How to Get an Apostille in Hawaii

Educational information, not legal advice. Fees, addresses and processing times reflect the Hawaii Office of the Lieutenant Governor and can change. Confirm current details on the official ltgov.hawaii.gov page before you submit.

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Who issues apostilles in Hawaii?

Apostilles in Hawaii are issued by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in Honolulu, because in Hawaii the Lieutenant Governor serves as Secretary of State and there is no separate Secretary of State office. The office authenticates public and private Hawaii documents for use abroad, issuing an apostille for Hague Convention countries and a certification for the rest. Hawaii shares this arrangement with Alaska and Utah, where the Lieutenant Governor holds the same role. A certified copy of a Hawaii vital record can be handled fairly directly, while a private document takes an extra step through the courts, described below. The mailing address is the State Capitol, 5th Floor, in Honolulu.

What is the extra circuit court step in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a notarized private document must have the notary's signature certified by the Circuit Court before the Lieutenant Governor will apostille it, which is a step most states skip. After a Hawaii notary notarizes your power of attorney, affidavit, diploma or transcript, you take or send it to the Circuit Court Legal Documents Office in the circuit where that notary is registered. Only once the court verifies the notary's commission does the document move on to the Lieutenant Governor for the apostille. The circuit depends on the island: the First Circuit in Honolulu covers Oʻahu, the Second Circuit in Wailuku covers Maui, and the Third Circuit in Hilo covers Hawaiʻi Island. Certified vital records signed by the state do not need this step.

How much does a Hawaii apostille cost?

A Hawaii apostille currently costs $3 per document, paid by money order, cash or cashier's check to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. This is worth stating plainly because a great many guides, and even older state pages, still quote $1, which is out of date; the fee has since risen to $3. All signatures on your document must be original, not photocopies. As everywhere, the $3 is the state charge only, and any private service adds its own handling on top. For private documents, remember to budget the separate circuit court certification as part of the process. Confirm the current fee before submitting, since it can change.

How long does a Hawaii apostille take?

A Hawaii apostille by mail generally takes about ten to fifteen business days once the Lieutenant Governor's office receives it, not counting the circuit court step for private documents or mail transit across the Pacific. Walk-in and document drop-box service is available at the State Capitol in Honolulu during business hours, which is faster if you are on Oʻahu. Because private documents pass through the Circuit Court first, build in extra time for that leg, and include prepaid return envelopes for each office that handles your document. If you want pickup instead of mailing, you can provide a phone number and collect it when ready.

Can Hawaii apostille an FBI background check?

No, Hawaii cannot apostille an FBI background check, because it is a federal document authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. Sending a federal report to Honolulu means it comes back unprocessed. The Lieutenant Governor's office authenticates documents issued or notarized in Hawaii, such as a certified Hawaii birth or marriage certificate, or a power of attorney notarized by a Hawaii notary and verified through the Circuit Court. Anything federal, or issued by a different state, follows a separate route.

By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Hawaii Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Apostilles and Certification of Documents (ltgov.hawaii.gov). Fees and office addresses change, so verify them on the official page first.