State of Delaware Secretary of State Apostille & Notarization 518-956-5673

Self-Service Guide for Delaware Secretary of State Notarization and Authentication

The Delaware Secretary of State offers two types of authentication: Apostille and Certificate of Authentication. Apostille, also known as "Hague Authentication," is only valid within member countries of the Hague Convention. Since Chinese consulates are currently not part of the Hague Convention, documents submitted to Chinese consulates in the United States must use the "Certificate of Authentication."

If you do not have time to handle the process yourself, you can contact CHV for assistance. Call our customer service at: 1-518-956-5673 (US). We provide notarization and authentication services for personal or corporate documents from all 50 U.S. states, including consular three-level authentication or Hague Authentication. Expedited services are available, with completion in as fast as 3 business days.

In-Person or Mail-in Processing:

Delaware Secretary of State
Division of Corporations
John G Townsend Building
401 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901

Phone: (302) 739-3073

Fees: Regular service $30. Expedited services range from $50 to $1,000.
Processing Time: Same-day for in-person service or 14 days for mail-in orders.
Website: http://corp.delawa.gov/apost_info.shtml

Important Notes for Delaware Authentication Processing

The Division of Corporations office in Dover provides Hague Authentication or consular authentication for documents issued by Delaware government officials (such as the State Registrar of Vital Records, county clerks, or court clerks) or documents notarized by a notary public.

Vital records such as birth, death, and marriage certificates must be signed by Dr. Karyl Thomas Rattay, the State Registrar of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.

If you need to order new copies of vital records, please contact:

• New Castle County: University Plaza-Chopin Building. Phone: (302) 283-7130
• Kent County: Jesse S. Cooper Building. Phone: (302) 744-4549
• Sussex County: Adams State Service Center. Phone: (302) 856-5495

If your company is registered as a Delaware S Corporation, C Corporation, or LLC, we can assist you in obtaining Hague Authentication or consular authentication.

Where do you plan to use your documents? If it is in a signatory country of the Hague Convention, you will need Hague Authentication. If the country is not a party to the convention, you will require authentication and legalization by the embassy/consulate.

Notarized documents must include a properly executed affidavit, along with proof of the notary's appointment, seal, signature, and date. If your document is written in a language other than English, it must be translated before Hague Authentication or consular authentication can be issued.

Please note that for the issuance of Hague Authentication or consular authentication, the Secretary of State requires documents to be printed in black ink on plain 8.5×11-inch paper, with 1-inch margins on the sides and 2 inches at the bottom. Documents must be clear and legible.

School diplomas, transcripts, or academic records issued by institutions such as the University of Delaware (Newark), Delaware State University (Dover), Wesley College, Wilmington University (New Castle), or Goldey-Beacom College must be notarized by the school registrar before applying for Hague Authentication or consular authentication.