ ↗
- Pennsylvania Department of Health: death certificate FAQ ↗
- Pennsylvania State Archives: marriage records ↗
- Penn State Registrar: notary services ↗
- Pennsylvania DOS: apostilles and authentication request form (PDF) ↗
- Pennsylvania DOS: document certification ↗
MIAMI DADE APOSTILLE IS NOT A LAW FIRM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE. WE ARE A PRIVATE DOCUMENT COORDINATION SERVICE. THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS FOR GENERAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE. FOR LEGAL QUESTIONS, CONSULT A LICENSED ATTORNEY.
Ready to start your Pennsylvania apostille?
Send us your documents by mail from anywhere in Pennsylvania. We review, coordinate the appropriate authentication process and return your documents.
Submissions are accepted 24/7, 365 days a year. We typically reply within approximately two hours during regular business hours.
If you're working toward a deadline, message us before sending your documents. We can review requirements, help avoid preventable delays and coordinate the correct process.
State documents: same day to 4 days. Federal documents (FBI, U.S. Department of State): 7–14 days. Contact us with your document type and deadline to confirm availability.
Miami Dade Apostille is a private document coordination service. We are not the Pennsylvania Department of State, a government agency, or a law firm. We do not issue apostilles or government records.