{"stateName":"Arkansas","slug":"arkansas","summary":"Get your Arkansas apostille or authentication yourself: obtain the right certified record or properly notarized private document, prepare the official request, pay the government fee and arrange return delivery.","commonDocuments":"Birth/death and marriage records; divorce decrees and court orders; certified company records; diplomas/transcripts; powers of attorney, affidavits and private business papers.","timing":"Checked 2026-10-26: older SOS sheet and official indexed 2025 brochure describe most/target processing as 24\u201348 hours; no deadline guarantee. Birth procurement mail estimate is separately 10\u201314 days plus transit. Add corrections, closures and all shipping.","caveat":"This is the outgoing Arkansas-origin route. Incoming foreign documents require their origin authority; an apostille authenticates a public signature, capacity and seal, not the truth of the contents. Federal records and another state\u2019s records use their own competent authorities.","officialResourceName":"Arkansas SOS: Apostille / Certification","officialResourceUrl":"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/for-apostille-certification","micrositeUrl":null,"lawResourceName":"HCCH Apostille Convention","lawResourceUrl":"https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/full-text/?cid=41","secondaryLawResourceName":"Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request Form","secondaryLawResourceUrl":"https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/ApostilleRequestForm.pdf","legalNotes":["HCCH-01 | 1961 Apostille Convention | treaty text | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Concluded 1961-10-05; effective: General entry into force 1965-01-24; bilateral application requires status check. | Articles 1\u20137 and 9; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/full-text/?cid=41","HCCH-02 | Convention status table | treaty status record | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Last update 2026-06-30; effective: not established by source | EIF, EXT and objections/declarations columns and notes; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41","US-01 | Office of Authentications | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Last updated 2025-12-22; effective: not established by source | Services, addresses and link to Preparing a Document for an Apostille; Live official text read through web tool | https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/replace-certify-docs/authenticate-your-document/office-of-authentications.html","US-02 | Preparing a Document for an Apostille | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Last updated 2024-12-13; effective: not established by source | Federal documents and state documents; Live official text read through web tool | https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/replace-certify-docs/authenticate-your-document/apostille-requirements.html","AR-01 | Arkansas SOS: Apostille / Certification | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Apostille / Certification links and BCS office locations; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/business-commercial-services-bcs/for-apostille-certification","AR-02 | Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request Form | official form | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: ARF-01 Rev. 1/25; effective: not established by source | PDF p.1, payment, locations and revision footnote; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/ApostilleRequestForm.pdf","AR-03 | BCS Online Filing Portal User Guide, Notary and Apostille Filing Module | official handbook | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Last updated July 2026; effective: not established by source | PDF pp.22\u201324; payment pp.6\u20138; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NOTARYAPOSTILLECustomerManual_(July_2026).pdf","AR-04 | Apostille \u0026 Certification brochure | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: 2025 in filename; indexed 2025-02-13, not an independently verified publication date; effective: not established by source | Two-page brochure; official indexed excerpts only; Full web retrieval failed: 14,651,138 bytes exceeds tool limit; only official indexed excerpts reviewed. | https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/2025_Apostille_brochure-folds.pdf","AR-05 | Arkansas SOS Notary Public \u0026 eNotary Handbook | official handbook | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: 2025 edition in filename; effective date not stated; effective: not established by source | Printed pp.7\u201312, PDF pp.11\u201316; copy-certification restrictions; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/NotaryHandbook2025.pdf","AR-06 | Arkansas Department of Health: Order Birth Records | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Cost, ordering options, application/ID links; Full page web403; current official indexed text reviewed. Follow live page for application/eligibility. | https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/certificates-records/order-birth-records/","AR-07 | Arkansas Department of Health: Order Marriage Records | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Marriage coupon versus marriage license; ordering options; Official indexed excerpts reviewed; full-page procurement details need live reconfirmation. | https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/certificates-records/order-marriage-records/","AR-08 | Arkansas SOS Records Request Form Instructions | official form | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Revision not stated; form carries prior officeholder name; effective: not established by source | PDF pp.1\u20132; certified-copy fees and return-method footnotes; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/Records_Request_Form_with_Additions.pdf","AR-09 | University of Arkansas: Diplomas | issuer guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Apostille / Certification; Live official text read through web tool | https://registrar.uark.edu/graduation/diplomas.php","AR-10 | University of Arkansas: Transcript Request | issuer guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Apostille / Certification; Live official text read through web tool | https://registrar.uark.edu/student-records/transcript-request.php","AR-11 | Arkansas Judiciary Circuit Clerk Directory | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | County-specific clerk listings; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.arcourts.gov/directories/circuit-clerks","AR-12 | Arkansas SOS Authentication of Documents | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | PDF p.1, official categories, fee and timing; Live PDF text read; undated legacy guidance, subordinate to current form/manual. | https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/bcs/authentications.pdf","AR-13 | ADH Birth Certificate Application | official form | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | PDF p.1, fields, photo ID, payment and processing instructions; live PDF text read | https://healthy.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Application_Birth_Certificate_Vital_Records.pdf","AR-14 | ADH Order Death Records | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Cost and ordering options; Full page403;official indexed text reviewed. | https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/certificates-records/order-death-records/","HCCH-03 | U.S. competent authorities for apostilles | treaty competent-authority designation | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Last updated 2026-09-02; effective: not independently established | Designation II, clerks/deputy clerks federal courts | https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353"],"misconceptionTitle":null,"misconceptionIntro":null,"misconceptionNotes":null,"whatWeKnow":["Choose the destination and the certificate first \u2014 Write down the actual country or territory and the receiving office\u2019s document list, language, record age and format requirements. Check the HCCH status table\u2019s entry-into-force date, territorial scope and objections for the United States and destination. In a valid Convention route, the apostille completes legalization; do not add embassy legalization. Outside that route, determine the required state authentication, federal and consular sequence from current official destination instructions. Translation and local filing may still be separate. [HCCH-01; HCCH-02.]","Choose the authority for each document \u2014 The state that issued or certified a public record controls that record\u2019s route. For a private document, follow the notary\u2019s commissioning state and any required clerk step, not the signer\u2019s residence or the shipping address. A Florida-notarized power of attorney signed by someone living here follows Florida; a local state birth certificate stays with its issuing state. An incoming foreign birth certificate does not become a local record through a local notary. [HCCH-01: Arts. 1, 3 and 6. Notary-state examples explain authority boundaries.]","Obtain a certified vital record rather than notarizing a copy \u2014 For birth/death records use Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records. The linked birth application asks for names, birth date/place, parent names, relationship, reason, requester signature/contact and return address. Enclose the required government photo ID copy and check/money order payable to Arkansas Department of Health; send no cash. Mail to Vital Records, Slot 44, 4815 West Markham Street, Little Rock AR 72205. Birth fees are $12 first/$10 additional same-record copies. The form says 7\u201314 days processing; the webpage indexed text says 10\u201314 plus transit. Its ID list includes U.S./foreign passports; consult the full form for identification conditions and establish eligibility rather than assuming a courier may order. [AR-13: PDF p.1; AR-06.]","Order other vital-record categories with the appropriate application \u2014 Use ADH\u2019s record-specific death/marriage/divorce application links rather than changing a birth form. ADH\u2019s official indexed death page lists $10 for the first death copy and $8 additional same-record copies ordered together. It offers mail/online/walk-in procurement, separately from the apostille. Do not apply that fee to a court decree or marriage license. Event coverage, requester relationship, ID and fees differ by record; use the issuing office\u2019s current category application and explain that foreign authentication is intended. [AR-14: official indexed cost/ordering text; AR-07.]","Match marriage and divorce evidence to the requested record \u2014 ADH marriage/divorce coupons summarize the event and do not replace a full county marriage license or court divorce decree. For a marriage license use the county clerk that issued it; for a divorce judgment or other court order use the issuing circuit clerk. Give the clerk the case number or party names/date and request an original certified copy, with the certifying official\u2019s signature/seal suitable for foreign authentication. The clerk\u2019s procurement charge is additional and varies with the record; obtain its current copy/certification total before paying. Do not print an online docket and add a notary stamp. [AR-07; AR-11; AR-05: public-record copy restriction.]","Order company records in their certified form \u2014 On the Records Request form identify entity name/filing number and exact articles, amendments, whole file or certificate. Select Certified Copies, not Plain Copies. Listed copy charges are $0.50/page plus $5 certification, with $2.50 minimum for mailed/card orders; card surcharge is 4% with $1 minimum. Certificates are listed at $25, except Existence at $15. Mail/pickup supports certified output; fax/email only plain copies. Send Attn: Records to 1401 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 250, Little Rock AR 72201. Keep procurement and apostille fees distinct. The linked older form carries a prior officeholder name; verify any changed charge/output before ordering. [AR-08: PDF pp.1\u20132.]","Keep private business papers separate \u2014 A manager resolution, authorization or power of attorney is not an SOS-certified filing. Have the authorized person execute the recipient\u2019s required document and lawful notarial act with an Arkansas notary if using Arkansas authentication. A registered agent\u2019s business address does not itself supply government certification or apostille service. If a downloaded company certificate is all you hold, establish that SOS can authenticate that exact output; ordering the paper certified record avoids assuming any printout is an original. [AR-01; AR-05. Role/output explanation is practical guidance.]","Prepare school records through the school \u2014 The University of Arkansas tells students to request a notarized diploma copy or notarized transcript through its Registrar before sending it to SOS. Use the Registrar\u2019s diploma or transcript request links and clearly ask for foreign-use notarization; an ordinary PDF transcript request alone does not establish that preparation. Other schools must arrange their own appropriate school-official certification/notarization; do not assume the UArk process or fee applies everywhere. Keep any school procurement cost separate from SOS. [AR-09: Apostille / Certification; AR-10: same heading.]","Complete the right notarial certificate \u2014 For private papers identify the act and certificate before signing. The Arkansas notary must complete the act, signature and legible official seal, with the applicable certificate wording; a bare stamp is insufficient. Use the SOS-linked affidavit/acknowledgment templates only when that is the correct act. Arkansas\u2019s handbook prohibits notary copy certification of vital and public records, including court records: obtain those from the custodian. A private affidavit describing a copy changes whose statement is authenticated; it is not an apostille of the underlying official record. [AR-01: templates link; AR-05: printed pp.7\u201312.]","Choose paper preparation or portal preparation \u2014 Download ARF-01 Rev.1/25 for the paper route. Supply requester/contact, organization if any, foreign destination and return name/address or pickup. Alternatively use the linked BCS portal, Forms \u2192 Apostille/Certification of Authentication Request Form. The July 2026 manual instructs you to select the country, provide return details, choose online payment then Print and Mail, or send a check/money order. Print the request from My Apostille Work Queue and send it with the documents. Online preparation does not remove the original-document delivery step. [AR-02: PDF p.1; AR-03: PDF pp.22\u201324.]","Calculate the apostille fee without mixing certificate types \u2014 The current paper form says choose one: $10 per apostille document or $5 per certification document. Checks drawn on a U.S. bank and money orders from a U.S. bank are payable to Arkansas Secretary of State. The form accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover with a 4% convenience fee. Two ordinary apostille documents therefore cost $20 by listed check route or $20.80 with that card surcharge, before procurement and shipping. Do not pay both certificate fees for the same ordinary request. The portal cart may have its own displayed payment choices; check that total before authorizing. [AR-02: fee/payment blocks; AR-03: payment chapter.]","Use the correct mail, courier or counter location \u2014 ARF-01 expressly lists mailed requests and in-person deliveries at Arkansas Secretary of State, 1401 W Capitol, Suite 250, Little Rock AR 72201 OR 300 N College, Suite 201F, Fayetteville AR 72701. The newer portal manual directs its printed requests with documents to the Little Rock BCS address and permits USPS, FedEx/UPS or personal drop-off. Follow that route for portal orders. The form\u2019s 500 Woodlane executive-office footer is not its designated delivery instruction. No distinct courier PO box is given. [AR-02: location block/footer; AR-03: PDF p.24.]","Plan counter visits and timing honestly \u2014 The older official Authentication of Documents sheet says most requests take 24\u201348 hours; the 2025 brochure\u2019s indexed text says SOS strives for that range and does not charge an expedite surcharge. Treat these as office-processing estimates after a correct packet arrives, not total delivery or a same-day promise. No current appointment rule, counter cutoff or universal same-day completion was established from the accessible sources; check BCS at 501-682-3409 and current alerts before a trip, including whether Fayetteville can handle the exact request. Record procurement, holiday closures, corrections and both shipping legs add time. [AR-04; AR-12.]","Prepare return delivery before originals leave you \u2014 Include a usable prepaid, addressed return label/envelope or clear pickup instruction. The July manual permits emailing a prepaid label to corprequest@sos.arkansas.gov; match it unmistakably to the request. Without return materials it says standard mail without tracking. For an overseas return, establish an accepted, fully paid carrier label and serviceable delivery address with SOS/carrier first; no universal international-carrier acceptance is claimed. Keep copies of the form, payment receipt and tracking numbers. A carrier\u2019s overnight service does not shorten the state queue. [AR-02: return/pickup fields; AR-03: PDF pp.23\u201324.]","Handle translation and electronic originals as separate questions \u2014 The official indexed 2025 brochure says foreign-language documents need an English translation and the translator\u2019s affidavit/signature needs a completed notarial acknowledgment. Full brochure retrieval exceeded the tool size limit; confirm the precise certificate/output with SOS for a foreign-language packet. Obtain the recipient\u2019s written translator qualification, language and original/copy requirements. Do not assume an English translation turns a foreign public record into an Arkansas original. The checked portal manual supplies physical submission instructions and does not establish a general electronic-apostille issuance path. Before using a RON/electronic record or a printout, obtain the exact state-accepted original/output procedure; a scan alone is not that evidence. [AR-04: official indexed translation excerpt; HCCH-01; AR-03. No RON conversion rule is asserted.]","Worked case: a birth record and notarized authorization \u2014 A hypothetical packet needs one ADH birth certificate and one Arkansas-notarized authorization. First obtain the $12 certified birth record, then arrange the private signature/certificate separately. Two SOS apostilles at $10 each plus that first birth record give $32 in listed government fees by the check route, before notary, online procurement charges and delivery. The birth record needs no added private-copy notarization. A Florida notary on the authorization changes that document\u2019s state route and its fee, while the Arkansas birth record remains here. [AR-02; AR-05; AR-06.]","Worked case: company copy versus notarized cover sheet \u2014 For a two-page filed corporate document, the listed paper-copy charge is $1 plus $5 certification, or $6, then $10 for one ordinary apostille: $16 before shipping by the check route. If the entity needs several separate certifications or a certificate rather than a filing copy, calculate those separately with Records. A private manager declaration attached to a plain filing printout authenticates the declaration\u2019s notarial route; it does not become SOS certification of the filing. [AR-08: fees; AR-02: apostille fee.]","Know the rejection fee before submitting \u2014 The July 2026 manual states filing fees are nonrefundable and a rejected filing must be resubmitted with another fee. Check issuer signatures, complete certificates, destination, counts, payment and return label before mailing. Save the written defect notice and request-specific correspondence so a corrected submission answers the actual reason. For verification start at the official SOS page\u2019s Verify an Apostille link; no certificate lookup was performed in this review. [AR-03: PDF p.23 note; AR-01: verification link.]","Keep federal and federal-court documents separate \u2014 An FBI Identity History Summary and other federal executive-agency records use the U.S. Department of State\u2019s federal apostille/authentication process. Start at its official requirements and service pages for DS-4194, current fee/payment, mailing versus counter addresses and queue. U.S. federal court documents may be apostilled by the issuing court; ask its clerk for the certified record and competent-authority procedure. State SOS is not the federal authority, and a notarized wrapper does not authenticate an FBI or court official\u2019s signature. [US-01; US-02; HCCH-03.]","Check the result and recover from a defect \u2014 Before sending onward, compare names, document identity, destination and certificate particulars with the order. Use the issuer\u2019s official verification/contact locator to resolve a suspected error. Preserve the complete attachment; take scans without removing staples or replacing pages. If the state returns an incomplete request, keep the written reason, repair the specific record/notarial/form/payment defect through its issuer or original notary and resubmit under current fee rules. Do not alter a completed notarization or apostille yourself. For recipient refusal, obtain the named approving office\u2019s written reason, rule and escalation path before ordering a different record. [HCCH-01: Arts. 5 and 7. Recovery sequence is practical guidance.]","Use free DIY instructions or buy a defined service \u2014 This guide is free; government record, notary and apostille fees and delivery costs still apply. A complete straightforward packet can be sent directly without contacting or hiring Notary Geek. Greg Lirette / Notary Geek\u2019s attributed practical routing judgment is to resolve the document and certification first, then separate procurement, review, physical submission, state return, scan-back and international delivery. A managed service can coordinate those tasks and corrections; a runner may save a trip where counter service fits. Neither changes the legal authority or guarantees the state queue or recipient outcome. No runner network or special access is asserted for this state. [Practical operating judgment; not a government rule.]","Worked example: a mixed international packet \u2014 A recipient asks for a state-certified birth record, certified company articles, a private authorization and an FBI report. Obtain the vital record from its public custodian and the company record from SOS; prepare the authorization with the right notarial act in the chosen notary\u2019s state; keep the FBI report on the federal route. Budget procurement plus one or more state certificates as required, federal fees and each shipping leg. Do not put all records under one notarized cover sheet. This synthetic case demonstrates route separation; it does not establish recipient acceptance. [HCCH-01; US-02; state document sections above.]"],"whatMustBeConfirmed":["Counter appointment/cutoff and exact Fayetteville services remain unverified; current form lists both cities, newer portal manual routes printed portal requests to Little Rock. [AR-02; AR-03.]","2025 brochure could not be opened in full because its 14MB file exceeded the web-tool limit; do not treat indexed excerpts as a complete form review. ADH full pages returned web403; its application/ID and current payment instructions need live reconfirmation. [AR-04; AR-06; AR-07.] The actual birth application was retrieved and supplies payment/ID/fields; form7\u201314days and page10\u201314days are distinct published estimates. [AR-13.]","Company certified download acceptance, electronic-notary output/conversion and international label acceptance are not established. Use the stated paper route or obtain exact SOS instructions. [AR-03; AR-08.]","Actual written recipient requirements, treaty applicability, translation, record age and paper/electronic format for the transaction date. A destination being a Convention party does not guarantee acceptance of an incorrect underlying record. [HCCH-01; HCCH-02.]","Public sources are checked 2026-10-26; no actual filing, payment, shipment, notarial act or recipient transaction was performed. Recheck closures and dynamic fees/queues before sending irreplaceable originals."],"sourceConfidence":"Official-source guidance checked 2026-10-26, with access limitations and dated conflicts stated below and in each source record. Practical explanations and synthetic examples are labeled. No individual recipient acceptance, live filing or shipping outcome is proven.","lastReviewed":"2026-10-26","contentUpdateUrl":"/request.html","canIssueEApostille":null,"eApostilleCapabilityNote":"No current official e-Apostille issuance route was established in the sources checked for this guide. Online preparation, electronic notarization, a scan and an electronic apostille are different outputs. Confirm the exact original/output before relying on a printout.","apostillePhysicalSecurityLevel":null,"apostillePhysicalSecurityFeatures":"No independent physical security-feature examination was performed.","apostillePhysicalSecurityNote":"Preserve the entire attached certificate and underlying record; do not detach, substitute pages, add stamps or laminate. A scan helps review but does not replace a required physical original.","targetedLawReviewDate":null,"targetedLawReviewScope":null}