New York Apostille and Authentication
State authentication
Apostille and Authentication in New York
What New York requires before a document issued or notarised there can be authenticated, and what happens after.
- Issued by
- New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services
- County step
- Required
- State fee
- $10.00 per document
- Typical time
- Same-day walk-in service at New York City, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica
- Federal fee
- $20 per document
The county step, which most people miss
Before the New York Secretary of State will act on a notarised document, the notary must be certified by the county clerk of 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 New York document is rejected before it ever reaches a federal desk.
What New York requires of the document
- Birth, death and marriage certificates issued by a local or county official must be certified by the County Clerk first.
- Vital records issued by the New York State Department of Health and signed by the Director of Vital Statistics or the State Registrar do NOT need County Clerk certification. This exception is widely missed.
- Notarised documents must be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the notary is commissioned.
Where to send it
By post: NY Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Apostille and Authentication Unit, PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001
By courier: 1 Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231
Timing: Same-day walk-in service at New York City, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica
New York 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 New York require a county step?
Yes. A notarised document must be certified by the county clerk of the county where the notary is commissioned before the Secretary of State will act on it. Skipping this is the most common reason a New York package is returned.
I live elsewhere but my document is from New York. Where does it go?
To New York. Authentication follows the document, not the person. Where you live has no bearing on it.
Can New York 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 New York charge?
$10.00 per document 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.
