Birth certificates, college transcripts, corporate records and FBI background checks, authenticated for use abroad. Our Dover office sits minutes from the two Federal Street counters that issue and authenticate Delaware documents.
ISSUES VITAL RECORDS
Office of Vital Statistics
417 Federal Street, Dover
Birth, marriage and death certificates
ISSUES THE APOSTILLE
Division of Corporations
401 Federal Street, Dover
Personal documents typically processed the same business day
YOUR STARTING POINT
Delaware Mobile Signings
846 Walker Road, Dover
About three miles from both counters
Both offices that matter for a Delaware apostille sit on the same street, and we are a short drive from each. That is why a personal document can often be issued, notarised and authenticated inside the same week rather than posted back and forth for a month.
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document by the state that issued it, confirming the signature and seal on that document are genuine. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention accept it in place of any further legalisation.
Two things follow from that, and they catch most people out. A state can only authenticate its own documents, so Delaware cannot apostille a Pennsylvania birth certificate. And the document usually has to be a certified original or be notarised first, because the apostille authenticates a signature, not the content.
If the destination is not a Convention member, the document needs consular legalisation instead, which is a longer chain. Tell us the country at the start and we will tell you which route you are on.
| What you have | Who authenticates it | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth, marriage or death certificate Delaware-issued | Delaware Secretary of State | $125 | Details |
| College transcript or diploma Delaware institution | Delaware Secretary of State | $125 | Details |
| Delaware entity document Good standing, formation, amendments | Division of Corporations | $255 | Details |
| FBI background check Identity History Summary | US Department of State, Washington | See page | Details |
A federal document such as an FBI background check is never authenticated by a state. It goes to Washington, on a different timeline.
| Personal and academic documents | Price |
|---|---|
| First document | $125 |
| Each additional document in the same submission | $95 |
| Birth certificate we retrieve for you Allow two to five weeks for Vital Statistics | $185 |
Includes the Delaware state fee and standard return mail. Expedited shipping is quoted at cost. Corporate entity documents are priced separately on the corporate page, and carry a required $49 status verification.
Can you apostille a document from another state?
No, and neither can anyone else in Delaware. A state authenticates only the documents it issued. A New Jersey birth certificate has to go to New Jersey. We will tell you that straight away rather than take the order.
Does my document need to be notarised first?
A certified original from a state office, such as a birth certificate, does not. A private document such as a power of attorney or an affidavit does, because the apostille authenticates the notary's signature.
What if the destination country is not in the Hague Convention?
Then an apostille will not be accepted and the document needs consular legalisation, which involves the country's embassy and takes longer. Tell us the country at the start and we will route it correctly.
How many documents can go in one submission?
As many as you have. Delaware charges a single thirty dollar fee for personal documents presented at the same time, which is why we discount each additional document rather than charge full price for every one.
Do I need a translation?
Sometimes. A document in a foreign language must be accompanied by an English translation, and both have to be notarised. Some destination countries also want the finished apostille translated. We can arrange both.
Tell us the document and the country. We will tell you the route, the timeline and the price before you commit to anything.
You do not have to take our word for it. Delaware lets you check a certificate it issued directly with the Division of Corporations.
You will need two numbers, both printed on the certificate itself: the entity file number and the authentication number.
Two limits worth knowing before you try it:
If your certificate looks plain, that is correct
Since 1 July 2006 Delaware has printed every certificate in black ink on standard white paper, with the Secretary’s seal and signature included in the print. The old blue preprinted forms are gone. Clients regularly call us worried that a plain black-and-white certificate is a photocopy. It is not — and this is the page that proves it.
The answers below are the ones that save people money, because most wasted apostille spend comes from getting one of these wrong before anything is filed.
What is an apostille?
A certificate that confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal on a public document, so the document is accepted in another country without further proof. It is issued under the 1961 Hague Convention. It says nothing about whether the contents of the document are true.
How long does a Delaware apostille take?
The State offers same-day service at the counter in Dover, and around two weeks by mail. Because our office is minutes from Federal Street we hand-deliver rather than post, which is usually the difference between a few days and a few weeks.
How much does a Delaware apostille cost?
Delaware’s own fee is $30. We pass state fees through at cost and itemise them separately from our service fee. If you have several documents, say so — presenting them together is usually cheaper than sending them one at a time.
Can any document be apostilled?
No. It has to be a Delaware-issued document, and it has to be either a certified original from a state office or a document notarised in person with a wet-ink signature. A photocopy or a scan cannot be apostilled.
What if the destination country is not part of the Hague Convention?
Then the document needs consular legalisation instead of an apostille, which is a longer route through that country’s embassy or consulate. This is why we ask for the destination country before quoting anything — it changes the whole process.
Do I need a translation as well?
Sometimes. It depends on the country and the body receiving the document, and the translation may itself need to be certified and travel with the original. Tell us who is receiving it and we will tell you what they are likely to require.
