How to Get an Apostille in Indiana

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

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Indiana apostille cost and time calculator

Choose your document type and count; the tool applies Indiana's fee exemptions and estimates the state fee and the usual processing window.

Which Indiana documents are free to apostille?

Indiana waives the apostille fee entirely for its most commonly requested personal documents: Indiana birth and death certificates, adoption documents, student transcripts and diplomas, and documents prepared by the Secretary of State. Everything else is $2 per authentication. This is unusual and genuinely useful, because in most states the same birth certificate or transcript carries the standard per-document fee. For a family apostilling a stack of school records for study abroad, or vital records for a dual-citizenship application, the savings add up. The exemption applies only to those specific categories, so a power of attorney or a business document is still the $2 rate.

Who issues apostilles in Indiana?

Apostilles in Indiana are issued by the Secretary of State's Business Services Division, from a single office in Indianapolis with no branch locations. The office authenticates the signature and seal of an Indiana public official or notary, issuing an apostille for Hague Convention countries and a certification for the rest. A certified copy of an Indiana vital record can go straight in without notarization, while a private document such as a power of attorney or a diploma must be notarized by an Indiana notary first. One helpful detail for international families: the document itself may stay in Spanish or another language, and only the notarial certificate needs to be in English under Indiana law.

How much does an Indiana apostille cost?

An Indiana apostille costs $2 per authentication for documents that are not exempt, which is among the lowest fees in the country, and the fee is nonrefundable. Pay by credit, debit, check or money order made out to the Secretary of State. Remember the exemptions above: many of the documents people most often apostille are free in Indiana, so your out-of-pocket state cost can be zero. As always, the state fee is only the government charge, and a private service adds its own handling on top. Confirm the current fee and exemptions before submitting, since they can change.

How long does an Indiana apostille take?

An Indiana apostille normally takes one to two business days from the date the office receives it, which puts Indiana among the faster states. For in-person service, documents received by noon are often processed the same day, while those arriving after noon may take until the next business day. Larger requests can take a little longer. Add transit time in each direction for mailed requests, and include a return envelope, since the office returns your document by your chosen method. Because there is only one office, plan for Indianapolis whether you mail or walk in.

Can Indiana apostille an FBI background check?

No, Indiana 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 Indianapolis means it comes back unprocessed. The Indiana Secretary of State authenticates documents issued or notarized in Indiana, such as an Indiana birth certificate, which is one of the fee-exempt categories, or a power of attorney notarized by an Indiana notary. Whether federal or from another state, such documents go to their own authority.

By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division (Request for Apostille Authentication, State Form 56720; sos.in.gov). Confirm current fees and exemptions before relying on this.