State guide

Federal Apostille Services in Tennessee

How Tennessee residents get federal documents apostilled — and how that differs from Tennessee state documents handled by the Tennessee Secretary of State.

Last reviewed October 25, 2026

Quick answer

There’s no federal apostille counter in Tennessee — or anywhere outside Washington, D.C. Federal documents from Tennessee residents are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State. Tennessee state documents go to the Tennessee Secretary of State in Nashville.

Key takeaways

Federal documents from Tennessee are apostilled only by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. — not by the Tennessee Secretary of State.
Tennessee state documents (birth, marriage, state court, notarized) go to the Tennessee Secretary of State. We don’t provide state-level apostilles.
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.

State apostille office: Tennessee Secretary of State
Located in: Nashville
Federal court districts: 3
Our office: Memphis

Federal or Tennessee document?

Document	Apostille from
FBI background check	U.S. Department of State
Tennessee state police check	Tennessee Secretary of State
Naturalization / citizenship certificate	U.S. Department of State
Tennessee birth, death or marriage certificate	Tennessee Secretary of State
Document notarized in Tennessee	Tennessee Secretary of State
Federal court record	U.S. Department of State
Tennessee state court record	Tennessee Secretary of State

Federal courts in Tennessee

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee

City guides: Nashville · Memphis

How we serve Tennessee

We have a processing office in Tennessee: Memphis. It handles orders by phone and online and isn’t open to the public, so documents come to us by mail — the fastest route to Washington. We cover Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga and every other part of Tennessee.

Pricing is flat: $299 per document for Hague countries (10–12 business days) and $399 for non-Hague countries including embassy legalization (15–17 business days), government fees included.

Official sources: Tennessee Secretary of State — Apostilles & Authentications · U.S. Department of State — Authenticate Your Document · HCCH — Apostille Convention status table (Hague countries) · NASS — State Apostille Offices.

Documents for Tennessee residents

Pick your document for the exact route from Tennessee:

ATF LicenseFederal route CDC DocumentsFederal route Certificate of CitizenshipFederal route Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)Federal routeDD-214 Military RecordsFederal route DEA RegistrationFederal route EPA CertificateFederal route FAA Aircraft RegistrationFederal route FAA Airman CertificateFederal route FBI Background CheckFederal route FCC LicenseFederal route FD-258 Fingerprint CardFederal route FDA Certificate of Free SaleFederal route FDA Certificate of Pharmaceutical ProductFederal route FDA Certificate to Foreign GovernmentFederal route Federal Corporate DocumentsFederal route Federal Court DocumentsFederal route Federal Employment RecordsFederal route Federal Marriage RecordFederal route Form I-94Federal route Green Card CopyState route IRS Form 6166Federal route IRS Tax TranscriptFederal route NARA RecordsFederal route Naturalization CertificateFederal route Non-Existence of RecordFederal route OPM Annuity & Pension LetterFederal route Power of AttorneyState route SEC DocumentsFederal route Social Security LetterFederal route U.S. Passport CopyState route USCIS RecordsFederal route USDA Animal Health Export CertificateFederal route USDA Export CertificateFederal route USDA PhytosanitaryFederal route USPTO PatentFederal route USPTO TrademarkFederal route VA Benefit LetterFederal route

Where are Tennessee state documents apostilled?

Tennessee-issued documents — birth, marriage and death certificates, state court records, and anything notarized in Tennessee — are apostilled by the Tennessee Secretary of State, Office of Authentications, not by the U.S. Department of State. We don’t provide state-level apostilles, so request it directly from the office below. If it is going to a non-Hague country, get the Tennessee authentication first; we then handle the U.S. Department of State and embassy steps for $399.

Office	Tennessee Secretary of State, Office of Authentications
In person	312 Rosa L. Parks Ave, 3rd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243
Mailing address	ATTN: ATS Section, 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave, 6th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone	(615) 741-0536
Hours	Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:15 PM CT (arrive by 2:00 for same day)

Source: Tennessee Secretary 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 Tennessee?

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 from Tennessee?

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).

Tennessee — FAQ

Is there a federal apostille office in Tennessee?

No. Every U.S. federal document is authenticated by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The Tennessee Secretary of State handles only Tennessee state documents.

Who issues apostilles for Tennessee state documents?

The Tennessee Secretary of State in Nashville.

Which federal courts are in Tennessee?

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

Do I need to visit an office in Tennessee?

No. We work with Tennessee clients by mail and handle the Washington submission for you.

How much does a federal apostille cost?

$299 per document for Hague Convention countries and $399 for non-Hague countries including embassy legalization, with government fees and U.S. shipping included.

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.

Start an Order Call (855) 505-5515