Last verified: October 29, 2026
Illinois apostille: the $2 fee, walk-in locations, mail steps, and what gets rejected
Illinois apostilles and certificates come from the Secretary of State's Index Department. They authenticate the signature of an Illinois public official (or an Illinois notary) on a document that will be used outside the U.S. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention get an Apostille; other countries get a Certificate of Authority. [1][3]
| Which office | Illinois Secretary of State, Index Department (Chicago and Springfield), plus select DMV+ locations for walk-in service [1][2] |
|---|---|
| What it costs | $2 for each Apostille or Certificate. Each document needs its own. [1] Certified copies of the record itself are a separate fee from the office that issues them. |
| How long it takes | In person: "in most cases, documents are processed while you wait," first come, first served. [1] Mail: 7 to 14 business days, not counting mailing time either way. [1] |
| How to pay | Check or money order payable to the Illinois Secretary of State. For several documents, send one check or money order for the total. [1] |
Get the right copy first
This is where most people lose time. Illinois only authenticates originals signed by Illinois officials, and some records must come from the office that holds the original: [1]
- Birth or death certificate: a certified copy from the county clerk, local registrar, or the Illinois Department of Public Health's Vital Records Division. [1]
- Marriage license: a certified copy from the county clerk. [1]
- Divorce decree: a certified copy from the circuit clerk of the court where the divorce was granted. [1]
- Everything else (diplomas, transcripts, powers of attorney, letters): it must be certified by a government official or notarized by an Illinois notary public. [1]
- Out-of-state documents can't be done here. Illinois cannot certify out-of-state officials, so a record from another state goes to that state. [1]
In person (fastest)
Bring a completed Application for Authentication, your original documents, and a check or money order for $2 per document. [1]
- Chicago Office: Index Department, 160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 100, Chicago, IL 60601, 312-814-8218 [1][2]
- Springfield Office: Index Department, 2701 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL 62723, 217-782-7017 [1][2]
- Select DMV+ locations: Chicago Flagship (125 W. Monroe Street), Aurora DMV+ (970 N. Lake Street, Suite B), Champaign DMV+ (2012 Round Barn Road), Lake Zurich DMV+ (951 S. Rand Road), and Melrose Park DMV+ (1903 N. Mannheim Road). [1]
Index Department office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. set aside for review of documents, so arrive before 4. [2] The Chicago-area locations only authenticate documents for foreign use; other Index Department services are Springfield-only. [1]
By mail
- A completed Application for Authentication. [1]
- Your original documents (certified by a government official or notarized by an Illinois notary). [1]
- One check or money order payable to the Illinois Secretary of State, $2 per Apostille or Certificate. [1]
- A self-addressed, stamped return envelope. If you want tracking, include prepaid postage and a shipping label; without prepaid postage, documents come back by first-class mail. [1]
Mail to: Illinois Secretary of State, Index Department, 160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 100, Chicago, IL 60601. [1] Older guides still list a 17 N. State Street address; use the one on the Secretary of State's current page.
Sending it straight abroad? The Secretary of State can hand your documents to FedEx or UPS if you include a prepaid, preprinted international shipping label. Otherwise they go back by first-class mail. [1][3]
FBI background checks and other federal documents
Illinois can only authenticate Illinois officials' signatures. [1] An FBI Identity History Summary is a federal document, so it goes to the U.S. Department of State instead. See our FBI background check guide.
Apostille or certificate?
If the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you get an Apostille; if not, Illinois issues a Certificate. The fee and requirements are the same for both. [1][3] Check the country on the Hague Conference status table [4], and see apostille vs. authentication.
Questions: Chicago 312-814-8218 or eAuthenticationsChicago@ilsos.gov; Springfield 217-782-7017 or eAuthenticationsSpringfield@ilsos.gov. [1]