Texas Documents: Apostille, Authentication and Embassy Legalization in One Stop — The 2026 Guide

October 15, 2026 · DC Mobile Notary™ — Washington, DC

Quick answer

Only the Texas Secretary of State can apostille a Texas public document. The fee is $15 per document. Requests are handled in person in Austin (same day, by appointment or walk-in) or by mail (allow at least two weeks). Texas certified records — birth, death and marriage records, divorce decrees, judgments — must have been issued within the past five years.

Texas issues one universal apostille for every country. If your document is going to a country outside the Hague Apostille Convention, it then needs U.S. Department of State authentication and embassy legalization in Washington, DC. Federal documents, like FBI background checks, skip Texas entirely and go straight to the U.S. Department of State.

DC Mobile Notary™ is a one-stop shop for Texas documents, wherever you are. Our notary agent in Texas notarizes, our team in Texas takes your document to the Secretary of State, and we handle every federal and embassy step ourselves in Washington, DC. Call 202-247-0837.

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How our one-stop service works

Most providers handle one piece and leave you to coordinate the rest between Texas and Washington, DC. We cover both ends.

In Texas

1. Notarization, if your document needs it. Our notary agent in Texas notarizes powers of attorney, affidavits, signer statements and certified copies of diplomas — with the wording the Secretary of State requires.
2. Texas Secretary of State apostille. Our team in Texas submits your document in person in Austin, instead of leaving it in the mail queue.

In Washington, DC

1. U.S. Department of State authentication — for federal documents, and for Texas documents going to non-Hague countries. We hand-deliver it ourselves.
2. Embassy legalization — at the destination country's embassy, also handled by our DC team.
3. Delivery to your door, anywhere in the U.S. or internationally.

It starts with a free check of your document. Start your free 24-hour pre-check.

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Which Texas documents can be apostilled — and what each one needs

Two Texas rules catch people out:

• The five-year rule. A birth certificate or divorce decree certified seven years ago won't be accepted. You need a fresh certified copy.
• No copies of certified records. Texas apostilles the original certified copy or an original notarized document — never a photocopy of either.

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Your options at the Texas Secretary of State

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Embassy legalization for Texas documents

The Texas apostille acts as both an apostille and an authentication, so it's the first step for every country. For countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention — the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and others — Texas says you'll need additional authentication from the U.S. Department of State. The full chain is:

1. Notarization, if the document needs it.
2. Texas Secretary of State apostille.
3. U.S. Department of State authentication in Washington, DC.
4. Embassy legalization for the destination country.

Steps 3 and 4 are where most people get stuck if they're far from DC. That's our home ground: we hand-deliver to the U.S. Department of State and to embassies ourselves. See our embassy legalization services, or for the UAE, our UAE legalization and attestation services.

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Federal apostilles for Texans

The Texas Secretary of State doesn't apostille or authenticate any document issued by the federal government. FBI background checks, USCIS certificates, NARA naturalization records, IRS Form 6166 and Social Security letters all go to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.

We hand-deliver them there ourselves. Our expedited federal turnaround is 9 business days; the standard mail-in route runs 5+ weeks. More in our guide to the fastest FBI background check apostille in Texas, or see our federal apostille services.

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Online notarization and Texas apostilles

Texas will apostille a document notarized online by a Texas online notary, as long as it comes with the notarization record and the correct notarial certificate. But Texas also warns that some countries don't accept documents notarized online. Before you go that route, check with the receiving authority.

If you need a document you sign — an affidavit or power of attorney — and the receiving country accepts any U.S. apostille, you can also sign by video with our commissioned notary and receive a physical apostille by mail. That apostille comes from the notary's state, not Texas. See remote online notarization + apostille. If your receiving side needs a Maryland notarization in person, our Texas notary agent can do it.

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Mistakes that get Texas apostilles rejected

• A certified record more than five years old.
• A photocopy of a certified or notarized record.
• A notarized document without the signer's statement describing what the document is and its purpose.
• A federal document sent to Austin. FBI, USCIS and IRS documents go to the U.S. Department of State.
• Stopping at the Texas apostille for a non-Hague country. It still needs the U.S. Department of State and the embassy.
• An online-notarized document for a country that doesn't accept online notarizations.

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Why clients choose us for Texas documents

One stop, both ends: a notary agent and a submission team in Texas, and our own team at the U.S. Department of State and the embassies in Washington, DC. You don't coordinate anything between the two — we do.

We've been authenticating documents for 10 years — more than 100,000 documents for use in 90+ countries — with an A+ BBB rating and a 4.9-star average across Google, Yelp and Trustpilot.

Phone: 202-247-0837 | Email: support@dcmobilenotary.com
DC office: 2001 L St NW, Suite 545, Washington, DC

→ Free 24-hour pre-check
→ Apostille services
→ Nationwide apostille services

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Frequently asked questions

Who issues apostilles for Texas documents?
The Texas Secretary of State. It's the only agency in Texas that can apostille Texas public records for use outside the United States.

How much does a Texas apostille cost?
The Texas Secretary of State charges $15 per document — per document, not per page. Adoption apostilles are $10 per document, up to $100 per adoption.

How long does a Texas apostille take?
In person in Austin, it's same day by appointment (Tuesday–Thursday) or walk-in (Monday and Friday). By mail, allow at least two weeks after it arrives.

Does my Texas birth certificate have to be recent?
Yes. Texas requires certified records, including birth and death certificates, marriage records and divorce decrees, to have been issued within the past five years.

Can Texas apostille an FBI background check?
No. The Texas Secretary of State doesn't apostille federal documents. FBI background checks go to the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC — we hand-deliver them, with an expedited turnaround of 9 business days.

Do I need embassy legalization for a Texas document?
Only if the receiving country isn't part of the Hague Apostille Convention. Then, after the Texas apostille, the document needs U.S. Department of State authentication and embassy legalization — both of which we handle in Washington, DC.

Can I get a Texas document notarized and apostilled if I'm not in Texas?
Yes. Depending on the document, our Texas notary agent can handle it, Texas online notarizations can be apostilled, or you can sign by video with our notary if the receiving country accepts any U.S. apostille. We'll tell you which route fits.

Can you handle the whole process if I'm not near Washington, DC?
Yes. That's the point of our one-stop service: our team in Texas handles the state side, and our DC team handles the federal and embassy steps. You never need to visit either.

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Official sources

• Texas Secretary of State — Universal apostille requests: https://www.sos.texas.gov/statdoc/request.shtml
• Texas Secretary of State — Authentication information: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/authinfo.shtml
• U.S. Department of State — Requesting authentication services: https://travel.state.gov/en/replace-certify/authenticate-documents/request-services.html
• HCCH — Apostille Convention status table: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41

This article is general information about document authentication procedures, not legal advice. Government fees, hours and requirements change. Confirm what your receiving authority requires before you submit.