How to Get an Apostille in Colorado

Educational information, not legal advice. Fees, addresses and processing times reflect the Colorado Secretary of State and can change. Confirm current details on the official coloradosos.gov page before you mail anything.

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Who issues apostilles in Colorado?

Apostilles in Colorado are issued by the Secretary of State's Authentications Program in Denver, for documents that originate in the state. Colorado can only authenticate an original bearing a Colorado official's signature, seal or stamp, which in practice means a document signed by a Colorado notary, a certified vital record from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment or a county clerk and recorder, or a certified copy from the Secretary of State's own business records. It issues an apostille for Hague Convention countries and a certification for the rest. A private document must be notarized by a Colorado notary before it can be authenticated, because the state is verifying that notary's commission.

How much does a Colorado apostille cost?

A Colorado apostille costs $5 per document, one of the lower fees in the country, with an additional charge for expedited walk-in service if you need it fast. The catch is payment: by mail Colorado accepts only a check or money order made payable to the Colorado Secretary of State, and it does not take credit or debit cards or cash through the mail. That trips up people used to paying online, so prepare a check before you send anything. As everywhere, the $5 is only the state charge, and a private service adds its own handling. Because fees can change, confirm the current one before sending payment.

How long does a Colorado apostille take?

A standard Colorado apostille takes about five to seven business days from receipt, plus mailing time in each direction, though the office notes that longer-than-normal waits can occur during busy periods and works mailed requests in the order received. If you are close to Denver, expedited walk-in service is available for an extra fee and gets you a much faster turnaround. Because you are sending original, hard-to-replace documents, use a trackable service and include a self-addressed, prepaid return envelope; if you want a courier like FedEx or UPS for the return, include a prepaid label.

How do you get an apostille in Colorado, step by step?

You prepare the certified or notarized original, complete the request form, and submit it with a check. The route below is the standard process.

1. Get the right document: an original with a Colorado official's signature, seal or stamp.
2. Complete the request form: the Apostilles and Authentications Request Form, naming the destination country.
3. Prepare payment correctly: $5 per document by check or money order; no cards or cash by mail.
4. Submit to Denver: mail or walk in with a self-addressed, prepaid return envelope.
5. Receive it: about five to seven business days, or faster with paid expedited walk-in service.

Can Colorado apostille an FBI background check?

No, Colorado cannot apostille an FBI background check, because it is a federal document authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Mailing a federal report to Denver means it comes back unprocessed and you lose time. The Authentications Program handles documents that originate in Colorado, such as a Colorado birth certificate from the state health department or a power of attorney notarized by a Colorado notary. Those belong to another office, be they federal or from a different state.

By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Colorado Secretary of State, Authentications Program (Apostilles and Authentications; Notary Public Fee Schedule, coloradosos.gov). Before mailing, make sure the fee and address are still current.