Pennsylvania Diploma & Transcript Apostille Guide

An apostille on an Educational Diploma / Transcript authenticates a signature and seal — it does not verify your grades, the validity of your degree, or your school's accreditation. The signature being authenticated is usually that of an in-state notary who attests that the copy is true, or, where the state holds it on file, the school registrar's signature. A diploma is the certificate awarding your degree; a transcript is the official record of courses and grades. The institution or employer abroad decides which document it wants — and sometimes asks for both — so confirm their requirement before you start, then authenticate whichever they specify.

Begin by requesting the right official document from your school or its registrar's office. 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 and 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: the document must be issued by an accredited school, college, or university.

If the school sends a sealed transcript, leave the envelope sealed when that is required — opening it can void the certification. A document from an unaccredited institution will not be accepted.

There are two routes to a signature the Commonwealth can authenticate, and which one fits depends on your state and your school. Confirm the route before you pay.

• Notarized true copy: the most common route. An in-state notary attests a true copy of the diploma or 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.

The first route puts a fresh notary signature on your copy and works almost anywhere; the second skips the notary but only when the registrar's signature is already on file with the state. Check which your state and school support before sending payment or paperwork.

If you take the notarized route, the apostille is attached to the notary's signature, so that signature is what must be verifiable. Pennsylvania authenticates the commissions of its own notaries directly — for a notarized diploma or transcript copy, you do not need a separate county-clerk certification of the notary before the apostille. The county-level offices Pennsylvania lists handle county-issued records, not notarized educational copies, so they are not part of this chain. Use a commissioned Pennsylvania notary and submit the copy straight to the state.

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://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/dos/programs/notaries-and-apostillies/documents/apostiles/Request-for-Legalization-of-Documents.pdf), 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 2026-06-05, the apostille processing time by mail is about 2–3 weeks (excludes mailing time). That clock covers only the state authentication step — requesting the sealed official copy from your school and getting it notarized add their own time on top, so plan for both. Queue times drift, so check the official page for the current estimate before you mail.

Many destinations require a certified translation of the diploma or transcript along with its apostille, and some also ask for a credential evaluation that maps your degree to their system. The receiving country or institution — not Pennsylvania — sets these requirements, and they vary widely. Confirm exactly what they expect before you submit, since a translation or evaluation is usually arranged after the apostille is attached.