Apostille vs. Notary in Florida — What's the Difference and Which Do You Need?

If you have ever tried to use a Florida document in another country, you have probably run into two terms that sound official but are easy to confuse: notarization and apostille. Understanding the difference between the two is not just a matter of definitions — it determines whether your documents will be accepted abroad or sent back for corrections.

This guide explains exactly what each one means, when you need both, and how the process works when you work with a dedicated apostille service in Florida.

What Is a Notary in Florida?

A notary public is a state-commissioned official authorized to witness the signing of documents and verify the identity of the person signing them. In Florida, notaries are commissioned by the Governor's office and are authorized to perform a specific set of functions including witnessing signatures, administering oaths, and certifying copies of documents.

When a Florida notary signs and stamps a document, they are confirming that the person who signed it appeared before them, showed valid identification, and signed the document willingly. The notary is not verifying the content of the document — only the authenticity of the signature.

Notarization is recognized within the United States. A notarized document is valid for use in Florida courts, financial institutions, government agencies, and other domestic purposes. However, notarization alone is not recognized by foreign governments.

What Is an Apostille?

An apostille is a form of authentication issued by a government authority that certifies a document for use in another country. In Florida, apostilles are issued by the Florida Secretary of State in Tallahassee.

The apostille system was established under the Hague Convention of 1961, an international treaty that simplified the process of authenticating documents across member countries. There are currently over 120 countries that are party to the Hague Convention, meaning they recognize apostilles as valid proof that a document is authentic.

When a foreign government requires an apostille on a document, they are asking for confirmation that the document — and any signatures or seals on it — are legitimate and were issued by the proper authority. The apostille does not translate the document or verify its content. It simply certifies its authenticity for international use.

For countries that are not party to the Hague Convention, a different process called authentication or legalization is required. South Florida Apostille Services handles both apostilles and authentications depending on the destination country.

What Is the Difference Between a Notary and an Apostille?

The simplest way to understand the difference is this:

A notary verifies who signed a document. An apostille verifies that the notary — or the government official who issued the document — is legitimate.

Think of it as a chain of trust. A foreign government does not know your Florida notary. They do not know your county clerk or your state agency. The apostille bridges that gap by having the Florida Secretary of State certify that the signature or seal on your document is genuine.

Here is a side-by-side comparison:

	Notary	Apostille
Issued by	Florida-commissioned notary public	Florida Secretary of State
Purpose	Verifies identity and signature	Certifies document for international use
Valid in	United States	Hague Convention countries
Required for	Domestic legal, financial, government use	International document submission

When Do You Need Both a Notary and an Apostille?

This is where most people get confused — and where mistakes happen.

Many documents that require an apostille must first be notarized before the apostille can be obtained. This is because the Florida Secretary of State can only apostille a document that carries a recognized signature or seal. For privately prepared documents — such as powers of attorney, affidavits, consent letters, and corporate documents — that recognized signature is a Florida notary's stamp and signature.

The sequence always goes in this order: notarization first, apostille second. You cannot reverse it.

This is also where errors commonly occur. If the notarization is done incorrectly — wrong format, missing information, improper acknowledgment — the Secretary of State will reject the document and return it without issuing the apostille. That means going back to the notary, correcting the document, and starting the apostille process over again.

How South Florida Apostille Services Handles Notarization

One of the most common reasons apostille orders get delayed is a problem with the notarization. Clients come to us with documents notarized by their own notary, and we find errors that will cause the Secretary of State to reject the submission. At that point the client has to go back to their notary, get the document corrected, and ship it again — adding days or even weeks to the process.

We have eliminated that problem entirely.

South Florida Apostille Services utilizes Remote Online Notarization (RON) to notarize documents. Our RON notary meets with clients virtually, verifies their identity, and notarizes their documents online. The notarization is completed correctly the first time because our RON notary is experienced in proper notarization procedures — eliminating the formatting errors and missing information that cause documents to be rejected.

From the completed RON notarization, we move directly into the apostille process. Because notarization is completed online, there are no physical documents to ship — we print the notarized documents and submit them for apostille immediately. Clients who use their own notary will need to ship their documents to us, adding at least one day to the process. We also provide overnight shipping labels for clients who are mailing documents to us, so the process moves as quickly as possible.

This end-to-end approach — notarization through apostille — is one of the key reasons our clients rarely experience delays or re-submissions.

Which Documents Require Both Notarization and an Apostille?

Documents that typically require notarization before an apostille include:

• Powers of attorney for use abroad

• Affidavits and sworn statements

• Consent letters for minors traveling internationally

• Corporate documents including articles of incorporation, certificates of incumbency, and resolutions

• Adoption-related documents (varies by country)

• Personal statements for immigration or visa purposes

• School transcripts

  
  

Documents that do not require notarization before an apostille include:

• Birth certificates issued by a Florida county

• Marriage certificates issued by a Florida county

• Death certificates issued by a Florida county

• Divorce decrees issued by a Florida court

• FBI background checks

These documents are already issued with an official government seal or signature, which the Secretary of State can apostille directly without a notary being involved.

What If My Country Is Not on the Hague Convention List?

If the country you are sending documents to is not a member of the Hague Convention, an apostille will not be accepted. In that case, the document typically needs to go through a process called authentication or legalization, which may involve the U.S. Department of State and the embassy or consulate of the destination country.

South Florida Apostille Services handles authentication for non-Hague countries as well. If you are unsure which process applies to your situation, contact us and we will confirm based on your destination country.

How Long Does the Process Take in Florida?

Once we receive your physical documents, our processing times are:

• Florida Express — 2 business days

• Regular Express — 3 to 5 business days

• Expedited — 6 to 8 business days

If notarization is needed, our RON notary can typically complete the virtual appointment quickly, allowing the apostille process to begin without unnecessary delay.

Processing times are estimates and not guaranteed. Please plan accordingly.

Get Started with South Florida Apostille Services

Whether you need an apostille only, notarization and an apostille together, or authentication for a non-Hague country, South Florida Apostille Services handles the entire process from start to finish. We have processed apostilles for Florida residents sending documents to over 40 countries, including documents for citizenship applications, corporate transactions, and overseas property purchases.

Mail-in, drop-off, and on-site service are available statewide. Spanish language assistance is available via email and text.

Call 800-208-2128 or visit southfloridaapostilleservices.com to place your order or get answers to your questions.