How to Get an Apostille in Connecticut

Educational information, not legal advice. Fees, procedures and processing times reflect the Connecticut Secretary of the State and can change. Confirm current details on the official portal.ct.gov page before submitting.

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Connecticut apostille cost and time calculator

Enter how many documents you have and whether you want an e-Apostille or a paper apostille; the tool estimates the state fee and the usual processing window.

Who issues apostilles in Connecticut, and how do you apply now?

Apostilles in Connecticut are issued by the Secretary of the State's Authentications and Apostille Unit in Hartford, and the way you apply changed recently. Since September 2, 2025, the unit no longer accepts paper order forms; most requests must go through the online Apostille Application. This is the detail that catches people using older guides, who prepare a paper form and find it will not be accepted. You still send in original documents for a traditional paper apostille, but the request itself starts online with a work order. For a digital document, Connecticut also offers an e-Apostille, where you upload the file instead of mailing anything. Either way, the resulting apostille is recognized in the countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention without any further legalization.

How much does a Connecticut apostille cost?

A Connecticut apostille costs $40 per document, which is among the highest state fees in the country; many states charge a few dollars. You pay it as part of the online order rather than by mailing a check. The high state fee changes the math when you compare doing it yourself with a service, because in low-fee states the government charge is trivial, while in Connecticut it is a real line item. Even so, the $40 is only the state's charge, and any private service adds its own handling on top. Confirm the current fee on the official portal before submitting, since fees can change.

What is Connecticut's 10-year rule?

Connecticut will only apostille a document that was notarized or certified within the last ten years, with an original signature or seal. An older notarization, even on an otherwise valid document, has to be redone before the state can authenticate it, so an ageing power of attorney may need a fresh notarial act. The rule exists because the office verifies the authority of the official who signed, and it keeps current records of who was commissioned. Vital records add their own wrinkle: in Connecticut, birth and marriage certificates come from the Town Clerk or the Department of Public Health, not a single central office, so plan for that first step.

How long does a Connecticut apostille take?

A Connecticut e-Apostille or an expedited order is processed within 24 hours of the unit receiving it, which is fast for this kind of authentication. A standard paper apostille takes several business days once your mailed original arrives, plus shipping in each direction. Because the request now starts online, the clock effectively begins when the office receives either your uploaded file or your mailed document tied to the online work order. If a foreign deadline is tight, the e-Apostille route, where the destination accepts a digital certificate, is the quickest path Connecticut offers.

Can Connecticut apostille an FBI background check?

No, Connecticut cannot apostille an FBI background check, because it is a federal document authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The Connecticut unit handles documents issued or notarized in Connecticut, such as a Connecticut birth certificate from the Town Clerk or a power of attorney notarized by a Connecticut notary. Anything issued by a federal agency, or signed by a federal official, follows the separate federal process instead. Confirming this before you start the online application saves a rejected order and the $40 that may go with it.

By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Connecticut Secretary of the State, Authentication of Documents and the Apostille (portal.ct.gov). Confirm current fees and procedures before relying on this.