Ohio Apostille FAQs

Apostilles for Ohio marriage, death and birth certificates are obtained from the Ohio Secretary of State in Columbus. Ohio birth and death certificates must be issued by the Ohio Department of Health or Vital Statistics. Marriage certificates must be certified by the County Probate Court in the county where the marriage licence was issued.

Ohio university degrees and school records should be certified by the school or university in the presence of an Ohio Notary. The notarized certificate can then be submitted to the Kentucky Secretary of State for an Apostille or Authentication.

Ohio university degree certificates, course transcripts and high school diplomas can also be authenticated as notarized copies. A true copy is certified by a notary (this can often be done from a scan without having to submit the original) and then authenticated with an Apostille Stamp from the Washington DC Secretary of State. Authenticated documents can also be attested by the embassies of Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.

For further information, see:
University Degrees and School Records

Documents that have been certified by an Ohio County Probate Courts can be authenticated for use abroad with an Apostille stamp from the Ohio Secretary of State in Columbus. The notarial certificate must be in English and include the following:

• Indication that the act was an acknowledgment or jurat.
• The state and county venue where the notarization was performed.
• The date of notarization.
• The signature of the notary.
• The notary public’s printed or typed name.
• The expiration date of the notary's commission.
• The notary seal which includes the coat of arms of Ohio (stamp or embosser).

Ohio Apostilles are normally obtained from the Secretary of State in Columbus in 3-5 business days

An expedited same-day service is also available for urgent requests.

Ohio Apostilles can be obtained for documents signed by an Ohio public official, including documents originating in a court or tribunal, administrative documents, Ohio Vital Records (birth and death certificates certified by the Ohio Department of Health or Vital Statistics, marriage certificates certified by the county probate court, divorce certificates issued by an Ohio county clerk), Ohio university diplomas and school certificates certified by an Ohio notary, and other documents with a notarial certificate, such as power of attorney and affidavits.

If documents are required for submission to the authorities or consulate of a signatory country of the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille stamp affixed by the Secretary of State of Ohio will generally be recognized directly as confirming authenticity, although a certified translation may also be required if presenting to a country that does not have English as an official language.

If documents are required for presentation in a country that is not a signatory to the apostille convention (e.g. United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Taiwan, Vietnam), then an apostille stamp is not valid. Documents will need to be authenticated at State level in Ohio, then by the State Department Authentication Division, and finally by the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the United States. A Certified Translation may also be required.

For further information about Ohio apostilles and authentications or to obtain a quote for assistance submitting your documents, with free eligibility pre-check, international collection and delivery by courier, please contact us or send us your documents using our Online Quotation Form.

A Power of Attorney or Affidavit can be authenticated with an Apostille in Ohio when it has been duly notarized by an Ohio Notary

Ohio birth and death certificates can be obtained from the Ohio Department of Health (Bureau of Vital Statistics). Certificates can be ordered online, by mail or obtained in person.

• Order Ohio birth and death certificates online
• Ohio Bureau of Vital Statistics

Certified copies of Ohio marriage certificates can be obtained from the Ohio County Probate Court in the county where the marriage licence was issued.

• Ohio County Probate Courts
• Franklin County - Certified Marriage Abstracts
• Cuyahoga County - Marriage Certificates
• Hamilton County - Marriage certificates

You can see reviews from past clients who have used our attestation and apostille services:

• ISAREY reviews on Trustpilot
• ISAREY reviews on Google