Understanding Apostille Costs: A Complete Breakdown

Isaidy PintoMiami Dade Apostille7 min read

Apostille pricing is often opaque. Clients receive quotes that bundle multiple cost components without explanation, or discover additional fees after they have already committed. This guide breaks down every component of apostille cost so you know exactly what you are paying for — and why.

Component 1: State Government Fee

The Florida Secretary of State charges a fee for each apostille issued. This fee is set by the state and is the same regardless of which service provider submits the document. It is a pass-through cost — every provider pays it, and it appears in every legitimate apostille quote.

Component 2: Federal Government Fee (for Federal Documents)

Documents issued by federal agencies — FBI background checks, federal court records, USPTO documents, federal agency certifications — must be apostilled by the US Department of State, not a state Secretary of State. The US Department of State charges a per-document fee. This fee is higher than the Florida state fee and applies only to federal documents.

Component 3: Service Coordination Fee

This is the fee charged by Miami Dade Apostille for the work we do on your behalf: reviewing your document, identifying the correct authority, preparing the submission package, tracking the process, following up with the issuing authority, and returning the document to you. This fee varies based on document type and complexity.

Component 4: Notarization (if required)

Documents that are not government-issued — diplomas, powers of attorney, affidavits, corporate resolutions — must be notarized before apostille. The notary fee is separate from the apostille fee. Miami Dade Apostille offers notarization services, including remote online notarization, as part of the coordination process.

Component 5: Certified Translation (if required)

If your destination country requires the document in its official language, certified translation is an additional cost. Translation pricing depends on the document type, length, and language pair. Miami Dade Apostille coordinates certified translation for all major languages.

Component 6: Shipping

Return shipping costs depend on your preference. Standard USPS mail is the least expensive option. Overnight courier (FedEx, UPS) is available for urgent requests. International shipping to a foreign recipient is also available.

What "Cheap" Apostille Services Actually Cost

A service that quotes a very low fee may be omitting components — or may lack the expertise to catch document issues before submission. A rejected submission means paying the government fee again, waiting for the document to be returned, correcting the issue, and resubmitting. Miami Dade Apostille's free document review prevents rejections before they happen.

The government fee is non-refundable if the submission is rejected. Getting the document right before submission is always less expensive than resubmitting after a rejection.

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Miami Dade Apostille is a private document coordination company. We are not a government agency and do not issue apostilles. Apostilles are issued by the Florida Secretary of State or the relevant state authority. We coordinate the preparation, submission, and retrieval process on your behalf.