Pennsylvania Apostillé Services
Certified Corporate Documents & Good Standing

Fast & Reliable International Apostille Service for Documents from Pennsylvania

As an attorney and authorized apostillé agent, I provide clients worldwide with expedited international apostillé services for documents originating from Pennsylvania. I handle the full range of Pennsylvania documents, including: certified company records (certificates of incorporation, articles of associations, amendments, dissolution records, annual reports, certificate of status/good standing), corporate resolutions, vital records (birth/death certificates), divorce decrees, power of attorney, academic diplomas & transcripts, real property deeds and records, and copies of Pennsylvania court judgments.

I ensure your documents are properly verified and legalized for international use. My attorney-supervised process guarantees that your paperwork meets the multi-step authentication requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Hague Apostille Convention (1961), minimizing the risk of delay or rejection.

Fast turnaround • Attorney review included • Multi-county/city process management

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SUPPORTED STATES

We process apostilles nationwide. If you need apostillé or corporate records from other states, click the link: California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, Nevada, Delaware, Minnesota, District of Columbia (D.C.).

Pennsylvania State Apostillé

Apostillé Process for Pennsylvania Documents
How to Legalize Pennsylvania Documents for International Use

An apostillé or official document certification is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation. It affirms that the public official who signed and affixed their seal to the document is an elected or appointed Pennsylvania public official, allowing the document to be recognized abroad in countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.

Crucial Note for Pennsylvania: the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not require an intermediate County Clerk authentication step for documents. The Department of State authenticates the signature of the responsible Pennsylvania public official directly.

Processing Time: Regular processing is up to 5 to 7 business days (this does not include mailing time).

Corporate Records:

A. Corporate Documents Filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State. These documents are public records filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. They are obtained as certified copies and may be submitted directly for an apostille or certification because they already bear the signature and seal of a Commonwealth official.

Formation Documents:
- For a Corporation: Articles of Incorporation
- For a Limited Liability Company (LLC): Certificate of Organization
Good Standing Documents:
- Certificate of Subsistence (This is the official name for a document certifying the entity's current legal existence and is commonly known as a Certificate of Good Standing).
Other Filed Documents:
- Articles of Amendment
- Statement of Merger
- Articles of Dissolution
- Any other document certified by the Department of State as being on file (e.g., changes to the registered office).
Apostille Requirement: Submit the original certified copy obtained from the Department of State.

B. Other Corporate Documents (Internal Records). These documents are internal company records and are not filed with the Department of State. To be eligible for an apostille, they must first be prepared and notarized by a Pennsylvania Notary Public.

Examples:
- Corporate Bylaws
- Operating Agreements (for LLCs)
- Minutes of Meetings
- Corporate Resolutions
- Certificates of Incumbency
- Any affidavit or power of attorney signed by a company officer.
Apostille Requirement: The document must be signed by the company officer, then notarized by a Pennsylvania Notary Public. The apostille or certification will then be issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation, authenticating the signature of the notary public.

Real Property Deed or Records: Must be original copies. The record must be signed by the clerk in charge of the county office where the records were filed. Documents signed by an assistant or deputy clerk will not be accepted.

Vital Records (Birth, Marriage, Death Certificates, Divorce Decrees):

Birth Certificates: Must be original copies and do not require notarization before being submitted for an apostille.
Death Certificates: Must be original copies and signed by the state registrar. Do not submit certificates signed by a local registrar.
Marriage Certificates: Must be original copies and signed by the register of wills or clerk of the orphans' court (not the officiant or clergyperson).
Divorce Judgments/Records: You must obtain a certified copy from the appropriate county government office where the records were filed.

Academic / Notarized Documents (Diplomas, Transcripts):

Documents must be notarized by a Pennsylvania Notary Public.
The certificate of notarial act (Jurat or Certificate of Acknowledgment) completed by the notary must be in English.
The Department of State will authenticate the notary's signature directly.

Power of attorney, Affidavits. These documents are considered private instruments and must be properly notarized before they can be authenticated.

Notarization Requirement: The document must be signed by the relevant party and notarized by a Pennsylvania Notary Public.
Proper Notarization: The notary must complete a full notarial act by including a Jurat or Certificate of Acknowledgment on the document. Simple attachment of a stamp is not sufficient. The notarial certificate must be in English.
Authentication Step: The notarized document is submitted directly to the Pennsylvania Department of State, which authenticates the signature of the notary public.

Divorce judgement has to be a certified copy from the appropriate county government office where the records were filed.

Pennsylvania Apostille Certificate

OUR SIMPLIFIED, MULTI-STEP PROCESS

1. SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST— Tell us which Pennsylvania documents require an apostillé and the destination country.

Attorney Review & Preparation — We verify compliance with Pennsylvania's complex pre-certification requirements.

2. LOCAL CERTIFICATION (if required) — We secure the necessary local certification on your behalf.

3. SECURE RETURN — Your documents are shipped to you or your foreign representative via tracked courier.

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Corporate Records &
Good Standing Certificates

Seamless Corporate Records Authentication for International Business

We specialize in retrieving Certified Corporate Documents and Certificates of Subsistence filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, and obtaining the official apostillé for use abroad. This service is essential for requirements such as opening foreign bank accounts, cross-border mergers, and establishing overseas subsidiaries.

CORPORATE RECORDS IN PENNSYLVANIA: A GUIDE

1. CONFIRMATION OF A COMPANY’S EXISTENCE (GOOD STANDING/STATUS). The key document certifying an entity's status is the Certificate of Subsistence (commonly known as a Certificate of Good Standing).

Document Description: The Certificate of Subsistence is an official document issued by the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations that certifies the entity (Corporation, LLC, LP, etc.) is still in existenceas a matter of record and has a legal corporate existence.
Alternative Certificates: The Bureau also prepares:
- Engrossed Certificates: These are custom certificates, bearing the seal and signature of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, attesting that specific information on their records is true and correct.
- Certificates of Non-Existence or Due and Diligent Search: These certify that a particular entity does not appear in the available records.

2. CONSTITUTIONAL (FORMATION) DOCUMENTS. These are the public records that establish the entity’s legal foundation in Pennsylvania.

For Corporations: Articles of Incorporation
For Limited Liability Companies (LLCs): Certificate of Organization

We retrieve certified copies of these documents, which are signed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth or a Department of State official and are ready for the apostillé process.

3. LIST OF SHAREHOLDERS AND OFFICERS: Pennsylvania law now requires most entities to file an Annual Report which makes key management names public, a significant difference from New York's previous requirements.

Publicly Filed Information: the Annual Report (required starting 2025) must include and makes public:
- The Name of at least one “Governor” (e.g., director of a corporation, manager/member of an LLC).
- The Names and titles of the principal officers, if any.
Shareholders/LLC Members: Information regarding an entity's full list of shareholders or non-managing LLC members is not public in Pennsylvania. If a foreign authority requires confirmation of this, we assist in preparing a notarized Director’s or Officer’s Affidavit verifying the current ownership, which can then be apostilled (see the separate process for notarized documents).

4. OUR CORPORATE RETRIEVAL & APOSTILLE PROCESS: our process is designed to efficiently retrieve the required certified corporate documents from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and complete the apostille authentication for international use.

Identify Needed Documents: We begin by identifying the specific certified documents required for the destination country, whether it is a Certificate of Subsistence (Good Standing), Articles of Incorporation/Organization, or other records on file.
Certified Copy Retrieval (Online Order): We obtain all official certified copies directly from the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. Per current state guidelines, all certified copy requests must be purchased online through the state’s Business Filing Services system.
Apostille Authentication (Expedited Service): We secure the final Apostille or Certification from the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation. If time is critical, we utilize the state's Expedited Service (1-hour, 3-hour, or Same-Day processing), which requires the documents to be submitted in person, as expedited mail requests are not accepted.
Note on Fees: Statutory document fees apply, and a separate, non-refundable fee must be paid for the expedited service ($100 to $1,000, depending on the requested turnaround time).

International Delivery: Once authenticated, your documents are securely shipped to you or your foreign representative anywhere in the world via tracked courier service.

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Pennsylvania Certificate of Status

Why Choose an Attorney for Pennsylvania Apostille Services

Attorney-Led Expertise You Can Trust

Unlike generic courier or mail-in services, our attorney-led apostillé process ensures your documents meet Pennsylvania's specific, multi-layered requirements from the start.

Our Advantages:

Legal Oversight: every document is reviewed by a U.S. attorney experienced in cross-border certification.
Risk Reduction: prevents costly rejections or delays caused by missing the mandatory certifications.
Nationwide Access: we process documents from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Department of State (federal).
Global Clients: trusted by businesses, law firms, and individuals worldwide.

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Our Fees, Shipping, Useful Information

OUR FEES

Certified business records: we charge flat of $100 per certified document (certified copy of documents available for request and certification by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania). Expedited requests are available for extra $100 fee.

Apostille: we charge Apostille flat fee of $200 per document for regular processing (up to 7 business days plus mailing time).

If you need us to ship your documents overseas, we charge according to DHL international shipping fees.

USEFUL CONTACTS OF PENNSYLVANIA APOSTILLE AUTHORITIES

The authentication (apostille) services for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are handled by the Department of State's Bureau of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation in Harrisburg. Corporate filings and document searches are handled by the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.

Authentication (Apostille) and Notary Services

Agency: Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation
Physical Address (for Walk-In & Expedited Services and Courier Delivery):
- North Office Building, Room 210
- 401 North Street
- Harrisburg, PA 17120
Standard Mailing Address (for Non-Expedited Mail Service):
- Pennsylvania Department of State
- Bureau of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation
- 210 North Office Building
- Harrisburg, PA 17220

Certified Corporate Document Retrieval and Search

Agency: Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
Customer Service Phone: (717) 787-1057 (Option 3, available 8:00 am to 4:45 pm EST)
Online Business Search Database: All document requests and entity searches are now conducted via the official Business Filing Services system.

Apostille Verification

The Pennsylvania Department of State has adopted a modern Universal Apostille/Single Certificate format. This new format includes a unique certification number and an electronic seal for enhanced security.

Verification Method: The authenticity of all Pennsylvania Apostilles and Certifications may be verified by entering the document's certification number directly into the state's online document search system.
Verification Link: The process can be completed via the Pennsylvania Department of State's official Business Filing Services portal.
Note: The Department issues a single certificate (known as the Universal Apostille) which is used for both Hague Convention (Apostille) and non-Hague Convention (Certification) countries. This certificate does not certify the content of the document itself, only the authenticity of the Pennsylvania official’s signature and seal.