When Notarization Is Required Before a State Apostille

Notarization is required before a state apostille when the document is a private document or a document that was not issued as a certified public record.

In these situations, notarization is the step that makes the document eligible for authentication by the Secretary of State. Without notarization, the document cannot be apostilled.

Documents That Commonly Require Notarization Before Apostille

This requirement most often applies to privately prepared or signed documents, including:

• powers of attorney
• affidavits and sworn statements
• employment verification letters
• benefit or pension letters
• corporate documents
• authorization letters
• declarations prepared by an individual or company
• Any other type of document that requires a party’s signature

In each of these cases, notarization creates the official act that allows the document to be apostilled. Without notarization, the document cannot proceed through the state apostille process.

For a broader explanation of how notarization fits into international document preparation, see our

Documents for International Use: Apostille, Notarization, or Both?

Why Notarization Is Required in These Cases

A state apostille does not verify the contents of a document.
Instead, it verifies:

• the notary’s authority
• the authenticity of the notary’s signature and seal

For private documents, notarization establishes a verifiable public act. Without that notarial act, there is nothing for the Secretary of State to authenticate, and an apostille cannot be issued.

When Notarization Is Not Required Before a State Apostille

Notarization is not required when the document is already a certified public record issued by an authorized government office.

Common examples include:

• certified birth certificates
• certified marriage certificates
• certified death certificates
• certain court-issued records

In these cases, the Secretary of State apostilles the certified copy directly.
Adding notarization would be unnecessary—and in some situations, incorrect.

Common Mistakes That Cause Apostille Rejections

Apostille requests are frequently rejected due to avoidable errors, such as:

• submitting a private document without notarization
• notarizing a document that should have been submitted as a certified copy
• using an uncertified copy instead of a certified public record
• using a copy certified by the incorrect authority
• assuming notarization alone is sufficient for international use

Any of these mistakes can result in rejection or require the process to be restarted.

How This Fits With State vs. Federal Apostilles

Notarization requirements before apostille apply primarily to state apostilles.

Federal apostilles follow different rules and generally apply only to documents issued by federal agencies.

To avoid submitting documents to the wrong authority, review our guide on state vs. federal apostilles.

Next Steps

If you are preparing a document for a state apostille, it is critical to confirm whether
notarization is required before submitting anything.

In many cases, this single step determines whether your apostille request is accepted or rejected.