Washington Apostille Services

Before you start

1. 1Identify the destination country and confirm whether the Apostille Convention applies between that country and the United States.
2. 2Determine which office issued your document — Washington State, a federal agency, or another state — and follow the correct route for that issuing authority.
3. 3Contact us with your document type and destination before sending originals. If mailing, use a trackable shipping method and keep your tracking number.

Start with the document and its destination

• Tell us which country will receive the document, who issued it and what the receiving office requests.
• An apostille authenticates an official signature or seal; it does not approve the contents or guarantee acceptance for a particular application.
• Confirm whether the Apostille Convention applies between the United States and your destination.
• Other destinations may require additional federal authentication and consular legalization.
• Translation, document age and the required record format should be checked separately.

Washington vital records: a combined ordering option

• For a Washington birth, death, marriage or divorce certificate or single status letter, the Department of Health offers a combined certificate-and-apostille ordering process by mail or through its designated phone ordering service.
• DOH issues the record and forwards it to the Secretary of State for the apostille.
• If you already have a suitable certified certificate, submit it directly to the Secretary of State instead.
• Follow the DOH apostille instructions when ordering; do not assume an ordinary online certificate order includes this service.
• Faster shipping of a certificate is not a promise of faster apostille completion.

Divorce certificate or court decree?

• These are different records. DOH issues a one-page divorce certificate confirming the divorce; the decree contains the court's terms and comes from the county superior court clerk where the divorce was finalized.
• Ask the receiving authority which one it needs before ordering.
• DOH holds marriage and divorce records from 1968 onward; earlier divorce records require contacting the court clerk.
• A recent divorce may not yet be registered with DOH.
• For a decree or other court order, obtain a court-certified copy rather than submitting a downloaded case printout.

School records need the right certification

• Washington public-school transcripts need official certification and an authorized signature.
• Private-school records require Washington notarization.
• College and university transcripts need the appropriate registrar signature, and both transcripts and diplomas need the school seal.
• Out-of-state school copies may qualify with Washington notarization, but confirm the proposed copy and destination requirements first.
• A notarial stamp alone does not replace a complete notarial certificate.
• Personal powers of attorney, affidavits and consent documents need the appropriate completed Washington notarial act for this state route.

University of Washington diplomas

• UW graduates can take a copy of their original diploma to Registrar Student Services at Schmitz 260 during office hours or upload it through UW's Diploma Certification Request.
• Once verified, the registrar signs and stamps the copy and returns it to the graduate for submission to the Washington Secretary of State.
• This is UW's diploma procedure, not a substitute for ordering an official transcript.
• Questions about this certification can be directed to [email protected].

Background checks and business records follow separate routes

• A Washington State Patrol background check needs its notarized clearance letter.
• Include the original fingerprint card when the check was fingerprint-based, and confirm any additional fingerprint requirement from the destination.
• An FBI background check goes through the U.S. Department of State rather than Washington's state apostille office.
• For Washington corporation or LLC records on file with the Secretary of State, request the certified records and apostille together through the designated business-records process; these apostille orders cannot be placed as ordinary online corporate-record orders.

Check delivery instructions before sending originals

• Commercial overnight deliveries use the Western Washington office at 243 Israel Rd SE, Tumwater, WA 98501.
• The Cheney office at 960 Washington St, Cheney, WA 99004 provides in-person service and cannot receive mail.
• Confirm current hours and cutoff times before a visit.
• The linked apostille form and general contact page currently show different USPS box numbers, so confirm the apostille mailing address with the office before dispatching a USPS package.
• Contact 360-725-0377, option 3, or [email protected].
• Keep copies for your records and discuss traceable return delivery before submission.

How Miami Dade Apostille helps

• Send your document type and destination for review. We identify the appropriate issuing office, explain preparation steps and coordinate the applicable certification route, submission and return arrangements.
• We can also discuss translation needs and eligible notarization options.
• Miami Dade Apostille is a private coordinator; government authorities issue apostilles and the receiving authority decides whether documents meet its requirements.
• A Florida notarization does not turn a Washington public record into a Florida-issued record.
• Submit a review request any time, 24/7, 365 days a year; expect a reply in approximately two hours during regular business hours.

Frequently asked questions

Washington locations served

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

• Seattle
• Spokane
• Tacoma
• Vancouver
• Bellevue
• Olympia
• Kirkland
• Bellingham

Sources

• Washington DOH: vital records apostilles ↗
• Washington DOH: marriage or divorce record ↗
• Washington Secretary of State: apostilles information ↗
• Washington Secretary of State: apostille FAQ ↗
• Washington Secretary of State: contact ↗
• UW Registrar: diploma apostille ↗
• U.S. Department of State: apostille certificate ↗