How to Get an Apostille in Washington State

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

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Washington State apostille cost and time calculator

Enter how many documents you have and your service level; the tool estimates the $15 per-document fee and shows where the $150 same-day rush changes the math.

How much does a Washington State apostille cost?

A Washington State apostille costs $15 per document by mail, but the same-day walk-in option adds a flat rush fee of about $150 on top of the per-document charge, which is one of the steepest same-day fees in the country. That means a single document you could apostille by mail for $15 costs around $165 if you walk it in for immediate service. For in-person requests, credit and debit cards are accepted, while mail-in payment is by check or money order payable to the Secretary of State. Unless your deadline is genuinely same-day, mailing or the standard route is the sensible choice. Confirm the current fees before submitting, since amounts can change.

How long does a Washington State apostille take?

A Washington State apostille by standard mail takes about 5 to 10 business days from the day the Secretary of State receives your documents, not counting transit in each direction. If that is too slow, the office offers expedited processing of roughly 2 to 3 business days for an additional fee, and a same-day option in person that carries the large rush fee. In-person service is available at the Tumwater office near Olympia and at a newer office in Cheney in Eastern Washington, which helps residents on the Spokane side avoid a long drive west. Plan your timeline around receipt rather than the postmark, and add return mail time when you compare the mail and in-person routes.

Who issues apostilles in Washington State?

Apostilles in Washington State are issued by the Secretary of State, through the Apostille and Certificate Program based in Olympia, and no other office can do it: county clerks, city offices and private notaries can certify or notarize a document, but only the Secretary of State can attach the apostille. The program authenticates documents issued in Washington or notarized by a Washington notary, issuing an apostille for Hague Convention countries and a certification for the rest. A private document such as a power of attorney must be notarized by a Washington notary first, while vital records and court documents are certified by the issuing office instead; Washington vital records come from the Department of Health's Center for Health Statistics in Tumwater.

Is a Washington apostille the same as a Washington, D.C. apostille?

No, a Washington State apostille and a Washington, D.C. apostille are two different things, and confusing them sends documents to the wrong place. Washington State documents, meaning records issued in the state whose capital is Olympia, are apostilled by the Washington Secretary of State. Documents issued in the District of Columbia are apostilled by the D.C. authority, and federal documents such as an FBI background check are handled by the U.S. Department of State, also located in Washington, D.C. If your document was issued in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma or anywhere else in Washington State, the Olympia office is the one you want.

Can Washington apostille an FBI background check?

No, Washington 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 Olympia means it comes back unprocessed. The Washington Secretary of State authenticates documents issued in Washington or notarized by a Washington notary, such as a Washington birth certificate from the Department of Health or a power of attorney notarized by a Washington notary. A federal document, or one from another state, goes to its own issuing authority.

By the Trámites Notariales US editorial team. Sources: Washington Secretary of State, Apostille and Certificate Program (sos.wa.gov). Prices and addresses are updated periodically, so verify them before sending.