Ordering Certified Copies, State by State
Before anything else
Ordering Certified Copies, State by State
You cannot apostille a document you do not have, and you cannot apostille the wrong kind of copy. This is where to order a certified birth, death, marriage or divorce record and a certified corporate record in each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, with the fee, the address and what each office will refuse.
- Jurisdictions
- 52
- Vital records
- State health department
- Corporate
- Secretary of State
- Then apostille
- Often a third office
Two offices, not one
Vital records
Birth, death, marriage and divorce come from the state health department, usually a vital records or vital statistics office. In many states marriage and divorce are held only at county level and the state can sell you nothing but a verification.
Corporate records
Certificates of good standing and certified copies of formation documents come from the Secretary of State business division, in the state of formation. Usually online, usually same day.
And a third office after that. The apostille comes from the Secretary of State in most states, but from the Superior Court Clerks Authority in Georgia and from the Lieutenant Governor in Utah and Alaska. So a Georgia birth certificate passes through three separate authorities before it leaves the country.
Getting the right kind of copy
- Certified copy, not informational. Several states sell a cheaper informational, genealogical or verification copy that is explicitly not valid for identity purposes and cannot be apostilled.
- Issued by the registrar, with a seal. Hospital souvenir certificates, photocopies, laminated wallet cards and scans are all refused.
- Recent enough for the receiving authority. Most states place no limit on age, but plenty of foreign missions want one issued within the last six or twelve months.
- Do not alter it. Do not sign it, stamp it, laminate it, or open a sealed envelope. Any of those can void it for authentication.
- Order more than one if two authorities need an original. Additional copies ordered at the same time are far cheaper than a second order later, in almost every state.
Vital records by state
| Jurisdiction | Birth | Death | Marriage | Divorce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $30.00, additional copies $25.00. Heirloom birth $55.00 | $30.00, additional $25.00 | $30.00, additional $25.00. Heirloom marriage $65.00 | $30.00, additional $25.00 |
| Alabama | $15.00, additional copies $6.00 | $15.00, additional $6.00 | $15.00, additional $6.00 | $15.00, additional $6.00; the state does not hold decrees |
| Arkansas | $12.00, additional copies $10.00 | $10.00, additional $8.00 | $10.00, additional $10.00 | $10.00, additional $10.00 |
| Arizona | $20.00 | $20.00 | Varies; Clerk of Superior Court | Varies; Clerk of Superior Court |
| California | $29.00 | $24.00 | $17.00 | $14.00 |
| Colorado | $20.00, additional copies $13.00 | $20.00, additional copies $13.00 | $17.00 verification only from the state | $17.00 verification only from the state |
| Connecticut | $20.00 from the city or town, $30.00 from the state | $20.00 | $20.00 | $25.00; from the Clerk of Superior Court |
| District of Columbia | $23.00 | $18.00 | $10.00 from DC Superior Court, 500 Indiana Avenue NW, Rm. 4485 | $6.50 from DC Superior Court, Rm. 4335, for divorces since 16 September 1956 |
| Delaware | $25.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 | Certified copies not available from the state; county Prothonotary or Family Court |
| Florida | $9.00 for the first year searched, includes one certification; $4.00 each additional copy | $5.00 for the first year searched, includes one certification; $4.00 each additional copy | $5.00 for the first year searched; $4.00 each additional | $5.00 for the first year searched; $4.00 each additional |
| Georgia | $25.00, additional copies $5.00 | $25.00, additional copies $5.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 verification letter only |
| Hawaii | $10.00, additional copies $4.00 | $10.00, additional $4.00 | $10.00, additional $4.00 | Varies; Circuit Court in the county |
| Iowa | $20.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 | Contact the county; the state office does not list divorce |
| Idaho | $16.00 | $16.00 | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Illinois | $15.00 certified copy; $10.00 certification | $19.00 certified copy; $10.00 genealogical | $5.00 verification only | $5.00 verification only |
| Indiana | $10.00, additional copies $4.00 | $8.00, additional copies $4.00 | $8.00 index only from the state | Varies; county clerk |
| Kansas | $20.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| Kentucky | $10.00 | $6.00 | $6.00 | $6.00 |
| Louisiana | $15.00 plus $0.50 state charge for mail requests | $7.00 plus $0.50 | $5.00 plus $0.50, Orleans Parish only | Varies; parish Clerk of Court |
| Massachusetts | $20.00 in person, $32.00 by mail, $3.00 from the State Archives | $20.00 in person, $32.00 by mail | $20.00 in person, $32.00 by mail | No fee; index only since 1952 |
| Maryland | $10.00 | $10.00 first copy, $12.00 each additional on the same order | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Maine | $15.00 certified, $10.00 non-certified; additional copies $6.00 | $15.00 certified, $10.00 non-certified; additional $6.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Michigan | $34.00 first copy, $16.00 each additional; rush adds $12.00. Age 65+ ordering their own birth record pay $14.00 | $34.00 first, $16.00 additional; rush adds $12.00 | $34.00; rush adds $12.00 | $34.00; rush adds $12.00 |
| Minnesota | $26.00, additional copies $19.00 | $13.00, additional copies $6.00 | $9.00 at county level | $10.00 at county level |
| Missouri | $15.00 | $14.00, additional copies $11.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Mississippi | $17.00, additional copies $6.00 | $17.00, additional $6.00 | $17.00 statistical record only | $17.00 index search per five-year increment; no certified copies |
| Montana | $16.00 | $16.00 | $10.00 search for the first five years, $1.00 per extra year; no certified copies | $10.00 search for the first five years; no certified copies |
| North Carolina | $24.00 first copy, $15.00 each additional | $24.00 first, $15.00 additional | $24.00 first, $15.00 additional | $24.00 first, $15.00 additional |
| North Dakota | $15.00 | $15.00 first copy, $10.00 additional | Varies by county; the state stopped issuing certified marriage copies on 1 January 2008 | Varies; county courthouse |
| Nebraska | $17.00 | $16.00 | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| New Hampshire | $15.00 first copy, $10.00 each additional | $15.00 first, $10.00 additional | $15.00 first, $10.00 additional | $15.00 first, $10.00 additional |
| New Jersey | $25.00 first copy, $2.00 each additional on the same order | $25.00 first, $2.00 additional | $25.00 first, $2.00 additional | $10.00 certified Blue Seal copy from the Superior Court |
| New Mexico | $10.00 | $5.00 | Varies; County Clerk | Varies; Clerk of Court |
| Nevada | $25.00 | $25.00 | $10.00 search fee at the state; county varies | $10.00 search fee at the state; county varies |
| New York | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 state; $5.00 city | $30.00 state; county varies |
| Ohio | $21.50 | $21.50 | Varies; county Probate Court | Varies; county Clerk of Court of Common Pleas |
| Oklahoma | $15.00 | $15.00 | Varies; county Clerk of Court | Varies; county Clerk of Court |
| Oregon | $25.00; additional copies ordered at the same time are also $25.00. Full-image births 1903-2007 are $30.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Pennsylvania | $20.00 | $20.00 | Varies; county Marriage License Clerk | Varies; county Prothonotary |
| Puerto Rico | $5.00 for the first copy in a 12-month period, $10.00 for the second and third | $10.00 | $10.00 | $10.00 for Puerto Rico divorces, $20.00 for out-of-jurisdiction |
| Rhode Island | $22.00 in person, $25.00 by mail | $22.00 in person, $25.00 by mail | $22.00 in person, $25.00 by mail | $25.00 through the Clerk of Family Court |
| South Carolina | $12.00 search fee including one certification; $3.00 each additional | $12.00 including one certification; $3.00 additional | $12.00 including one certification | $12.00; report only, decree from the county Clerk of Court |
| South Dakota | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Tennessee | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Texas | $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional ordered at the same time | $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional ordered at the same time | $20.00 per application (search and verification only) | $20.00 per application (search and verification only) |
| Utah | $25.00 first copy, $10.00 additional | $35.00 first copy, $10.00 additional | $25.00 first copy, $10.00 additional | $25.00 first copy, $10.00 additional |
| Virginia | $12.00 | $12.00 | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Vermont | $10.00 at the state, $12.00 for all years through the online service | $10.00 | $10.00 state, $12.00 online for all years | $10.00 state, $12.00 online for all years |
| Washington | $25.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Wisconsin | $20.00, additional copies $3.00 on the same order | $20.00, additional $3.00 | $20.00, additional $3.00 | $20.00, additional $3.00 |
| West Virginia | $12.00 | $12.00 | $12.00 from 1964 forward; earlier from the county | Varies; county Circuit Court clerk |
| Wyoming | $25.00 | $25.00 first copy, $20.00 additional | $25.00 | $25.00 |
Fees are the state office’s own, from the federal Where to Write for Vital Records index, checked 8 September 2026. Online vendors add a service fee on top. Where a cell names a county office, the state does not sell a certified copy at all.
Corporate records by state
A certificate of good standing, sometimes called a certificate of existence or status, and certified copies of formation documents both come from the Secretary of State in the state where the entity was formed. Most states issue them online the same day.
| Jurisdiction | Office |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Alaska Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Authentications. Alaska has no Secretary of State |
| Alabama | Alabama Secretary of State |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services |
| Arizona | Arizona Secretary of State, Apostille Department |
| California | California Secretary of State, Notary Public Section |
| Colorado | Colorado Secretary of State, Authentications Program |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Secretary of the State |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia Office of the Secretary |
| Delaware | Delaware Secretary of State |
| Florida | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations |
| Georgia | Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA), not the Secretary of State |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Office of the Lieutenant Governor |
| Iowa | Iowa Secretary of State, Notary Division |
| Idaho | Idaho Secretary of State, Notary Department |
| Illinois | Illinois Secretary of State, Index Department |
| Indiana | Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Kansas | Kansas Secretary of State |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Secretary of State |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Secretary of State, Commissions Division |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section |
| Maryland | Maryland Secretary of State, Certifications |
| Maine | Maine Secretary of State, Corporations and Commissions |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of State, Office of the Great Seal |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Secretary of State, Certification |
| Missouri | Missouri Secretary of State, Commissions |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Secretary of State |
| Montana | Montana Secretary of State, Notary and Certifications Division |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Secretary of State, Authentications Division |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Secretary of State, Authentications Division |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Secretary of State |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Secretary of State |
| Nevada | Nevada Secretary of State |
| New York | New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services |
| Ohio | Ohio Secretary of State, Client Service Center |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Secretary of State, Certification Department |
| Oregon | Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division, Notary Section |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department of State, Apostilles and Certifications |
| Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Department of State |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Secretary of State, Division of Business Services |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Secretary of State |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Secretary of State, Apostille Office |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Secretary of State, Office of Authentications |
| Texas | Texas Secretary of State, Authentications Unit |
| Utah | Utah Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Utah has no Secretary of State |
| Virginia | Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth, Authentications |
| Vermont | Vermont Secretary of State |
| Washington | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations Division, Apostille Program |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Secretary of State |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Secretary of State |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Secretary of State |
Ordered it? We do the rest
Once the certified copy is in hand, the state and federal authentication that follows is exactly what we do.
Questions people actually ask
Which office issues a birth certificate?
The state health department, not the Secretary of State. This is the single most common confusion, because the Secretary of State is the office that later apostilles it. Two different buildings, two different fees.
Can I use the copy I already have at home?
Only if it is a certified copy with the registrar's seal and it is recent enough. A hospital souvenir certificate, a photocopy, and a laminated card are all refused. Some missions also want a copy issued within the last six or twelve months even though the state places no limit on it.
Do I need a certified copy or will a certification do?
For anything that will be apostilled or legalised, you need the certified copy. Several states also sell a cheaper informational or genealogical copy that is explicitly not valid for identity purposes, and it cannot be apostilled.
Which states will not give me a marriage or divorce certificate?
Quite a few. Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Arizona, Minnesota, Montana, Mississippi and others hold only an index or verification at state level, and the certified copy comes from a county clerk or court. Each state page says which.
How long does ordering take?
Anything from same day at a counter to several weeks by post, and it is separate from the authentication that follows. Order the copy first and build the apostille timeline on top of it, not alongside.
What is VitalChek?
The authorised online ordering vendor most states use. It is faster than post but adds its own service fee on top of the state fee, so the figures on these pages are the state's own.
How do I get a certificate of good standing for my company?
From the Secretary of State in the state of formation, usually online and usually same day. It is a different office and a different fee from a certified copy of your formation documents, though most states sell both.
Can a document be apostilled straight after I order it?
Yes, and that is normally the right order: order the certified copy, then send it for authentication. Do not sign, stamp, laminate or open a sealed envelope in between, because any of those can void it.
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.
