Texas Apostillé Services
Certified Corporate Documents & Good Standing

An apostillé issued by the Texas Secretary of State certifies the authenticity of signatures and seals on public documents so they can be legally recognized abroad in countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.

Crucial Note for Texas: the State of Texas does not require an intermediate County Clerk authentication step for documents to receive an Apostille from the Texas Secretary of State.

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For a document to be eligible, it must fall into one of two categories:

1. Recordable Documents: These are public records officially recorded and issued by state, county, or court officials (e.g., birth certificates, divorce decrees). These documents cannot be notarized by a Texas Notary Public; they must be submitted as certified copies from the issuing agency.

2. Non-recordable Documents: These are documents that are not filed with a government office and can be properly notarized by a Texas Notary Public (e.g., affidavits, copies of diplomas).

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Processing Time: Regular processing is up to 25 business days. We provide expedited (same day) processing for extra fee.

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​Corporate Records (Certificate of Formation, Articles of Organization, Certificate of Status)

• Filed Documents: To obtain an Apostille for an original certified business or corporation document on file with the office, such as a certificate of formation or a certificate of status, you must contact the Corporation Certifying Team. The Authentications Unit (which issues the Apostille) does not directly handle the certification of these documents.

• Other Corporate Documents: Documents like bylaws, minutes of meetings, or copies of corporate filings are considered non-recordable. They must be submitted as copies that contain a statement and signature from a company authority certifying the document's truth, and this statement must then be properly notarized by a Texas Notary Public.

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Real Property Deed or Records: deeds and other records recorded with the County Clerk must be submitted to the Texas Secretary of State as an original certified copy obtained from the County Clerk's office in the county where the document is filed.

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

• Vital records are recordable documents and must be submitted as original certified copies obtained from the issuing authority (e.g., the Texas Department of State Health Services, a Local Registrar, or the Clerk of the Court).

• Crucial Age Requirement: certified copies of all recordable documents, including vital records and court documents, must be less than five (5) years old to be eligible for an Apostille.

Academic / Notarized Documents (Diplomas, Transcripts, Power of Attorney, Affidavits): these are non-recordable documents and must be properly notarized by a Texas Notary Public.

• Notarization Details: The document must include a typed or written statement from the issuer or signer summarizing its contents. The signer's signature must be accompanied by a true and accurate notarial certificate (Jurat or Certificate of Acknowledgment) completed by the notary, including the notary's signature, seal, and date of notarization. Simple attachment of a notary stamp is not sufficient.

• Certified Copies: A Texas Notary Public may make a certified copy of a document only if the document is non-recordable (i.e., not filed with a government office or agency).

   

• Rejection Warning: Documents containing the term "Notario Publico," or statements by a notary acting beyond their legal authority, will be rejected.