Georgia Apostille and Authentication
State authentication
Apostille and Authentication in Georgia
What Georgia requires before a document issued or notarised there can be authenticated, and what happens after.
- Issued by
- Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), not the Secretary of State
- County step
- Required
- State fee
- $3.00 per apostille
- Typical time
- Same day at the counter, about two days for mailed orders
- Federal fee
- $20 per document
The county step, which most people miss
Before the Georgia Secretary of State will act on a notarised document, the notary must be certified by the clerk of superior court in the county where the notary is commissioned.
Skipping it means the state returns the package untouched, usually a week or two later, and the whole chain restarts. It is the most common single reason a Georgia document is rejected before it ever reaches a federal desk.
What Georgia requires of the document
- Georgia is an exception: apostilles are issued by the Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority, not by the Secretary of State.
- A notarised document must first be certified by the clerk of superior court in the county where the notary is commissioned.
- Include a prepaid return envelope with mailed orders.
Where to send it
By post: GSCCCA, 1875 Century Blvd NE, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30345
Timing: Same day at the counter, about two days for mailed orders
Georgia Secretary of State: apostilles and authentications
Checked against the state's own page on 8 September 2026.
After the state
If the destination is in the Hague Apostille Convention, the state apostille ends the chain. If it is not, the document then needs U.S. Department of State authentication and legalisation by that country’s mission.
Questions people actually ask
Does Georgia require a county step?
Yes. A notarised document must be certified by the clerk of superior court in the county where the notary is commissioned before the Secretary of State will act on it. Skipping this is the most common reason a Georgia package is returned.
I live elsewhere but my document is from Georgia. Where does it go?
To Georgia. Authentication follows the document, not the person. Where you live has no bearing on it.
Can Georgia authenticate my FBI background check?
No. An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document and no state can certify a federal signature. It goes straight to the U.S. Department of State.
What does Georgia charge?
$3.00 per apostille This was checked against the official page for that state on 8 September 2026. Fees change without notice, so confirm before filing.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
