Do I need to notarize a New York marriage certificate before apostille?

No. A certified marriage certificate is a public vital record and is not notarized. What matters is issuer and signature chain: many local or county records require county clerk certification first, while records signed by officials whose signatures are on file at NYS DOS can go directly.

How much is the New York apostille fee?

The New York Department of State fee is 10 dollars per document. This fee is separate from the fee to obtain the marriage certificate and any county clerk fee.

Do NYC marriage certificates need extra steps?

Yes. For NYC marriage certificates, NYS DOS states you must request a Letter of Exemplification and then obtain certification from the New York County Clerk before submitting to NYS DOS.

How long does New York apostille processing take?

NYS DOS currently indicates mail requests are taking at least four weeks, plus shipping time. Walk-in same-day service is available at designated counters for eligible submissions.

Can someone else submit my documents for apostille?

Yes. A third party can submit documents, as long as the package is complete and includes the correct form, fee, and return mail instructions.

Can I apostille a keepsake marriage certificate or a scan?

No. Keepsake versions, plain scans, and uncertified copies are not accepted for apostille. Use a certified copy issued by the proper records authority.

What if my destination country is not in the Hague Convention?

Use a Certificate of Authentication instead of an apostille. NYS DOS notes that non-Hague destinations may also require U.S. Department of State and consular legalization.

Can New York apostille a marriage certificate from another state?

No. New York only authenticates New York-issued public documents. Out-of-state marriage certificates must be apostilled by the issuing state.

New York Vital Record

New York Marriage Certificate Apostille

This page follows current NYS Department of State rules for apostilling marriage certificates. The key risk in New York is issuer-path mismatch: many local and NYC marriage records require county clerk certification before NYS DOS.

Reviewed by Amelia Rivera

Legal Operations Review - Updated February 16, 2026

Start New York Marriage Certificate Apostille View Requirements

At a Glance - NY 2026 Rules

Apostille Authority	New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services
State Fee	$10 per document (NYS DOS fee)
Issuer Rule	Issuer determines path: many local or county marriage records require county clerk certification first, while records signed by officials whose signatures are on file with NYS DOS can go directly.
NYC Marriage Certificates	Require Letter of Exemplification and certification by New York County Clerk before NYS DOS.
Mail Processing	NYS DOS currently indicates at least 4 weeks for mail requests, plus mailing time.
Walk-In Service	Same-day walk-in counters are available in NYC/Albany/Binghamton/Buffalo/Utica; DOS limits same-day service to 10 documents per customer.
Mail Address	NYS DOS Apostille and Authentication Unit, PO Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001
Courier Physical Address	Division of Licensing Services, 1 Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Ave, 6th Floor, Albany, NY 12231
Return Shipping	Returned by first-class mail unless you include a prepaid express label.

Most NY rejections happen at Step 2

The most common failure is sending a valid marriage certificate through the wrong certification path.

Local or county-issued marriage records must be certified by that county clerk first.
Records signed by officials whose signatures are already on file at NYS DOS can go directly to state apostille.
NYC marriage certificates require a Letter of Exemplification before New York County Clerk certification.

Accepted vs. Not Accepted Documents

Accepted

- Certified New York marriage certificate issued by a city/town clerk, county office, or state-level authority with a valid signature chain.
- Certified local or county marriage certificate that has county clerk certification.
- NYC marriage records from the Marriage Bureau with Letter of Exemplification and New York County Clerk certification.

Not Accepted

- Ceremony keepsake certificates or unofficial commemorative copies.
- Plain photocopies, scans, or prints from a portal.
- Out-of-state marriage certificates (must be apostilled by issuing state).
- NYC records missing Letter of Exemplification where required.

Requirements Checklist

MUST HAVE

Certified marriage certificate: Issued by city/town clerk, county authority, NYC Marriage Bureau, or other proper NY public records office.
County clerk certification when required: Required for local/county issuers and NYC path.
NYS DOS Apostille Request Form: Complete country, contact, payment, and return shipping fields.
Correct payment: $10 per document payable to "N.Y.S. Department of State".
Return mail instructions: First-class return or prepaid courier label.

COMMON REJECTION TRIGGERS

Issuer confusion: Assuming every NY document can skip county clerk because it says "New York State".
Missing NYC exemplification: Sending NYC marriage records without Letter of Exemplification where required.
Bad payment packet: Wrong payee, missing CVV for card payments, or incomplete request form.
Non-valid record: Souvenir certificate or uncertified copy.

Recent verification log

Feb 16, 2026Validated NYS DOS apostille fee, issuer/County Clerk rules, and submission addresses.

Feb 16, 2026Validated NYC marriage certificate apostille path (Letter of Exemplification + New York County Clerk).