Last verified: October 27, 2026
New York apostille: NYC vs. state records, the County Clerk step, and the $10 fee
New York trips up more people than almost any other state because of one extra step: most documents must be certified by a County Clerk before the New York Department of State will apostille them. The Department of State "only authenticates public documents issued in New York State which are signed by a New York State official or county clerk." [1]
| Which office | New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Apostille and Authentication Unit (mail, or walk-in in New York City, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica) [1] |
|---|---|
| What it costs | Department of State: $10 per document. [1] NYC birth, death, marriage and divorce records also need a County Clerk certification first; NYC lists that fee as $3. [2][3] Certified copies of the record itself are a separate fee from the issuing office. |
| How long it takes | Walk-in: "same day" service at the customer service counters, limited to 10 documents per customer. [1] Mail: the Department of State does not publish a processing time on its apostille page, so check with the office before you rely on a deadline. Completed documents are returned by first-class mail unless you include a prepaid overnight label. [1] |
Step 1: figure out who issued your record
This decides whether you need the County Clerk step:
- Issued by the NYS Department of Health and signed by the Director of Vital Statistics or NYS Registrar: you can send it straight to the Department of State, no County Clerk certification needed. [1]
- Issued by a city, town, local registrar, or the NYC Health Department: it must first be certified by the County Clerk of the county where it was issued. [1]
The Department of State warns that "all New York State vital records will list New York State on the document," and that alone does not mean the state Health Department issued it. Local offices may also use words like "registrar," "vital records," or "vital statistics." Read the certification on your document closely. [1]
NYC birth or death certificate (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island)
- Order the long form with a Letter of Exemplification. NYC Health says the long form is the one generally used for apostilles. Online through VitalChek, choose "Apostille/Authentication" as the reason; on the mail application, select "Apostille" as the reason. [2] A short-form certificate or one ordered without the letter will not work for this route. [2][3]
- Get it authenticated by the County Clerk. NYC Health directs people to the New York County Clerk, 60 Centre Street, Room 141B, New York, NY 10007; cost $3.00. [2] NYC311 says you can do this by mail or in person, and by mail you must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. [3] Personal checks are not accepted at NYC County Clerk offices. [3]
- Send it to the NYS Department of State with the request form, the clerk's certification, and $10, and name the country where the document will be used. [1][3]
NYC marriage or divorce record
For a marriage record, order a certified copy from the City Clerk's Marriage Bureau with an original signature of the City Clerk. For a divorce record, order a certified copy from the County Clerk. Then have it verified by the County Clerk in Manhattan ($3), and send it to the Department of State with the form and $10. [3]
Diplomas, transcripts, powers of attorney and other notarized papers
- School records: a school official must certify that the document is an official record or true copy, and that official's signature must be notarized. [1]
- Notarized documents (powers of attorney, affidavits): they "must be certified by the County Clerk of the County where the notary is certified to notarize." [1] County Clerk fees outside NYC aren't listed on the state page; confirm with that county clerk.
- NYS criminal background check: order it from the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services for apostille use, and submit both the record and the cover letter signed by the DCJS representative. No notarization needed. [1]
- FBI background check: New York cannot apostille it. Federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State. [1] See our FBI background check guide.
By mail
Include the Department of State request form (the current version asks for a CVV on credit card payments; older forms can get the payment rejected), the original document with any County Clerk certification, and the $10 per-document fee. [1] NYC311 says mail payment can be a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank payable to "NYS Department of State," or a credit card entered on the request form. [3]
USPS: New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Apostille and Authentication Unit, PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001.
UPS/FedEx/DHL: Division of Licensing Services, 1 Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231. [1]
The Department of State does not accept shipping labels that bill your credit card or "bill sender." [1]
In person (walk-in)
| Office | Apostille hours (per Dept. of State) |
|---|---|
| Albany: 1 Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Ave., 6th Floor | Mon–Fri 9:00am–4:15pm |
| New York City: 123 William St., New York, NY 10038 | Mon–Fri 9:00am–4:00pm |
| Binghamton, Buffalo, Utica | Mon–Fri 9:00am–12:00pm and 12:45pm–4:00pm |
Bring documents already certified by the County Clerk where required, a completed request form, and payment. Same-day service is limited to 10 documents per customer. [1] NYC311 says the Manhattan Department of State office takes only checks or money orders drawn on a U.S. bank; no cash or credit cards. [3] Note: the Department of State page lists the NYC office on the 2nd floor, while NYC Health and NYC311 list the 19th floor. Confirm before you go by calling the number on the Department of State page. [1][2][3]
Apostille or Certificate of Authentication?
If the destination country is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you get an apostille. If not, New York issues a Certificate of Authentication, which "may also require an additional certification from the United States Department of State" before you send it abroad. [1] Check the country on the Hague Conference status table [4], and see apostille vs. authentication.
Born in New York but live somewhere else? The apostille still has to come from New York, the state that issued the record. Your current state can't apostille it. [1]