Why Notarization Matters for Apostille
Many documents need to be notarized before they can be apostilled. Understanding why this step exists helps you navigate the process more effectively.
Government-issued documents - such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates issued by a vital records office - typically do not need notarization because they already bear the official signature and seal of a government officer. The Secretary of State can verify these signatures directly against their records.
However, documents that are not signed by government officials - such as diplomas, transcripts, powers of attorney, affidavits, corporate resolutions, and many other commonly apostilled documents - require notarization as an intermediate step. The notary public certifies the authenticity of the document or the identity of the signer. The Secretary of State then verifies the notary's signature and commission status and issues the apostille.
In essence, the notary serves as the bridge between a private document and the government authority that issues the apostille. The Secretary of State is certifying the notary's signature, not the content of the underlying document. This is why the notary's commission must be current and in good standing with the state where you are seeking the apostille.
State-by-State Notary Differences
A True Copy apostille authenticates the notary’s certification. The apostille’s state can differ from the source document’s state because it is the notarial act, not the underlying source document, that the state authenticates.
Apostilles.us manages the True Copy preparation. Customers can also select Original Document Processing for the physical-document path without researching a public state-by-state notary matrix.
Electronic vs. Wet Ink Notarization
Customers do not need to choose or arrange a notarial technology for True Copy State processing; Apostilles.us handles the notarial certification used for that service. Begin with a clear, complete color scan.
If you already have a physical notarized document and want that document processed, use Original Document Processing and follow the physical intake.
Common Notary Errors That Cause Apostille Rejection
Do not crop, detach, rewrite, or cover an existing notarial certificate. Submit the complete document, including attachments and reverse sides, so every visible seal and signature remains part of the intake.
For True Copy State processing, Apostilles.us prepares the notarial certification. For an existing physical notarization, use Original Document Processing.