Florida apostille: notary first, then Tallahassee
Florida apostilles are issued by the Department of State, not by a notary. If the paper is a private document, a Florida-commissioned notary takes the acknowledgment or jurat. If it is a birth, marriage, or death record, order a certified copy from Florida Vital Statistics (or the clerk of court for some marriage records), then apostille that copy.
How the appointment works
- Name the destination country. Confirm apostille vs embassy legalization.
- Vital record: order a certified copy from the issuing Florida office first.
- Private document: book a Florida-commissioned notary. Do not pre-sign. Do not use a Georgia or New York notary for a Florida apostille.
- File with the DOS Apostille and Notarial Certification unit using their current cover letter and fee. Check the DOS page before you drive to Tallahassee or Miami-Dade.
What Florida notaries can and cannot do
A Florida notary can notarize a consent, POA, affidavit, or a copy certification only where Florida law allows attested photocopies. They cannot apostille a passport, a vital record, or a school diploma as if they were the issuing agency.
For diplomas and transcripts, follow the school's process first (registrar certification is common). Then notarize only if that packet actually needs a notarial certificate.
Filing
The Department of State Apostille and Notarial Certification unit in Tallahassee takes mail requests. Use their current cover letter and fee schedule. Miami-Dade walk-up rumors go stale; check the DOS page before you drive.
Country of use must be named. An apostille for Spain is not interchangeable with embassy legalization for a non-Convention country. LATAM packets out of Miami often need that check first (Hague vs consulate).
Official instructions: Florida Department of State apostille page. Statewide notary rules live on the Florida notary hub.
City pages: Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville.