Montana Apostille and Authentication
State authentication
Apostille and Authentication in Montana
What Montana requires before a document issued or notarised there can be authenticated, and what happens after.
- Issued by
- Montana Secretary of State, Notary and Certifications Division
- County step
- Not required
- State fee
- $10.00 per apostille
- Typical time
- Same day at the counter; about three to five days for mailed orders
- Federal fee
- $20 per document
Where to send it
By post: Notary & Certifications Division, Montana Secretary of State, PO Box 202801, Helena, MT 59620-2801
By courier: FedEx and UPS: 1301 E. 6th Ave, Helena, MT 59601
Timing: Same day at the counter; about three to five days for mailed orders
Montana 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 Montana require a county clerk certification first?
No. Montana is not among the seven states that insert a county-level step, so a properly notarised document goes directly to the Secretary of State.
I live elsewhere but my document is from Montana. Where does it go?
To Montana. Authentication follows the document, not the person. Where you live has no bearing on it.
Can Montana 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 Montana charge?
$10.00 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.
