Apostilles and Certifications
What the domain covers
An apostille is an international authentication issued by the Iowa Secretary of State for a document that will be used in a country that is party to the Hague Apostille Convention. A certification or authentication is used for non-Hague destinations. The exam tests who issues it, what it proves, the fee, and the required order of steps.
Core rules
- The notary cannot issue an apostille. The notary completes the notarial act; the Secretary of State authenticates the notary's signature and seal.
- The notary's commission must be active and the stamp must contain the required Iowa elements when the Secretary of State reviews the document.
- Iowa's apostille fee is $5 per document; submit the original notarized document, the request form, payment, and a self-addressed return envelope if mailing.
- An apostille authenticates the signature and seal, not the truth or legal effect of the document's contents.
- For a non-Hague country, the document generally needs a certification from the Secretary of State and then further federal or consular legalization.
Worked example
A client has a power of attorney notarized in Iowa for use in a Hague Convention country. The notary should not tell the client that the notary can “apostille” it. The client sends the original notarized document to the Iowa Secretary of State with the $5 fee and request form. The Secretary of State checks the notary's commission and stamp, then attaches the apostille. If the notary's commission expired before the review, the apostille will be refused.
Traps
Sending the document to the county recorder or to the governor's office; requesting an apostille before the notarial act is complete; using a stamp missing the expiration date; assuming an apostille validates the content; and using an apostille for a non-Hague destination without the additional certification steps.