How to Get an Apostille or Authentication

When a document is to go to a foreign country, it is often necessary to have the notarization or official certification authenticated. Some countries call this an apostille. The Oregon Secretary of State can certify to Oregon notaries public and the State Registrar for vital records (Oregon Center for Health Statistics). The procedures are outlined below. It normally takes two (2) to three (3) days to process a request. If you need an apostille or authentication certificate for a county document, please call our office, (503) 986-2593, before sending it in. Most county records cannot be authenticated.

Apostille or authentication for: notarization, vital record (birth/death certificate), or diploma/transcripts.

Authenticating an Oregon Notarization
The procedure is simple. Send the original, notarized document to us, or bring it in to our office in Salem. We will charge $10 for each apostille; you will need a different apostille or authentication for each notarized document. If you bring it in, we will do the apostille/authentication while you wait (normally less than 20 minutes).

If you mail or express mail it, you should include: a brief cover letter stating the country the document is going to, your name, phone number, and other contact information (if you are paying by Visa/MasterCard we will need the credit card number and expiration date); each notarized document which we need to authenticate; a personal or business check or money order made payable to the State of Oregon, if you are not paying by credit card; and a return self-addressed stamped envelope so that we can mail the documents precisely to the place you desire. If your documents are going out of the country, please include a prepaid air bill and /or send to friend/family in the USA to forward on.

Download the Authentication Application Form 516 PDF

Our contact information is:
Corporation Division
Notary Public section
255 Capitol St. NE Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310
Phone: 503-986-2593

Authenticating a Vital Record
When you need a vital record (birth/death certificate, marriage or dissolution of marriage certificate, etc.) authenticated, you should first get a certified copy of the record from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics. A certified copy of a county record is not appropriate and should not be sent to us. Only the Oregon Center for Health Statistics can issue a true, current vital record.

Then, you must send the certified copy to us, or bring it in to our office in Salem. We will charge $10 for each apostille; you will need a different apostille or authentication for each document. If you bring it in, we will do the apostille/authentication while you wait (normally less than 20 minutes). If you mail or express mail it, you should include:

a brief cover letter stating the country the document is going to, your name, phone number, and other contact information (if you are paying by Visa/MasterCard we will need the credit card number and expiration date);

each notarized document which we need to authenticate;

a personal or business check or money order made payable to the State of Oregon, if you are not paying by credit card; and

a return self-addressed stamped envelope so that we can mail the documents precisely to the place you desire.

Our contact information is:
Corporation Division / Phone: 503-986-2593
Notary Public Section
255 Capitol St. NE Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310

Authenticating a Transcript or Diploma
When you need an Oregon high school or college transcript or diploma authenticated, you must have the person in charge of the records (normally the Registrar) sign on the record a statement certifying to its authenticity.

Send the original, notarized document to us, or bring it in to our office in Salem. We will charge $10 for each apostille; you will need a different apostille or authentication for each notarized document. If you bring it in, we will do the apostille/authentication while you wait (normally less than 20 minutes). If you mail or express mail it, you should include:

each notarized document which we need to authenticate;

a personal or business check or money order made payable to the State of Oregon, if you are not paying by credit card; and

a return self-addressed stamped envelope so that we can mail the documents precisely to the place you desire.

Our contact information is:
Corporation Division / Phone: 503-986-2593
Notary Public Section
255 Capitol St. NE Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310