Document Authentication
(Apostille / Certificate)
New Feature
Digital Delivery is Available Now
You can now choose to receive your completed Apostille or Certificate electronically. It is delivered instantly to multiple recipients, serves as a multi-use document (the new international standard), and allows you to keep your original physical documents.
Note: Digital Authentications can only be requested through mail-in or by appointment at this time. Digital submissions will be available in August of 2026.
Please note: Digital services are not available for Vital Records (including birth/death certificates or any documents issued by the Utah Division of Vital Records and Statistics).
Universal Certificate
Utah uses one universal certificate for legalized documents, regardless of whether the destination country is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. This single certificate is valid in all countries.
You can verify any Utah authentication using our Online Verification Portal.
How the Universal Certificate Works
- For Hague Member Countries: It serves as an Apostille, verifying the origin of a public document for use in member countries.
- For Non-Hague Member Countries: It functions identically as a standard Certificate of Authentication.
The unaltered, legalized document must be accepted by any receiving country. A properly issued Certificate may only be rejected if the legalized document itself has been embellished, modified, or otherwise tampered with.
Issuance Methods
Important: We cannot issue digital authentication for any Vital Records (birth, death, or Utah Division of Vital Records documents) at this time.
State Fees + $69.95
Digital Authentications
Issued electronically and delivered securely to your email.
- Delivery: Emailed immediately after processing.
- Functionality: Multi-use digital file that can be shared multiple times.
- Validity: Legally equivalent to paper.
State Fees (+ Optional Shipping)
Paper Authentications
Issued in physical form, and returned to you via mail, courier, or in-person (appointment only).
- Delivery: If you have an appointment, you can pick up your document within 15 minutes (standard) to 2 hours of your scheduled time. Alternatively, documents submitted by mail will be returned to you through the mail via USPS (no tracking) or a prepaid envelope (you provide).
- Functionality: Single-use physical document for a specific transaction.
Fees & Processing Times
Processing Time Notice
Our typical processing times apply only to our portion of the request. When a third party is involved for authentication, the overall processing time may be extended, as we cannot account for their schedule.
| Service Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| In-Person, Same-Day Document | $20 per document |
|
"Same Signer" Volume Discount Applies if 2 or more documents are signed by the same public official or notary. |
$5 for each additional document (after the first $20 document) |
| Mail-In Paper Document (Not same-day) | $5 per document |
| Electronic Document | $5 per document |
| Adoption Document | $5 per document |
| Inter-Governmental Authentication (Paper and Electronic) | $20 per document |
Unsure about "Same Signer" eligibility? Call 801-538-1041 for questions regarding your documents.
Payment Information
All document services require payment at the time of processing. We accept the following methods:
- Credit/Debit: All major credit cards
- Checks/Money Orders: Made payable to “State of Utah”
- Cash: Accepted in person (sending cash in the mail is highly discouraged).
In-Person Services
Schedule an Appointment
Reserve a specific date and time to visit our office. This ensures your authentication request is reviewed and completed in a timely, predictable manner.
Mail-In & Drop Box Policies
Mail Delay Warning
If mailing your documents, please include the following:
- Payment (Check, Money Order, or Card Info on form)
- Completed Authentication Request Form
- The original document(s)
- A self-addressed envelope.
All USPS mail is delayed because it must be processed by the Utah State Mail Agency first. To ensure timely delivery, consider using a commercial carrier like FedEx or UPS (please schedule a pickup for UPS).
Mail-in Processing Schedule
Mail-in requests will be processed within 1 to 3 business days from the date we receive them in our office.
Please Note: Mailing takes longer overall. Due to strict safety protocols, all incoming mail must go through a security check along with processing through State Mail, which adds a couple of days to the transit time. To ensure timely delivery, consider using a commercial carrier like FedEx or UPS.
Mailing & Physical Office Addresses
Walk-ins & Physical Address:
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Utah State Capitol Building
350 North State Street, Suite 220
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
(Parking is available on the east side of the capitol hill complex).
For Courier Shipping (UPS, FedEx):
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
350 North State Street, Suite 220
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
For standard USPS Mail:
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
PO BOX 142325
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
Discontinued
We will no longer accept documents via our physical office drop box. A "digital drop box" option is planned for the future, and additional details will be announced when available.
We are discontinuing the option to mail documents to us and pick them up in person. If you mail a document to us, it must be mailed back to you.
- We strongly recommend including a return envelope with a tracking number (USPS, FedEx, UPS).
- The Office does not track mail once it leaves and is not responsible for items lost in transit.
- Documents will be sent using USPS First Class Mail with no tracking if a prepaid shipping label is not provided.