Comparison
What each one does, when you need both, and the order of operations for documents traveling outside the United States.
Domestic
Notarization
International
Apostille
$20–$50
State fee
24–72 hrs
Expedited
Notarization is a U.S.-domestic act that verifies who signed. An apostille is an international certification that lets a notarized U.S. document be recognized abroad. If your document is staying in the United States, you only need a notarization. If it's going to a Hague Convention country, you need both.
Notarization: a commissioned notary verifies the signer's ID, witnesses the signature, and applies a seal. Cost is typically $5–$15 per signature in person, $25 online. Apostille: a state Secretary of State (or the U.S. State Department for federal documents) attaches a one-page certificate authenticating the notary's commission. Cost runs $20–$50 per state-issued apostille plus service fees of $50–$150 per document.
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1. Notary signs and seals the private document (POA, affidavit, school transcript, corporate resolution). 2. The notarized document is sent to the state where the notary is commissioned for apostille. 3. The state returns the document with the apostille certificate attached. 4. The document is now valid for use in any Hague Convention country without further legalization. For U.S. federal documents (FBI background checks, IRS forms), step 2 goes to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., not a state authority.
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A notarization confirms the identity of the signer and the authenticity of their signature inside the United States. An apostille is an additional certification — issued by a state or federal authority — that authenticates the notary's commission so the document is accepted in another country that is party to the Hague Convention.
Only if the destination country is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. For non-Hague countries, you'll need full embassy or consulate legalization instead.
Notarization first. The apostille certifies the notary's signature and seal that already appears on the document, so the notarial act must be completed before the document is sent to the state authority.
Only on documents already issued by a government agency — vital records (birth, marriage, death certificates), court orders, FBI background checks, and state-issued documents. Private documents always require notarization first.
Notarization takes minutes. Apostilles take 2–10 business days through state offices, and 8–12 weeks through the U.S. Department of State for federal documents — though most professional apostille services offer expedited processing in 24–72 hours.
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Service descriptions
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Disclaimer: NotaSealPros is a directory that helps you find notary services. We are not a government agency and do not commission notaries. Always verify official notary commission status with the appropriate state authority (Secretary of State or Department of Licensing) before finalizing any notarization.
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