How to Get an Apostille in Texas

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

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How long does a Texas apostille take?

A Texas apostille by mail can take up to 25 business days to process from the day your envelope arrives in Austin, and the Secretary of State has been open that this figure runs longer when demand is high, so treat it as a floor rather than a promise. That clock does not start when you drop the envelope in the mailbox; it starts on receipt, and there is no expedited mail option. If you need it faster, go in person: walk-in service is available Mondays and Fridays, and appointments are available Tuesday through Thursday, both at the Austin office, with same-day or next-business-day turnaround. Walk-in visits are capped at ten apostille transactions per person, and if you have more than ten documents you can drop them off for a three-day turnaround using the office's QR drop-box registration. The mismatch between the mail wait and the in-person speed is the single most important planning fact for Texas.

How much does a Texas apostille cost?

A Texas apostille costs $15 per document, with a reduced fee of $10 per document for adoption-related documents filed on Form 2103. Payment is by check or money order payable to the Secretary of State, and if you submit in person you need exact change. Business filings such as a certificate of formation carry their own separate certification fee from the corporations division before the apostille fee even applies, so a company document can cost more than a personal one. As always, the state fee is only part of the picture, and any private service adds its own handling charge on top. Because fees can change, confirm the current one before sending payment.

Who issues apostilles in Texas?

Apostilles in Texas are issued by the Secretary of State, through the Authentications Unit, whose in-person office is at 400 W. 15th Street in Austin and whose mail requests go to P.O. Box 12887, Austin, TX 78711-2887. The unit authenticates documents issued in Texas or notarized by a Texas notary, issuing an apostille for Hague Convention countries and an authentication for the rest. It cannot authenticate a federal document or one from another state, no matter how it is prepared. A private document such as a power of attorney or an affidavit must be notarized by a Texas notary first, and Texas accepts remote online notarization when the notary keeps the required ledger and attaches a certificate confirming the remote method.

Do birth certificates need an extra step in Texas?

Most Texas birth and death certificates issued by the state vital statistics office are ready for an apostille without any extra step, but a certificate signed by a local health officer or physician can need a county clerk certification first. In that situation you take the record to the county clerk, who certifies the signing official's signature and attaches a county clerk certification, and only then is it ready for the Secretary of State. Diplomas, transcripts, powers of attorney and other private documents follow the standard route: notarize by a Texas notary, then apostille. Checking this before you mail avoids the most common Texas rejection, where a document arrives in Austin without the certification the apostille needs to attach to.

Can Texas apostille an FBI background check?

No, Texas 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 Austin means it comes back unprocessed and costs you weeks. The Texas Secretary of State authenticates documents issued in Texas or notarized by a Texas notary, such as a Texas birth certificate from the Department of State Health Services or a power of attorney notarized by a Texas notary. Those belong to another office, be they federal or from a different state.

By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Texas Secretary of State, Authentications Unit (sos.texas.gov). Before mailing, make sure the fee and address are still current.