If a Massachusetts document is headed overseas, such as a birth certificate for a foreign residency application, a power of attorney for property abroad or a diploma for a job, the receiving country will often want it authenticated first. In Massachusetts that authentication comes from the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Here is how to get a Massachusetts apostille or certification, what it costs and how to avoid a rejection.
Apostille vs. certification: Hague and non-Hague countries
Which certificate you get depends on the destination country, not on the document:
- If the country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the Secretary issues an apostille. The receiving country should accept it without further steps.
- If the country is not a party, the Secretary issues a certification. Non-Hague countries may require further legalization, often through their embassy or consulate, so check with the receiving authority.
You do not choose between the two; you tell the Secretary's office the destination country and it issues the right one.
Which documents qualify (notarized, vital records, court documents)
According to the Secretary's Apostilles and Certifications page, the office can only certify documents that carry an original signature of one of these Massachusetts officials:
- A Massachusetts notary public
- A justice of the peace
- A city or town clerk or assistant clerk
- A court clerk or assistant clerk
- The Registrar of Vital Records
That covers three common categories:
| Document type | How it qualifies |
|---|---|
| Privately signed documents (powers of attorney, affidavits, consent letters, company documents) | Signed before a Massachusetts notary, who completes a notarial certificate |
| Birth, marriage and death certificates | A certified copy signed by a city or town clerk or the Registrar of Vital Records |
| Court records (divorce judgments, probate documents) | A certified copy signed by the court clerk or assistant clerk |
For diplomas and transcripts, ask your school's registrar how it prepares documents for apostille; schools often provide a notarized statement for this purpose.
Step 1: Get a valid original signature from a Massachusetts official
For a notarized document, this is where most problems start. Make sure:
- The notary is commissioned in Massachusetts and the commission is current.
- The notarial certificate is complete: venue, date, signer's name, the type of ID, the notary's signature and printed name, and the expiration date.
- The notary signs exactly as on the commission, and the seal is legible. The state's Deed Indexing Standards note that these details must be complete before an apostille is issued. Although Massachusetts law generally accepts certificate wording that is substantially similar to the statutory forms, c. 222 § 20 lets the Secretary's office set its own requirements for apostilles, so complete, standard wording is the safest choice.
- The signature is in ink; photocopied signatures cannot be certified.
For vital records, order a certified copy from the city or town clerk where the event happened, or from the Registry of Vital Records. Do not have a notary "certify" a photocopy of a birth certificate; the Secretary's office does not authenticate notarized copies of government-issued documents.
Need a notary first? Find one through our Massachusetts notary directory or browse notaries in Boston.
Step 2: Complete the authentication form
Fill out the Apostille and Certification Authentication Form. It asks for:
- Your name, address, daytime phone and email;
- The country where the documents will be used;
- The number of documents and the type of official who signed each one; and
- How you want the documents returned: first-class mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope, express mail with a prepaid label and envelope, or pickup. If you do not choose, the order is held for pickup.
Step 3: Submit in Boston, Springfield, Fall River or by mail
You can deliver the form, payment and original documents in person or by mail to one of three Secretary of the Commonwealth offices listed on the form:
| Office | Address |
|---|---|
| Boston (Commissions Section) | One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108 |
| Springfield | 436 Dwight Street, Room 102, Springfield, MA 01103 |
| Fall River | 218 South Main Street, Suite 206, Fall River, MA 02721 |
Regional offices may have different document limits and turnaround times, so call ahead: the Secretary's Citizen Information Service is 1-800-392-6090.
Fees and processing times
- Fee: $6 per document. By mail, pay by check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- In person in Boston: up to three documents are handled at the counter. Four or more are ready after 3 p.m. on the next business day, and documents dropped off after 4 p.m. are ready the next business day.
- By mail: about two to three weeks, plus mailing time. Express return requires a prepaid envelope and billing account number.
The $6 state fee does not include what a notary, a clerk's office or a courier may charge. See our notary fees guide.
Why apostille requests get rejected
- Photocopied or scanned signatures instead of an original.
- A notarized copy of a passport, birth certificate or other government-issued document.
- An incomplete notarial certificate: missing expiration date, printed name, ID description or an illegible seal.
- A notary from another state, or a federal document.
- Missing information on the form, especially the destination country, or missing payment or return envelope.
Federal documents and out-of-state documents
The Massachusetts Secretary authenticates only Massachusetts officials' signatures. The office does not authenticate federal or out-of-state documents. In general:
- Federal documents, such as FBI background checks or records signed by federal officials, are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State.
- Documents from another state, including documents notarized by another state's notary or online notary, go to that state's apostille authority, usually its Secretary of State.
Planning to use an online notary? Read our remote online notarization guide first; the apostille must then come from the notary's home state.
FAQ
How much does an apostille cost in Massachusetts?
The Secretary of the Commonwealth charges $6 per document. Notary, clerk, courier or service fees are separate.
How long does a Massachusetts apostille take?
In person in Boston, up to three documents are handled at the counter; four or more are ready the next business day. By mail, allow about two to three weeks plus mailing time.
Can I get an apostille on a notarized copy of my birth certificate?
No. The office does not authenticate notarized copies of government-issued documents. Order a certified copy signed by the city or town clerk or the Registrar of Vital Records instead.
Can Massachusetts apostille a document notarized in another state?
No. The document must go to the apostille authority of the state where the notary is commissioned.
This guide from Boston Notary Co., a privately operated directory and not a government agency, is general information, not legal advice; confirm current law and procedures with the official sources linked above.