How to Get an Apostille in Vermont

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

Estimate your cost and time ↓

Vermont apostille cost and time calculator

Enter how many documents you have; the tool estimates the state fee and shows the payment rule that trips up most first-time requests.

How do you pay for a Vermont apostille?

You pay for a Vermont apostille by check or money order in U.S. dollars only, because the office does not accept cash by mail and does not take credit or debit cards, which surprises people used to states that swipe a card at the counter. Make the check or money order payable to the VT Secretary of State, and never mail cash. The fee is $10 per document, and a document may contain multiple pages under that single fee. Because a wrong payment method means the whole package comes back, this small rule is the most common avoidable delay in Vermont, so it is worth double-checking before you seal the envelope.

Who issues apostilles in Vermont?

Apostilles in Vermont are issued by the Secretary of State, but the work is handled by the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) rather than a typical authentications counter. The office authenticates an original Vermont document bearing an official signature and seal, whether that is a notarized document, a certified vital record, or a record from a Vermont state department, issuing an apostille for Hague Convention countries and a certification for the rest. It handles Vermont documents only, so a record from another state goes to that state. A private document such as a power of attorney must be notarized by a Vermont notary first, while a vital record must be a certified copy from the town clerk or the Department of Health.

How long does a Vermont apostille take?

A Vermont apostille is usually processed within a few business days once VSARA receives it, though the office does not publish a fixed guarantee, so treat mail transit as the larger variable. There is a drop box at the Middlesex office if you prefer to deliver in person rather than mail. Vermont strongly encourages a preliminary review of your document before you submit, because an improperly notarized or certified document will be rejected and sent back, which adds a full round trip of delay. Documents are returned by standard USPS with no tracking, so include a prepaid trackable label or shipping envelope if you want to follow the return, especially against a firm foreign deadline.

Can Vermont apostille an FBI background check?

No, Vermont 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 Middlesex means it comes back unprocessed. The Vermont Secretary of State authenticates documents issued or notarized in Vermont, such as a Vermont birth certificate from the town clerk or Department of Health, or a power of attorney notarized by a Vermont notary. Anything issued federally or by another state is handled by that authority, not here.

By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Vermont Secretary of State, Apostille or Authentication (sos.vermont.gov). Always confirm the up-to-date fee and office address before submitting.