Iowa Secretary of State Apostille 518-956-5673

Self-Service Guide for Notarization and Authentication by the Iowa Secretary of State

The Iowa Secretary of State offers two types of authentication: Apostille and Certificate of Authentication. An 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 a "Certificate of Authentication."

If you don’t have time to handle the process yourself, you can contact CHV for assistance. Call our customer service at 518-956-5673 (US). We provide notarization and authentication services for personal or corporate documents across all 50 U.S. states, including consulate 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:

Iowa Secretary of State
Business Services
First Floor, Lucas Building
321 E. 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: (515) 281-5204

Fee: $5 per Hague Authentication (payable to the "Secretary of State").
Processing Time: Same-day for in-person service or 2 days for mail-in orders.
Website: https://sos.iowa.gov/contactus.html

Important Notes for Iowa Authentication:

Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz is authorized to issue Hague Authentication or Authentication through the Business Services office in Des Moines. We are happy to assist you in obtaining Hague Authentication or Authentication from their office.

For academic records (transcripts and diplomas) issued by the University of Iowa, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, University of Northern Iowa, Grinnell College, or Drake University, please request certified and notarized official transcripts and/or diplomas from your university registrar. Additionally, obtain a letter from the Higher Learning Commission confirming the institution’s accreditation.

For other notarized documents: The Iowa Secretary of State will authenticate or issue a Hague Authentication for signatures of notaries public in good standing and currently commissioned. Please note that notaries public are not authorized to notarize copies of court documents or vital records.

Notes on Vital Records: Birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates must be issued by the county clerk and local registrar. Refer to the examples provided below.