Maryland Apostille and Authentication
State authentication
Apostille and Authentication in Maryland
What Maryland requires before a document issued or notarised there can be authenticated, and what happens after.
- Issued by
- Maryland Secretary of State, Certifications
- County step
- Required
- State fee
- $5.00 per certification or apostille
- Typical time
- About 7 to 14 business days by post; walk-in service until 1pm daily
- Federal fee
- $20 per document
The county step, which most people miss
Before the Maryland Secretary of State will act on a notarised document, the notary must be certified by the clerk of the circuit court in the notary's county.
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 Maryland document is rejected before it ever reaches a federal desk.
What Maryland requires of the document
- A private notarised document must first have the notary signature certified by the clerk of the circuit court in the notary county.
Where to send it
By post: Maryland Secretary of State, 16 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Timing: About 7 to 14 business days by post; walk-in service until 1pm daily
Maryland 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 Maryland require a county step?
Yes. A notarised document must be certified by the clerk of the circuit court in the notary's county before the Secretary of State will act on it. Skipping this is the most common reason a Maryland package is returned.
I live elsewhere but my document is from Maryland. Where does it go?
To Maryland. Authentication follows the document, not the person. Where you live has no bearing on it.
Can Maryland 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 Maryland charge?
$5.00 per certification or 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.
