Washington State Apostillé Services
Certified Corporate Documents & Good Standing
Fast & Reliable International Apostille Service for Documents from Washington
As an attorney and authorized apostillé agent, I provide clients worldwide with expedited international apostillé services for documents originating from Washington. I handle the full range of Washington documents, including: State-Issued Corporate Records (such as Articles of Incorporation/Organization, Certificates of Status/Good Standing, amendments, and dissolution records) and Other Corporate Documents (such as corporate resolutions, minutes of meetings, and bylaws), vital records (birth/death certificates), divorce decrees, power of attorney, academic diplomas & transcripts, real property deeds and records, and copies of Washington 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 Washington Secretary 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
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.).
Washington State Apostillé
Apostillé Process for Washington State Documents
How to Legalize Washington State Documents for International Use
An apostillé or Certificate of Authentication issued by the Washington State Secretary of State certifies the authenticity of public documents so they can be recognized abroad. The specific document issued depends on the destination country:
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Apostilles are for countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
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Certificates of Authentication are for countries that are not members of the Convention.
Crucial Note for Washington: The State of Washington does not require an intermediate County Clerk authentication step for properly prepared documents before submission to the Washington State Secretary of State. The office will authenticate the signature of a currently commissioned Washington Notary Public or a current state or county official whose signature is on file.
Processing Time: Standard mail-in processing is typically 5 to 7 business days (plus mailing time). Expedited processing for an additional fee is available for both walk-in (often same-day service) and mail-in requests.
Corporate Records (Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Certificate of Status): Corporate documents must be either certified by the Washington State Secretary of State or properly notarized.
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State-Issued Corporate Records (e.g., Articles of Incorporation/Organization, Certificate of Status/Good Standing, amendments, dissolution records): These must be original certified copies issued by the Washington State Secretary of State, Corporations Division. These can be submitted directly for Apostille/Authentication.
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Other Corporate Documents (e.g., minutes of meetings, bylaws, corporate resolutions): These are considered private documents and must be notarized by a Washington Notary Public. The notarized document can then be submitted directly to the Washington State Secretary of State.
Real Property Deed or Records: to obtain an Apostille for a real property record, you must first obtain a certified copy from the official custodian of the record.
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You must obtain a certified copy from the County Auditor's Office (or Recorder's Office) in the Washington county where the property is located.
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This certified copy, bearing the seal and signature of the County Auditor, can be submitted directly to the Washington State Secretary of State for the Apostille/Authentication.
Vital Records (Birth, Marriage, Death Certificates, Divorce Decrees): must be certified by the appropriate government office.
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Birth, Death, Marriage, and Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) Certificates: These must be certified copies issued by the Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics or a local County Health Department.
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These certified copies can be submitted directly to the Washington State Secretary of State. The Department of Health also offers a concurrent service where they will order the certified record and forward it for the Apostille/Authentication upon request.
Academic / Notarized Documents. Any document not issued by a public official must be notarized by a Washington Notary Public.
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Academic Diplomas & Transcripts, Power of Attorney, Affidavits: These must be signed before a Washington Notary Public.
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The notarization must be complete and in full compliance with Washington State law, including a proper notarial certificate (Jurat or Certificate of Acknowledgment). A simple stamp or seal alone is insufficient.
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The properly notarized document is then submitted directly to the Washington State Secretary of State. No further local certification is required.
A Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce) Judgment or any other court order must be a certified copy obtained from the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the judgment was issued. This certified copy is then submitted directly to the Washington State Secretary of State.
Washington State Apostille Certificate
OUR SIMPLIFIED, MULTI-STEP PROCESS
1. SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST— Tell us which Washington documents require an apostillé and the destination country.
Attorney Review & Preparation — We verify compliance with Washington's complex pre-certification requirements.
2. LOCAL CERTIFICATION (if required) — We secure the necessary county clerk certification (if applicable) on your behalf.
3. EXPEDITED STATE APOSTILLÉ — We secure the official New York apostillé from the Washington Secretary of State.
4. SECURE RETURN — Your documents are shipped to you or your foreign representative via tracked courier.
Corporate Records &
Good Standing Certificates
Seamless Corporate Records Authentication for International Business
We specialize in retrieving certified corporate documents filed with Washington Secretary of State and obtaining an apostillé for use abroad — a frequent requirement for opening foreign bank accounts, mergers, and establishing overseas subsidiaries.
CORPORATE RECORDS IN NEW YORK: A GUIDE
1. CONFIRMATION OF A COMPANY’S EXISTENCE (GOOD STANDING/STATUS). The key documents are the Certificate of Existence (also known as a Certificate of Good Standing or Status Certificate). This official certificate confirms that a business entity is registered, has not filed for dissolution, and is current with its required filings (e.g., Annual Reports).
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Certificate of Existence (Short Form): This is the primary certificate confirming the entity’s active legal status.
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Certificate of Existence (Long Form): The Washington Secretary of State, Corporations Division, offers a Long Form which certifies the entity's existence and includes a list of its entire filing history (e.g., amendments, mergers). This is a valuable feature for foreign authorities that require a complete historical record.
The state fee for a Certificate of Existence is $20.
2. CONSTITUTIONAL (FORMATION) DOCUMENTS. These are the public records filed with the Secretary of State to create the entity. To obtain copies for an Apostille, you must request a Certified Copy of the record.
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For Corporations: Certificate of Incorporation
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For LLCs: Certificate of Formation (Articles of Organization is the term used in many other states, but Washington uses the Certificate of Formation for the initial filing.)
A Certified Copy is a photocopy of the original record with a certification stamp from the Secretary of State's office, verifying it as a true copy on the back of the last page. The fee for a Certified Copy is $20 per document. These copies are directly ready for the apostillé process.
3. LIST OF SHAREHOLDERS AND OFFICERS: the Washington Secretary of State's public files generally contain limited information regarding an entity's internal management.
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Shareholders/LLC Members: this information is not filed with the Washington Secretary of State and is not a matter of public record. If confirmation is required for use internationally, we assist in obtaining a notarized affidavit from a director, officer, or manager verifying the current shareholders or members. This private document can then be submitted for an Apostille.
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Governors/Directors/Officers: the names of the governing body (referred to as Governors in Washington's annual filings) are public record. This information is submitted via the mandatory Annual Report, which is a document kept on file with the Corporations & Charities Division
4. OUR CORPORATE RETRIEVAL & APOSTILLE PROCESS:
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Identify Needed Documents — We determine the specific documents required, such as a Certificate of Existence (Short or Long Form) or Certified Copies of filed records.
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Certified Copy Retrieval & Notary Services — We obtain the official Certificates and Certified Copies directly from the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations Division. We also arrange Washington-compliant notary services for any required private documents (like ownership affidavits).
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Apostille Authentication — We handle the full authentication process with the Washington Secretary of State. The state fee for the Apostille is $15 per document.
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International Delivery — We ship your apostilled documents anywhere in the world.
Processing Time: Regular processing is up to 2 weeks.
Washington State Annual Report
Why Choose an Attorney for Washington State Apostille Services
Attorney-Led Expertise You Can Trust
Unlike generic courier or mail-in services, our attorney-led apostillé process ensures your documents meet Washington's specific, multi-layered requirements from the start.
Our Advantages:
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Legal Oversight: Every document is reviewed by a U.S. attorney experienced in cross-border certification.
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Risk Reduction: Prevents costly rejections or delays caused by missing the mandatory county clerk certification step required for most vital records and notarized documents.
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Nationwide Access: We process documents from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Department of State (federal).
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Global Clients: Trusted by businesses, law firms, and individuals worldwide.
Our Fees, Shipping, Useful Information
OUR FEES
Certified business records: we charge flat of $100 per certified document. All documents are requested in an expedited mode (within 24 hours).
Apostille: we charge Apostille flat fee of $200 per document.
If you need us to ship your documents overseas, we charge according to DHL international shipping fees.
USEFUL CONTACTS OF WASHINGTON APOSTILLE AUTHORITIES
For all mail-in requests for Apostilles and Certifications, documents are processed by the Washington Secretary of State in Olympia.
Mailing Address (For All USPS Mail): Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division PO Box 40234, Olympia, WA 98504-0234
Physical Address (For Express/Overnight Carriers: UPS, FedEx, DHL): Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division 801 Capitol Way S, Olympia, WA 98504-0234
For In-Person Apostille Service: You may submit documents in person at the same location.
In Olympia (Walk-In Counter Service): N/A 801 Capitol Way S, Olympia, WA 98504-0234
Database of Washington Companies: The business entity database is available here.
Apostille Verification
The Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division offers an online authenticity search for Apostilles and Certificates of Authentication issued by their office. This free service helps verify that a certificate is genuine and has been properly processed.
To verify a document issued in Washington State, you will typically need the Certificate Number and the Date of Issuance found on the document itself.
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Washington State Apostille and Certificate Authenticity Search: www.sos.wa.gov/corps/apostilles
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VIACHESLAV KUTUZOV, Esq.
International and U.S. Taxation Expert, New York Attorney & Counselor-at-Law
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