New York background checks are unusual in one helpful way: they skip the notarization and the County Clerk entirely. What they do require is the cover letter, and people throw it away constantly because it looks like a compliments slip.
DCJS, and keep the cover letter
A New York State criminal background check for apostille purposes comes from the Division of Criminal Justice Services. The copy you obtain must include the signature of the DCJS representative issuing it, and that signature does not need to be notarized — which means no notary and no County Clerk step.
You must submit both the background check document and the cover letter bearing the DCJS representative’s signature. The cover letter is not packaging; it carries the signature the Department of State is authenticating. Submitting the report alone is one of the most common rejections in this category.
DCJS mails the completed request to you. Only then can the apostille be filed. That sequencing means you cannot compress this into a single day, no matter how urgent the application.
An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document. No Secretary of State can apostille it — it goes to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. See our FBI background check page and the guide to federal versus state apostilles. Many countries ask for both, and we file the two in parallel so they arrive together.
Timing, which is what actually ruins these
Background checks expire faster than anything else in an application package. Most consulates treat them as valid for three to six months from issuance, and a few count from the apostille date instead. Since DCJS processing, the apostille and any embassy legalization each consume part of that window, the sequence has to be planned backwards from the filing deadline.
Order the check last, after the vital records and translations are done, so the clock starts as late as possible.
Fees and filing
$10 per document at the Department of State, plus DCJS fees. No County Clerk certification and no notarization. Same-day walk-in filing is available at five counters, capped at ten documents per customer.
How we handle it
- Tell us the destination country and whether it asked for a state check, a federal check, or both.
- You obtain the DCJS record — we advise on the request so the signed cover letter comes with it.
- We file at the Department of State counter in person with the report and the cover letter together.
- Any FBI component is filed in parallel at the Office of Authentications in Washington from the same order.
- Certified translation runs alongside; the finished set is couriered to you together.
Does a DCJS background check need to be notarized?
No. The copy must include the signature of the DCJS representative who issued it, and that signature does not need notarization — which also means no County Clerk certification is required.
Why was my background check rejected?
Most often because the cover letter was not submitted with it. The cover letter carries the DCJS representative’s signature, which is what the Department of State authenticates.
Can New York apostille my FBI check?
No. An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document and goes to the U.S. Department of State in Washington. We handle those through our Washington office and can run both in one order.
How long is it valid?
Most consulates accept three to six months from issuance, and some count from the apostille date. Plan backwards from your filing deadline and order the check last.
How fast can this be done?
The apostille itself is same-day when filed in person. DCJS must mail the completed record to you first, so the overall timeline is set by their processing, not by the counter.
New York documents, filed at the counter
Tell us the document and the destination country. We confirm the certification chain before anything is filed, quote the exact total, and present it in person.
Start an order Ask a question firstCall (760) 469-2997 or email submissions@federalapostille.org.
