New York Diploma & Transcript Apostille Guide

Here is the key idea most people miss: an apostille on an Educational Diploma / Transcript authenticates a signature and seal — not your grades, your degree, or your school's accreditation. The signature it certifies is usually an in-state notary's, where the notary attests a true copy, or the school registrar's where the state keeps that signature on file. A diploma is the certificate awarding your degree; a transcript is the registrar-issued record of courses and grades. The two are different documents, and the institution or employer abroad decides which one it wants apostilled. Confirm their requirement before you order, because the apostille only ever vouches for whose signature is on the page — never for what the page says about your academic record.

Start by getting the right document from your school or its registrar — either an official copy of the diploma or a registrar-sealed transcript. Here is what you need:

• Sealed official copy: an official diploma or a registrar-sealed transcript — kept in the school's sealed envelope where required.
• A signature to authenticate: an apostille authenticates a signature/seal — usually the in-state notary who attests the copy, or the school registrar's signature where the state keeps it on file.
• Accredited institution: issued by an accredited school, college, or university.

Where the school issues the transcript in a sealed envelope, keep it sealed — opening it can void it for authentication. And a document from an unaccredited institution will not be accepted, so confirm your school's accreditation before you order.

There are two routes to get a signature the state can authenticate, and you should confirm which one your state and school support before you pay:

• Notarized true copy: Most common: an in-state notary attests a true copy of the diploma/transcript (or the school official signs before a notary); the state then apostilles the notary's signature.
• Registrar-certified copy: Some states authenticate the school registrar's signature directly when it is on file — no notary needed.

In the first route, the notary's signature is what gets authenticated, so you bring your official copy to an in-state notary who attests it is a true copy (or the school official signs in front of that notary). In the second, the state authenticates the registrar's signature directly. Check with both the apostille authority and your registrar so you pursue the route that will actually be accepted.

If you take the notarized route in New York, there is an extra step before the apostille:

Notarized documents must be certified by the County Clerk where the notary is qualified. Many NYC/local vital records require County Clerk certification before DOS apostille. NYS DOH-issued vital records signed by NYS Director of Vital Statistics or NYS Registrar do not require County Clerk certification.

• New York County (Manhattan)
• Kings County (Brooklyn)
• Queens County
• Bronx County
• Suffolk County
• Nassau County

So when an in-state notary attests your true copy, have the County Clerk where that notary is qualified certify the notary's signature before you send the document on for the state apostille.

Submit your notarized (or registrar-certified) copy to the state apostille authority:

1. 1.
   The document

   the original sealed/certified report or copy — not a plain photocopy

2. 2.
   Request form

   Required form (download: https://dos.ny.gov/apostillecertificate-authentication-request-forms), stating the destination country

3. 3.
   Payment

   for the apostille fee (see Fees below)

4. 4.
   Return envelope

   self-addressed; add a prepaid tracked label for return

As of 2026-02-24, the NY Department of State notes: "Drop off requests will not be treated as a priority and will be processed according to receipt date." "Walk-in same day Apostille/Authentication services are available..." No live date-based queue or explicit mail-day estimate found on DOS apostille pages. Because queue times drift, check the official page for the current turnaround. Remember that getting the sealed copy from your school and notarizing it adds its own time before the apostille step even begins.

Many destinations require a certified translation of your diploma or transcript and its apostille, and some also require a credential evaluation that maps your degree to local standards. The receiving country or institution sets these requirements, not New York, and they differ from one place to the next. Confirm what the institution or country where you'll use the document expects before you submit anything.