Short answer. The Kentucky Secretary of State, Authentications and Apostilles issues apostilles here for $5 per document, by mail, in person and online. Mailed requests within 3 business days; walk-in requests while you wait. A county step comes first for notarized documents and court records.
At a glance
- Issuing office
- Kentucky Secretary of State, Authentications and Apostilles Official page
- Fee
- $5 per document, by mail or walk-in.
- How to submit
- By mail with the request form, walk in to 1025 Capital Center Drive, Suite 201 (done while you wait), or upload a PDF and pay online for an e-Apostille.
- Processing time
- Mailed requests within 3 business days; walk-in requests while you wait.
- Request form
- Apostille/Authentication Request Form Open it
- Mailing address
- Office of the Secretary of State, Authentications and Apostilles, P.O. Box 718, Frankfort, KY 40602
What each document needs first
- Vital records
- Must bear the signature of the current State Registrar.
- Notarized documents
- On paper, the notary's signature must first be certified by the county clerk where the notary is registered. Electronic documents must be PDFs notarized by an authorized Kentucky online notary. County step first: Paper notarized documents and circuit or district court records are certified by the county clerk first.
- Court records
- Circuit and district court records go to the county clerk to certify the circuit clerk's signature first. County clerk records must be signed by a current county clerk or deputy. County step first: Paper notarized documents and circuit or district court records are certified by the county clerk first.
Checklist by document
- Vital record: no county step first
- Notarized document: county step first
- Court record: county step first
- FBI background check: no county step first
- School record: county step first, 1 step not confirmed
Worth knowing
Electronically notarized documents from an authorized Kentucky online notary can get an e-Apostille, sent as a PDF by email. FBI checks, IRS records and passports go to the U.S. Department of State.
MCC Solutions handles New Jersey apostilles, and our guide explains how to get an apostille in New Jersey. For other states, this page lists the office's own process.
Official sources
- Apostilles and Authentications, Kentucky Secretary of State (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice. Use the office's own request form where it has one. Federal records, including FBI checks, go to the U.S. Department of State, and a destination outside the Hague Convention also needs embassy legalization.
Common questions
Who issues apostilles in Kentucky?
The Kentucky Secretary of State, Authentications and Apostilles. $5 per document, by mail or walk-in.
How do I apostille a Kentucky birth or marriage certificate?
Must bear the signature of the current State Registrar.
Can a notarized document from Kentucky be apostilled directly?
Not directly: Paper notarized documents and circuit or district court records are certified by the county clerk first. On paper, the notary's signature must first be certified by the county clerk where the notary is registered. Electronic documents must be PDFs notarized by an authorized Kentucky online notary.
How long does an apostille take in Kentucky?
Mailed requests within 3 business days; walk-in requests while you wait. Allow extra time for mail and for any certified copy you still need to order.
Can I get a Kentucky apostille in person or online?
By mail with the request form, walk in to 1025 Capital Center Drive, Suite 201 (done while you wait), or upload a PDF and pay online for an e-Apostille.
What about a Kentucky court record?
Circuit and district court records go to the county clerk to certify the circuit clerk's signature first. County clerk records must be signed by a current county clerk or deputy.
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