Washington Apostille and Authentication
State authentication
Apostille and Authentication in Washington
What Washington requires before a document issued or notarised there can be authenticated, and what happens after.
- Issued by
- Washington Secretary of State, Corporations Division, Apostille Program
- County step
- Not required
- State fee
- $15.00 per document standard, $50.00 expedited
- Typical time
- Same day at the counter, about five to seven days for mailed orders
- Federal fee
- $20 per document
What Washington requires of the document
- Washington vital records carry their own apostille route through the Department of Health.
Where to send it
By post: Washington Secretary of State, Apostille and Certificate Program, 801 Capitol Way South, Olympia, WA 98504
Timing: Same day at the counter, about five to seven days for mailed orders
Washington 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 Washington require a county clerk certification first?
No. Washington 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 Washington. Where does it go?
To Washington. Authentication follows the document, not the person. Where you live has no bearing on it.
Can Washington 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 Washington charge?
$15.00 per document standard, $50.00 expedited 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.
