South Carolina documents are apostilled by the South Carolina Secretary of State in Columbia. If your document was issued in South Carolina, or notarized by a notary commissioned in South Carolina, that is the only office that can certify it, wherever you live now.
South Carolina apostilles come from the Secretary of State in Columbia at $5 a document, not per page. Marriage records sit with the county probate court rather than the state.
We handle South Carolina orders by mail from anywhere in the country, and a mobile notary can come to you anywhere in South Carolina when a document needs signing first. The state fee is already inside our price, along with the submission and return shipping.
At a glance
South Carolina documents we apostille most often
| Document | Where it comes from | Notarization |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | The South Carolina Department of Public Health, Vital Records | Not required, certified copy |
| Marriage certificate | The probate court of the county where the licence was issued | Not required, certified copy |
| Death certificate | The South Carolina Department of Public Health, Vital Records | Not required, certified copy |
| Divorce decree | Clerk of the court that granted it | Not required, needs court seal |
| Power of attorney, affidavit | You | Required, South Carolina notary |
| Diploma or transcript | Your school | Usually required |
| Company documents | SC 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.
South Carolina-specific things worth knowing
- Marriage records come from the county probate court.
- The notary must be commissioned in South Carolina. A document notarized across a state line goes to that state instead.
- Federal documents never go to SC 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 South Carolina, 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 SC Secretary of State
We submit to Columbia 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.
South Carolina Apostille: common questions
Who issues apostilles in South Carolina?
The South Carolina Secretary of State, in Columbia. Documents issued in South Carolina, or notarized by a South Carolina notary, go there.
How much does a South Carolina 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 South Carolina need a county certification first?
No. South Carolina certifies its notaries and officials directly, so a correct document goes straight to the state.
My document is federal. Can South Carolina 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 South Carolina. Can I still get a South Carolina 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 Columbia.
How long does a South Carolina 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.
South Carolina Secretary of State, apostilles · CDC: Where to Write for Vital Records
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Book online for an exact price, including the South Carolina state fee.
Related: Apostille by state · North Carolina apostille · Georgia apostille · Federal apostille