How to Get an Apostille in Washington, D.C.
Educational information, not legal advice. Fees, addresses and processing times reflect the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia and can change. Confirm current details on the official os.dc.gov page before you submit.
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Who issues apostilles in Washington, D.C.?
Apostilles in Washington, D.C. come from one of two offices depending on who issued the document, and this split is the single most important thing to get right. Documents issued or notarized in the District of Columbia go to the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications, known as ONCA, which is part of the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia. Federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications. Because the nation's capital is home to both the local D.C. government and the federal government, people routinely send federal paperwork to the D.C. office and D.C. paperwork to the federal office, and each rejection means starting over. Either way, the apostille the office issues is recognized across the Hague Convention countries without further legalization. Confirm the issuer first, then choose the office.
Where do you apostille an FBI background check in DC?
An FBI background check is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not by the D.C. authentication office, because it is a federal document. This matters especially in Washington, since the volume of searches for an FBI apostille in D.C. reflects how many people assume the local office handles it. It does not. The FBI Identity History Summary, once signed by the FBI, goes to the State Department's Office of Authentications for its apostille. The same is true of other federal records such as naturalization certificates or documents from federal agencies. Only after you separate federal from local does the rest of the process make sense.
How much does a DC apostille cost?
A D.C. apostille costs $15 per document at ONCA for documents issued or notarized in the District. Payment is accepted by credit card, check or money order, and a private D.C. document such as a power of attorney must be notarized by a D.C. notary before ONCA can authenticate it. The federal route has its own separate fee set by the U.S. Department of State, so if some of your documents are local and others are federal, budget for two different offices and two fee schedules. As always, these are the government charges only; a private service adds its own handling on top. Confirm current fees before submitting, since they can change.
How do you get a DC apostille, step by step?
You sort your documents by issuer, prepare each one, and send it to the matching office. The route below is the standard process for the D.C. side.
- Identify the issuer: a D.C. document goes to ONCA; a federal document goes to the U.S. Department of State.
- Notarize private documents first: a D.C. power of attorney or affidavit needs a D.C. notary.
- Submit D.C. documents to ONCA: mail or walk in with the $15 per-document fee.
- Send federal documents separately: to the State Department's Office of Authentications.
- Receive it: ONCA walk-ins are usually same day; mailed D.C. requests are commonly a few business days.
| Washington, D.C. apostille | Detail |
|---|---|
| D.C. documents | Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA), Office of the Secretary of D.C. |
| D.C. fee | $15 per document |
| Federal documents | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications (separate fee) |
| ONCA address | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 419, Washington, DC 20004 |
| Walk-in | Counter hours in the morning; usually same day. Mailed requests a few business days |
| Other states | A document from another state goes to that state's competent authority |
Can ONCA apostille a document from another state?
No, the D.C. office cannot apostille a document from another state, because ONCA only authenticates documents issued or notarized within the District of Columbia. A Maryland or Virginia birth certificate, for instance, goes to that state's own authority, even though the office may be a short drive away. This trips up residents of the D.C. metro area who assume the capital's office covers the region. It does not. Keep the rule simple: District documents to ONCA, federal documents to the State Department, and everything else to the state that issued it.
Washington DC apostille: frequently asked questions
- Who issues apostilles in Washington, D.C.?
- Two different offices. DC-issued documents go to the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications, part of the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia. Federal documents go to the U.S. Department of State.
- How much does a DC apostille cost?
- The DC authentication fee is $15 per document at ONCA. Federal documents authenticated by the U.S. Department of State carry that agency's own separate fee.
- Where do I apostille an FBI background check in DC?
- Not at the DC office. An FBI background check is federal and is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.
- How long does a DC apostille take?
- A walk-in at ONCA is usually same day within counter hours, and a mailed DC request is commonly a few business days. Federal processing at the State Department runs on its own timeline.
- Can ONCA apostille a document from another state?
- No. ONCA handles documents issued or notarized in the District of Columbia. A document from another state goes to that state's competent authority.
By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (os.dc.gov); U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications. Confirm both the fee and the mailing address are current before you proceed.