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North Carolina Apostille Services

Start online with a document issued in North Carolina. Choose True Copy Processing or Original Document Processing.

From $149 per document · No hidden fees · Tracked shipping included

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120+

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Two ways to process a North Carolina document

  • True Copy Processing: begins with an upload and authenticates the notary's certification. Its apostille state may differ from North Carolina.
  • Original Document Processing: use this when you want the original North Carolina document handled through the state-specific route.
  • One national service: this page is for North Carolina documents and does not represent a local office.
State Office

Who issues apostilles in North Carolina

Apostilles for public documents that originate in North Carolina are issued by the North Carolina Secretary of State in Raleigh. Original Document Processing sends your physical document through that office. True Copy Processing works from a scan and is apostilled by the state where our notary is commissioned, which may not be North Carolina, because the apostille certifies the notary's signature rather than the North Carolina issuing agency.

Issuing authority

North Carolina Secretary of State

Office location

Raleigh

Published mail-in processing time

about 5 business days longer than counter service, as published by the office, not counting transit in either direction

In-person service

The office also serves walk-in requests at its counter.

Processing estimates are published by the North Carolina Secretary of State and change without notice. They describe the state's own handling of a mailed request and are separate from our service tiers and from shipping. Apostilles.us is a private service, does not operate an office in North Carolina and is not affiliated with the North Carolina Secretary of State.

How It Works

From Order to Apostille in Three Steps

Select the path you want and we handle the processing work in between.

1

Choose Your Processing Path

Start with a digital upload for True Copy Processing or select Original Document Processing for physical-document intake.

Online ordering takes about 2 minutes

2

We Prepare and Process It

We prepare the selected service package and coordinate the apostille process from submission through completion.

Priority options available

3

Receive Your Completed Document

The completed document is returned to you or your recipient using the tracked shipping selected in the order.

Domestic and international delivery

Processing Times

Choose the Turnaround You Need

Express

Priority Express

As fast as 1 business day

Standard

Standard Priority

2-3 business days

Economy

Economy Standard

4-6 business days

View complete processing details →
Submit Your North Carolina Document

Select True Copy or Original Document Processing during the order.

Documents

Common North Carolina Document Types

Most requests for North Carolina documents fall into one of these groups. Government-issued certified copies are apostilled on the state's certification; privately signed documents are notarized first and apostilled on the notary's certification.

North Carolina birth certificate apostille

A certified copy issued by the North Carolina vital records office or the county registrar. A certified birth certificate is apostilled on the registrar's certification under Original Document Processing; a clear scan is enough to start True Copy Processing.

Read the guide

North Carolina marriage certificate apostille

A certified copy of a marriage certificate recorded in North Carolina, issued by the state vital records office or the clerk that recorded the marriage. Commonly needed for residency, spousal visas and name changes abroad.

Read the guide

North Carolina death certificate apostille

A certified copy of a death certificate issued in North Carolina, used for foreign estates, pensions, insurance claims and property transfers. Certified copies are apostilled without additional notarization under Original Document Processing.

Read the guide

North Carolina divorce decree apostille

A certified copy of the decree from the North Carolina court that granted the divorce, bearing the clerk's certification. Required when remarrying abroad or updating civil status in another country.

Read the guide

North Carolina court order apostille

Certified court orders and judgments from North Carolina courts, including name changes, adoptions and custody orders, certified by the clerk of the issuing court.

Read the guide

North Carolina power of attorney apostille

Powers of attorney and other privately signed documents are notarized by a commissioned notary first; the apostille is then issued on the notary's certification. Remote online notarization can be added to the order.

Read the guide

North Carolina diploma and transcript apostille

Diplomas and transcripts from North Carolina schools, colleges and universities are private documents: the registrar's signed copy or a notarized true copy is authenticated, then apostilled for study, licensing or employment abroad.

Read the guide

North Carolina corporate document apostille

Articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing, bylaws and other North Carolina business documents, either certified by the state or notarized before the apostille is issued.

Read the guide
Ready When You Are

Start Your North Carolina Apostille Order

Choose the processing path you want and submit your order online.

Trusted Nationwide · All 50 States + DC

Never mail your original documents

We process apostilles from a notarized true copy of your uploaded scan. Your birth certificate, diploma, or FBI report never leaves your hands, so it can never be lost in the mail.

How true copy processing works
FAQ

North Carolina Apostille Questions

Need your apostille issued through North Carolina specifically?

True Copy Processing may produce an apostille from a different state because it authenticates the notary's certification. Use Original Document Processing when you need the North Carolina-specific route.

Switch to Original Document Processing

An apostille is a certificate issued by a designated U.S. authority that authenticates a U.S. document for use in countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

The North Carolina Secretary of State in Raleigh issues apostilles for public documents that originate in North Carolina, such as vital records, court documents and state-certified business filings.

With True Copy Processing the apostille is issued by the state where our notary is commissioned instead, because it certifies the notary's signature rather than the North Carolina agency. Choose Original Document Processing when the receiving party needs the apostille from North Carolina itself.

The North Carolina Secretary of State publishes a mail-in processing time of about 5 business days longer than counter service. That figure is the state's own handling time, excludes transit to and from the office, and can change without notice.

Our Express (1 business day), Standard (2-3 business days) and Economy (4-6 business days) tiers describe our handling for True Copy Processing. Original Document Processing depends on the North Carolina Secretary of State's schedule plus shipping. See processing details →

In most cases, no. Upload a clear color scan through our secure portal. Our licensed notary certifies the printed copy, and a U.S. Secretary of State issues the apostille on the notary's certification.

The state issuing a True Copy apostille may differ from North Carolina, because the apostille authenticates the notary rather than the source document.

Use our Original Document Apostille service when you need the physical document submitted through the North Carolina-specific route.

Our process uses a U.S.-licensed notary who certifies that a printed copy made from your scan is a true and accurate reproduction of the original document.

A U.S. Secretary of State then issues the apostille on the notary-certified true copy. The apostille authenticates the notary's seal and signature.

Government-issued vital records typically do not require additional notarization before Original Document Processing. True Copy Processing includes the copy-certification step.

Private signed documents may require notarization. Our remote online notary service can be added to an order.

Economy orders take 4-6 business days, Standard takes 2-3 business days, and Express takes 1 business day. Shipping time is separate from processing time.

See full processing time details →

Economy starts at $149 per document, Standard at $197, and Express at $249.

See full pricing details and add-ons →

More than 120 countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention.

A non-member destination may require authentication and embassy legalization instead. Browse country guidance →

Not necessarily. With True Copy Processing, the apostille is issued by the state where the notary is commissioned. That may be a different state from North Carolina because the apostille authenticates the notary's certification.

Use our Original Document Apostille service when you need the North Carolina-specific route.

Start Online

True Copy Processing begins with an upload. Original Document Processing includes mailing instructions after ordering.

Tracked Delivery

Domestic and international tracked shipping options are selected in the order.

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Apostilles.us is a private document-processing service and is not affiliated with a government agency or a physical office in North Carolina.

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