Alabama documents are apostilled by the Alabama Secretary of State, Authentications Division in Montgomery. If your document was issued in Alabama, or notarized by a notary commissioned in Alabama, that is the only office that can certify it, wherever you live now.
Alabama has a wrinkle that only matters if your document is headed to a country outside the Hague Convention. For an apostille, the Secretary of State certifies an Alabama notary directly. For a non-Hague certification, a notarized document first needs the probate judge of the notary’s county to authenticate the notary’s commission.
We handle Alabama orders by mail from anywhere in the country, and a mobile notary can come to you anywhere in Alabama when a document needs signing first. The state fee is already inside our price, along with the submission and return shipping.
At a glance
Alabama documents we apostille most often
| Document | Where it comes from | Notarization |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | The Alabama Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics | Not required, certified copy |
| Marriage certificate | The probate court of the county where it was recorded, or the state health department | Not required, certified copy |
| Death certificate | The Alabama Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics | Not required, certified copy |
| Divorce decree | Clerk of the court that granted it | Not required, needs court seal |
| Power of attorney, affidavit | You | Required, Alabama notary |
| Diploma or transcript | Your school | Usually required |
| Company documents | AL Secretary of State | Certified copies, or notarized if company-issued |
| FBI check, IRS, USCIS | Federal agency | Federal, goes to the U.S. Dept. of State |
Not sure which you have? Send it through the free review and we will tell you before you pay. No usable copy? We can order a certified copy.
Alabama-specific things worth knowing
- Apostille versus certification changes the route. Hague countries get an apostille with no county step. Non-Hague countries get a certification, which needs the probate judge first. Tell us the destination so we take the right path.
- The Secretary of State certifies three kinds of signature: an Alabama notary, a probate judge, or the State Registrar of vital records. A document signed by anyone else needs one of those first.
- The notary must be commissioned in Alabama. A document notarized across a state line goes to that state instead.
- Federal documents never go to AL Secretary of State. An FBI background check, IRS letter or naturalization certificate is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State. See federal apostille.
How it works
Step 1
Send us the document
Post the original in, book a mobile notary who comes to you anywhere in Alabama, or have us retrieve a certified copy.
Step 2
We check it first
We confirm the copy is certified, correctly sealed, and notarized where needed, before any state fee is paid.
Step 3
Apostille from AL Secretary of State
We submit to Montgomery and pay the $5 state fee, which is already included in your price.
Step 4
Back to you
Shipped tracked and insured, or scanned and emailed as soon as it is issued.
Alabama Apostille: common questions
Who issues apostilles in Alabama?
The Alabama Secretary of State, Authentications Division, in Montgomery. Documents issued in Alabama, or notarized by a Alabama notary, go there.
How much does a Alabama apostille cost?
The state charges $5. Our price starts at $99 per document and already includes that fee, so there is nothing extra to pay the state. See pricing.
Does Alabama need a county certification first?
Not for an apostille. For a non-Hague certification, a notarized document first needs the probate judge of the notary's county. We route it the right way once we know the destination.
My document is federal. Can Alabama apostille it?
No. An FBI background check, IRS letter, USCIS document or federal court record carries a federal signature, so it goes to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., whichever state you live in. See federal apostille.
I live outside Alabama. Can I still get a Alabama apostille?
Yes. The state that issued the document decides the office, not where you live. Post it to us from anywhere and we submit it in Montgomery.
How long does a Alabama apostille take?
It depends on the state’s current queue plus shipping. See processing times for what we are seeing now, and ask about rush if you have a deadline.
Official sources
Requirements, fees and processing times are set by the authorities below and can change without notice. Verify anything time-critical directly with them.
Alabama Secretary of State, Authentications Division, apostilles · CDC: Where to Write for Vital Records
Ready to get started?
Book online for an exact price, including the Alabama state fee.
Related: Apostille by state · Georgia apostille · Tennessee apostille · Mississippi apostille · Federal apostille