Florida Birth Certificate Apostille

Key facts

Whose signature must be on a Florida birth certificate for an apostille?

The State Registrar’s. Florida’s Department of State guidance says birth certificates must bear the signature of the State Registrar, obtained from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics.

A 2026 sample apostille we reviewed confirms it. The capacity certified was “State Registrar for Vital Statistics”, and the seal named was the “Great Seal of the State of Florida”. The apostille is tied to that state-level signature.

Will a county health department birth certificate work?

No, according to the Department of State’s guidance. Copies from a local health department are not acceptable for an apostille.

This is the usual reason a Florida birth certificate cannot be used as it is. The copy in hand is often a county-issued one. Order a state copy instead.

What is form DH 726A?

DH 726A is the Florida Department of Health’s birth certificate application made for apostille use. It orders a copy suitable for the Department of State.

The form sets out a two-step process. First, order the certificate from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Second, forward it to the Department of State for the apostille. The DH 726A form lists the fees and instructions.

What are the government fees for a Florida birth certificate apostille?

On form DH 726A the first certificate is $14 and each additional copy is $4. The apostille is a further $10 per document.

The form also lists $2 for each extra year searched, up to $50, an optional $10 rush fee and $1 for shipping. A state-issued birth certificate takes the $10 apostille rate, not the $20 clerk-of-court rate. AI Fingerprinting’s service fee is separate: request a quote.

How long does the whole process take?

Plan for two waits. The Bureau of Vital Statistics lists 5-7 business days for normal processing. The apostille then depends on how you submit it.

At the Tallahassee counter, most requests are completed while you wait. By mail, requests are handled in the order received. As of October 1, 2026, the state was processing apostille requests dated 09/08/26. Check the Document Processing Dates page for today’s date.

What are the steps to apostille a Florida birth certificate?

1. Look at the certificate you have. If it came from a county health department, set it aside.
2. Complete form DH 726A and order a certified copy from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Order an extra copy if more than one authority abroad will keep an original.
3. When the certificate arrives, do not notarize it, copy it or mark it.
4. Complete the Department of State’s Apostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form.
5. Prepare a $10 check or money order per certificate, payable to “Florida Department of State”, in U.S. funds on a U.S. bank.
6. Send the certificate, form, payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope or prepaid air bill to the Department of State, or submit at the Tallahassee counter.

Can I use the birth certificate I already have?

Only if it is an original state-issued certified copy bearing the State Registrar’s signature. A photocopy is never acceptable.

Florida’s rule is direct: “An original certified copy or certificate of status of a public document is required. A photocopy is not acceptable.” If you are unsure which office issued your copy, look at the signature block and the issuing office named on it.

What a Florida apostille looks like on a birth certificate

The apostille is a full sheet of blue-gray security paper with a guilloche border and a large, faint state seal in the background.

• Field 3 reads “State Registrar for Vital Statistics” when the document is a state birth certificate.
• Field 4 reads “Great Seal of the State of Florida”.
• The certificate is dated in words, in the style “Twelfth day of May, A.D., 2026”.
• The number is a four-digit year, a hyphen and six digits.
• A gold-printed state seal with “In God We Trust” sits at the lower left. The signature appears above the printed words “Secretary of State”.
• The form number “DSDE 99 (2/12)” is at the bottom left.
• Hold it to the light and the watermark shows “SAFE” and “VERIFY FIRST”.

Common reasons for rejection

Florida states its rules as requirements. For birth certificates, these are the points that go wrong.

• The copy was issued by a county or local health department, not the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
• The State Registrar’s signature is not on the certificate.
• A photocopy or scan was sent.
• $20 or another wrong amount was paid, or a card was used.
• The check was not payable to “Florida Department of State”.
• The return envelope was missing.

How AI Fingerprinting helps

AI Fingerprinting is a private document service. We are not a government agency and not a law firm. Our office is at 201 NE Park Plaza Dr #221, Vancouver, WA 98684, open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. We accept mail-in requests from anywhere in the United States.

Send us a photo of your Florida birth certificate before you mail anything. We can tell you whether it shows the State Registrar’s signature or needs to be reordered. If it does, we walk you through form DH 726A. Then we assemble the Department of State request with the right fee and return envelope.

We do not list a price for this service. Request a quote.

Get a quote Call (360) 998-7302 Book an appointment