South Florida
Federal Apostille in Miami, FL
Federal document authentication for Miami and Miami-Dade and the wider South Florida metro — processed through the U.S. Department of State. Order online, by mail, or in person by appointment; all government fees included.
Last reviewed October 25, 2026
Quick answer
Federal documents from Miami are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. — there is no apostille counter in Miami itself, because only one office in the country issues a federal apostille. We handle that submission for you: order online, mail your document to us, or drop it off at our Miami office by appointment, and we return it apostilled and ready to use abroad.
Key takeaways
- Federal documents from Miami are apostilled only by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. — there is no local federal apostille office.
- Through us: $299 all-in for Hague countries (10–12 business days) or $399 with embassy legalization for non-Hague countries (15–17 business days).
- Do it yourself: Form DS-4194 and a $20 fee per document — processed within 5 weeks by mail, or 7 business days if you drop it off in Washington, D.C.
- Office
- 5201 Waterford District Dr, Ste 884, Miami, FL 33126
- Authenticated at
- U.S. Dept. of State, Washington, D.C.
- Federal court district
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami Division)
- Turnaround
- 10–12 business days + shipping
- FBI checks
- In person, by appointment
- Document drop-off
- In person, by appointment
- Appointments
- Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Miami sends more documents abroad than almost any U.S. city — dual citizenship files for Colombia, Venezuela, Spain and Brazil, property and inheritance paperwork across Latin America, and business records for international trade. Federal documents from Miami still authenticate in Washington, D.C.; here is how Miami residents get it done without leaving town.
Federal documents from Miami authenticate in Washington — not locally
An apostille certifies that the seal and signature on a document are genuine. For a federal document — one issued by a federal agency or federal court — the only office in the country that can do that is the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. A state Secretary of State cannot authenticate it, and there is no local federal-apostille counter anywhere, Miami included.
That is why Miami residents route federal documents through us: Miami sits in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami Division) — home to the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse — so many local federal records originate here, but the apostille that makes them usable abroad still happens in D.C. We bridge that gap.
How it works from Miami
Order online
Start your order and tell us the document and destination country. No payment up front — we confirm the exact price and route first.
Mail us the document
Send your original federal document to our processing office. We accept USPS, FedEx, UPS and DHL, and review it before anything is submitted.
We process in Washington, D.C.
Our team hand-delivers your document to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — no mail queue, no lost packages.
You receive it
We return the apostilled document by tracked courier. Non-Hague countries include embassy legalization.
FBI background checks and appointments in Miami
Miami is one of two offices — with West Palm Beach — where we handle the full FBI background-check chain in house: the fingerprinting, the FBI Identity History Summary, and the federal apostille that goes on it. Book a weekday appointment and we take it from fingerprints to a finished, apostilled report — and you can drop off any other document for apostille, legalization or translation at the same visit.
Appointment request
Visit our Miami office Monday to Friday. Pick a day and a time window, tell us what you need, and we’ll call or email to confirm your exact time and price. No payment now.
Where your document is going decides the route
Hague Convention countries accept the apostille on its own. Non-Hague countries need the same Department of State authentication followed by embassy or consulate legalization — we handle both.
| Destination | What you get | Extra step |
|---|---|---|
| Hague country | Apostille from the U.S. Department of State | None |
| Non-Hague country | Authentication certificate | Embassy legalization |
Documents in Miami, FL
The exact route for each document from Miami, FL:
Where are Florida state documents apostilled?
Florida-issued documents — birth, marriage and death certificates, state court records, and anything notarized in Florida — are apostilled by the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Section, not by the U.S. Department of State. We don’t provide state-level apostilles, so request it directly from the office below. If a Florida document is going to a non-Hague country, we handle the full chain — Florida, U.S. Department of State and embassy — for $599.
| Office | Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Section |
|---|---|
| In person | 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303 Most walk-in requests completed while you wait; check or money order only |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 6800, Tallahassee, FL 32314 |
| Phone | 850-245-6053 |
| Hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM |
| State fee per apostille | $10 ($20 for Clerk of Court documents) |
| Processing time (published) | In order received; no expedited service |
Source: Florida Department of State — official apostille page (checked October 2026). Fees, hours and appointment rules change — confirm with the office before you send anything.
How long does a federal apostille take from Miami?
The U.S. Department of State is the only office that issues a federal apostille. Mailed in yourself, it is processed within 5 weeks of receipt; dropped off in person in Washington, D.C., within 7 business days. Through us it takes 10–12 business days, or 15–17 business days for a non-Hague country that also needs embassy legalization.
| Route | How | Processing time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mail it yourself | Form DS-4194 + check to the Office of Authentications, Sterling, VA | Within 5 weeks of receipt | $20 per document + shipping |
| Drop it off yourself | 600 19th Street NW, Washington, D.C. — Mon–Thu, 7:30–9:00 AM, no appointment | Within 7 business days | $20 per document + travel |
| Emergency appointment | Only for a life-or-death family emergency with travel within 2 weeks | Same day | $20 per document |
| Through Federal Apostille USA | We review it, drop it off in D.C. and return it to you with tracking | 10–12 business days total | $299 all-in ($399 non-Hague) |
What does a federal apostille cost in Miami?
The government fee is $20 per document, paid with Form DS-4194. Our all-in price is $299 per document, covering the government fee, review, D.C. drop-off and U.S. return shipping; non-Hague destinations are $399 with embassy legalization.
Government figures: U.S. Department of State — Request Authentication Services (checked October 2026).
Miami federal apostille — FAQ
Is there an apostille office in Miami?
A federal apostille can only be issued by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. — no state or city office can authenticate a federal document. Our Miami office coordinates that submission for you. Order online, send your document by mail, or drop it off at the office by appointment, Monday to Friday.
How long does a federal apostille take for Miami residents?
Federal apostille processing runs about 10–12 business days once your document reaches us. Non-Hague destinations add embassy legalization; we confirm the full timeline before you order.
What does it cost?
Federal apostille is $299 per document, with government authentication fees and U.S. shipping included. We confirm your exact price before any payment.
Which documents do you handle for Miami?
FBI background-check reports, DD-214 and military records, IRS documents, Social Security letters, certificates of naturalization and citizenship, federal court documents, and other federal-agency records — plus the full authentication chain for Florida documents going to non-Hague countries.
Official sources: Florida Department of State — Apostilles & Authentications · U.S. Department of State — Authenticate Your Document · HCCH — Apostille Convention status table (Hague countries) · U.S. Courts — Federal Court Websites.
Ready to start?
Order online in minutes, or call and we will walk you through it. Federal documents from anywhere in the U.S. — one flat price, all government fees included.