You should be aware that not all documents submitted for apostille certification require notarization. Some documents simply do not require notarization. Let’s know more about apostille the same as a notary.

A common misconception is that all documents must be notarized prior to obtaining an apostille. However, this is false. Most documents requiring an apostille must be notarized prior to obtaining the apostille. For example, typically a Power of Attorney (POA) must have a wet signature and be notarized prior to obtaining an apostille.

However, documents such as Articles of Incorporation and Certificates of Good Standing are never notarized. These documents typically have the state’s seal and qualify for an apostille in its current form. No notarization necessary. The state’s official seal supersedes any additional notarization.

However, this list of documents eligible for apostille certification (without notarization) is not restricted to corporate records. Here is a brief list of documents that are never notarized before obtaining an apostille:

Birth Certificates
Death Certificates
Marriage Certificates
Divorce Decrees
Court Documents
Corporate Documents

Notarizing the documents that have been described above is the same as “double-notarizing” the document. In the United States, the state of Delaware is home to the headquarters of a considerable number of different corporations. This is due to the enormous tax advantages that are available to firms who have their headquarters in the state of Delaware. It only takes one step to submit an application for an apostille certification in order to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing in the state of Delaware.

The following would be the proposed the two steps:

First, the Certificate of Good Standing needs to be notarized. And then, in the second step, an apostille needs to be obtained for the notarized Certificate of Good Standing. On the other hand, what we are trying to imply is that the process only requires one step.

A gold seal and the signature of the Delaware secretary of state are affixed to the Certificate of Good Standing that is sent to you if you successfully apply for and obtain one in the state of Delaware. Therefore, there is nothing left that needs to be notarized. Obtaining an apostille for the Certificate of Good Standing is now the one and only step that must be taken.

In other words, whenever the state puts its seal on documents like birth certificates, marriage licenses, business documents, and the like, those documents are never notarized. Examples of such documents are marriage licenses, corporate documents, and birth certificates. Keep in mind that the Secretary of State’s office was probably the one that first instituted the practice of commissioning notaries.

If, on the other hand, the official seal on a document does not relate in any way to the office of the Secretary of State, then notarizing the document prior to obtaining an apostille for the document will be of the utmost importance. This holds true for high school diplomas as well as certificates that have the official seal of the educational institution. It is possible that an inexperienced notary will believe that a high school diploma does not need to be notarized. However, in order to obtain an apostille, a diploma from an accredited high school must first be notarized.

A notary who has expertise applying for apostilles should always be familiar with the laws governing notarizations and the process of obtaining an apostille in the state in which they work. Because state laws are subject to change on a regular basis, it is essential for notaries to be current on any legislation that may affect their work.

You might be interested in knowing the potential outcomes of a scenario in which a notary public notarizes a document, such as an original birth certificate, prior to your application for an apostille. If this happens, the laws and penalties in each state will be different; but, in general, the office of the secretary of state will view this as a strong indicator that the notary does not comprehend the process. However, what may appear like a little error on the part of the notary may also cause the office of the secretary of state to take a closer look with the apostille application to see whether there are any other problems.

Please keep in mind that the rejection of the application could result in unneeded and extended delays before the application is finally granted.

It is helpful to phone the office of the secretary of state and ask for clarity before moving forward with anything if there is any ambiguity as to whether a document must be notarized first. This call could end up saving you a lot of trouble.

Please call New Jersey Mobile Notary & Apostille Services for a complete list of documents that do not need to be notarized. Remember that there are some documents for which your state cannot offer an apostille certification. This further emphasizes the necessity of having a certified notary oversee any apostille needs.