{"stateName":"Missouri","slug":"missouri","summary":"Get your Missouri 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: handbook describes same/next-day mail and same-day walk-in processing. Notary contact page hours are 8 a.m.\u20134 p.m. weekdays except legal holidays, versus handbook 4:30 p.m. No live queue verified. DHSS mail procurement estimates 4\u20138 weeks; coordinated transfer averages weekly. Preparation, corrections and all transit add time.","caveat":"This is the outgoing Missouri-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":"Missouri SOS Certification,Authentication,\u0026 Apostilles","officialResourceUrl":"https://s1.sos.mo.gov/business/notary/notary/certify","micrositeUrl":null,"lawResourceName":"HCCH Apostille Convention","lawResourceUrl":"https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/full-text/?cid=41","secondaryLawResourceName":"Missouri Apostille/Authentication Cover Letter","secondaryLawResourceUrl":"https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/Notary/CoverLetterComplete.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","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 established by source | Designation II, federal courts; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=353","MO-01 | Missouri SOS Certification,Authentication,\u0026 Apostilles | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Procedures,fee examples,payment and return blocks; Live official text read through web tool | https://s1.sos.mo.gov/business/notary/notary/certify","MO-02 | Missouri Apostille/Authentication Cover Letter | official form | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | PDF p.1,country,count,payment,return and mailing address; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/Notary/CoverLetterComplete.pdf","MO-03 | Missouri Notary Handbook | official handbook | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Edition/revision not established from inspected sections; effective: not established by source | Printed pp.87\u201390/PDF pp.93\u201396,Requests/Fees/School/Special Handling; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/Notary/NotaryHandbook.pdf","MO-04 | Missouri Credit Card Payment Sheet | official form | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | One-page PDF,footer says Page2of2; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/Notary/CreditCardPaymentSheet.pdf","MO-05 | Missouri E-Payment Convenience Fees | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Publication/revision not stated; effective: Published implementation began2015-01-29;current table checked2026-10-26 | Convenience fee table and introductory effective instruction; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/e_payment_fees","MO-06 | DHSS Order a Copy of a Vital Record | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Record types,How to Obtain,Authentication/Apostilles,Foreign Notaries and RON; Live official text read through web tool | https://health.mo.gov/vital-records-registries/vital-records/order-copy-vital-record","MO-07 | Application for Missouri Vital Record,Birth/Death | official form | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: Form MO580-0641(8-2020);URL April2026 folder does not establish a new revision; effective: not established by source | PDF p.1,notarized mail application,tangible interest,fees and footer; Live official text read through web tool | https://health.mo.gov/sites/health/files/media/pdf/2026/04/birthdeath.pdf","MO-08 | Missouri SOS About the Corporations Division | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Preparation of Certified Copies;records not filed; Live official text read through web tool | https://www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/about.asp","MO-09 | Missouri Business Registration Online Portal | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Business Search and Verify Certificates links;linked from corporate record instructions; Live official text read through web tool | https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/loginwelcome.aspx?lobID=1","MO-10 | Missouri Notaries \u0026 Commissions Contact Information | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Mail/express addresses,branch locations and hours | https://s1.sos.mo.gov/business/notary/notary/contact","MO-11 | Missouri SOS Contact Information | official agency guidance | checked 2026-10-26 | publication/revision: not stated; effective: not established by source | Commissions and branch offices | https://www.sos.mo.gov/contact"],"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 vital records from the custodian \u2014 SOS specifies a Bureau of Vital Records certified birth copy; death records also use issuer certification. DHSS recommends a long-form certificate for apostille and lists both long and short forms at the state office; local public health agencies generally issue short forms within their stated year coverage. Check the recipient\u2019s version requirement before ordering. An online genealogical image or a privately notarized photocopy is not the issuing agency\u2019s certified record. [MO-01:birth procedure; MO-06:record types/apostille; MO-03: PDFp.94.]","Fill the birth/death application and notarize the application for mail \u2014 Use the actual linked MO 580-0641/VS 151 BD application. Select record type, long form if needed, copy count, event details, parent names, purpose, requester contact and relationship. Supply tangible-interest/guardianship/representation evidence if applicable. All applicants sign; mail-in requests must be notarized by an acceptable notary. This is notarization of your request, not a requirement to notarize the resulting certified birth/death certificate. In-person applicants show proper identification. The PDF carries 8-2020 revision despite its 2026 URL folder. [MO-07: PDFp.1, instructions/checkboxes/footer.]","Pay and submit vital-record procurement separately \u2014 Birth is $15 per copy; death is $14 first/$11 additional copies in the same request. DHSS directs a U. S.-bank check or U. S.-bank/USPS money order payable Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services; no cash or blank check. Mail the signed/notarized application, necessary documents, fee and legal-size self-addressed stamped return envelope.\n\nVital-record procurement mail destination:\nBureau of Vital Records\n930 Wildwood Drive\nJefferson City MO 65109\n\nIts current page estimates 4\u20138 weeks for Jefferson City mail depending on volume. A cashed check does not mean processing is complete. [MO-07:fees; MO-06:payment/submission/processing.]","Requesting a vital record from abroad \u2014 DHSS says it accepts application notarizations from U.S.-registered notaries, describes U.S. consular notarization abroad and an authenticated foreign-notary alternative, and accepts traditional, electronic and remote online notarization of applications. It directs electronically notarized applications to be mailed with any required fees/documents to 930 Wildwood Drive. Follow that exact procurement procedure and resolve foreign-authentication/printed-output details with BVR at 573-751-6387 or VitalRecordsInfo@health.mo.gov. This does not turn the eventual Missouri-issued certificate into an apostille from the application notary\u2019s state, nor establish an e-Apostille. [MO-06: Foreign Notaries; Using an Electronic or Remote Online Notary.]","Use Vital Records appointments or coordinated forwarding deliberately \u2014 For Jefferson City in-person procurement call 573-751-6387:published appointments 9 a.m.\u20133 p.m., last slot 2:30; same-day output is not guaranteed. DHSS also describes VitalChek ordering with Apostille/Authentication reason and transfer to SOS, followed by coordination for SOS payment/return. A just-placed order that omitted the option may be addressed by contacting BVR the next business morning 9\u201311 Central to request forwarding; mail orders need BVR coordination. It says transfer averages once a week. Procurement speed, transfer, SOS processing and shipping are separate; do not send unmatched payment or assume apostille is included in VitalChek\u2019s record price. [MO-06:appointments; Authentication and Apostilles.]","Distinguish marriage/divorce statements from the full record \u2014 A certified marriage license comes from the Recorder of Deeds in the county of marriage; the DHSS state marriage statement supplies only names, date and county. A divorce decree comes from the Circuit Clerk where recorded; the state divorce statement is not the judgment or its terms. Give the custodian party names, date/county and case number where applicable, and request a certified copy signed by the authorized official for foreign use. County record/certification fees vary; obtain that total from the actual office. Do not replace a required decree with a notarized state-summary printout. [MO-01:procedures 2\u20133; MO-06: Marriage/Divorce.]","Prepare other court orders through the issuing clerk \u2014 Obtain the actual certified judgment, adoption order or name-change order from the circuit clerk handling that case, with its official signature and certification. The SOS route authenticates that clerk/judge\u2019s authority; the ordinary published Missouri procedure does not add Kentucky-style county authentication of every Missouri notary or clerk. Restricted/sealed records need the court\u2019s own access authority. A docket search or attorney\u2019s photocopy alone does not establish the required public certification. Federal court orders use the court\u2019s federal route instead. [MO-01:authenticated officials; MO-03: PDFp.94; HCCH-03.]","Order government-certified company filings \u2014 Use the official corporate instructions\u2019 online order link to the Missouri Business Registration portal to identify the entity by name/charter number and order the exact certified articles, amendments or good-standing certificate. Plain entity-search images are not the same purchase. The listed certified-copy fee is $0.50/page plus $10 certification; good standing is $10. State whether foreign authentication is needed and arrange an SOS-acceptable issued output and physical delivery before ordering. The source supports online record ordering; it does not establish that every downloaded printout is accepted for paper apostille. No account, registry query or order was exercised here. [MO-08; MO-09.]","Keep private corporate papers on their signature route \u2014 SOS lists bylaws, operating agreements, financial reports and meeting minutes among information not filed there. Prepare such a private document with the authorized signer and correct notarial act/certificate. If notarized by a Missouri notary it follows the Missouri signature route; another state\u2019s notarization uses that state\u2019s route. A Missouri entity\u2019s registered agent cannot turn private papers or plain filing copies into SOS-certified records merely by signing a cover statement. [MO-08:information not required to be filed; MO-01:notarized documents. Role distinction is practical guidance.]","Ask the school official to prepare academic records \u2014 The SOS handbook says not to alter the face of a diploma. It describes a registrar/school authority\u2019s signed statement on the back of the diploma or transcript identifying it as the original school record or school-issued copy and giving its issue date; the notary witnesses that official\u2019s signature. If the school does not issue the relevant diploma, the handbook describes a notarized registrar letter explaining graduation completion and that no diploma is issued. Ask the school for this foreign-use preparation before sending to SOS; do not notarize the student\u2019s signature on a generic cover and call it the registrar\u2019s certification. [MO-03:printedp.89/PDFp.95, School Documents.]","Use a complete notarial certificate on private papers \u2014 SOS requires the proper notarial paragraph, notary signature and seal. Decide the lawful act before signing; an acknowledgment and sworn statement are different. Check names, date, venue, legible signature/seal and document association before submission. Missouri handbook cautions that notaries cannot certify restricted vital/public records or another state/country\u2019s documents as official copies. Obtain those through their custodian instead. If a completed certificate is defective, return to the original notary for a lawful correction rather than editing it yourself. [MO-01:procedure 5; MO-03:printedpp.88\u201390.]","Fill the official cover letter and payment sheet \u2014 Enter contact name/address/phone/email, number of documents, country of use, return recipient/address and return method; sign the cover letter. Enclose the prepared original/certified record(s), payment and prepaid return materials. For card payment, include the separate linked Credit Card Payment Sheet with cardholder name, billing address/ZIP, number, expiry, security code and signature. Its footer says Page 2 of 2 although the current downloadable payment sheet is one page; include it with the cover letter. No online apostille checkout is established by the notary registration portal. [MO-02: PDFp.1; MO-04:entire PDF.]","Calculate the fee by document and notary \u2014 SOS charges $10 per certification/authentication. One document with several notarizations by the same notary is $10; three separate documents by that same notary are $30; one document with two different notaries is $20. Thus document count alone can underpay a multi-notary packet. State law caps certain adoption-document processing fees at $100 per child per adoption, or multiple children adopted together; ask Commissions to apply that rule to the exact dossier rather than assuming it covers unrelated records or procurement. [MO-01:fee examples/adoption cap; MO-03:printedp.88.]","Use current payment instructions and retain the conflict \u2014 The current cover letter and SOS page say checks/money orders payable Secretary of State\u2019s Office. The handbook instead says Director of Revenue; this guide follows the current request form/page and preserves that conflict for legacy orders. \n\nVisa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover are listed. The linked current convenience-fee table says card 2%\u002B$0.25, so a $20 card transaction would total $20.65 before procurement/delivery. Use the displayed/confirmed total for a combined or exceptional transaction; the table separately discusses e-check/ACH and does not create an online apostille submission route. [MO-01; MO-02; MO-03:printedp.88; MO-05:fee table.]","Send originals to the correct delivery address \u2014 The cover form labels its mailing address \n\nCover-form mailing address; also courier/counter destination:\nCommissions\nSecretary of State\u2019s Office\n600 West Main\nRoom 322\nJefferson City MO 65101\n\nThe SOS procedure uses the same street address. The notary-specific and general official contact pages also list an ordinary-mail option:\n\nSecretary of State\u2019s Office\nCommissions\nPO Box 784\nJefferson City MO 65102-0784\n\nUse the PO box only for ordinary mail; use the street address for express/courier delivery and the counter. The cover\u2019s street address is a supported ordinary packet choice, while the PO box is also still officially published. DHSS 930 Wildwood procures records and is a separate office. [MO-02; MO-01; MO-10; MO-11.]","Plan counter service and alternative branches \u2014 The notary-specific contact page publishes 8 a.m.\u20134 p.m. Monday\u2013Friday except legal holidays for the main and branch offices. The handbook instead says 8 a.m.\u20134:30 p.m.; use the earlier current contact-page closing time for planning and confirm a deadline trip. \n\nThe handbook describes same/next-day mail and same-day counter processing, not a live queue guarantee. \n\nNotary contact-page branches; confirm services before travel:\n\nSt. Louis\n815 Olive St.\nSuite 150\nSt. Louis MO 63101\n\nKansas City\n615 E. 13th St.\nSuite 513\nKansas City MO 64106\n\nSpringfield\n149 Park Central Sq.\nSuite 624\nSpringfield MO 65806\n\nThe general SOS page instead lists St. Louis Suite 210: confirm the exact service suite before travel at 314-340-7490 or Commissions 573-751-2783 / 866-223-6535 option 3. No mandatory appointment rule is established by these published walk-in instructions; recheck current service/closures. [MO-10; MO-11; MO-03: printed p.87.]","Arrange tracked return and onward delivery \u2014 The cover letter offers prepaid return envelope or regular mail. SOS says results return regular mail unless a prepaid envelope with addressed air bill is enclosed; credit-card-funded special delivery requires the completed air bill. The handbook also permits forwarding to a third party using its addressed stamped envelope and overnight return with prepaid self-addressed mailer. Include exact recipient/address and usable prepaid carrier billing before originals leave you. Confirm international label/service acceptance for the actual destination; no universal overseas carrier rule was verified. Add both inbound and outbound transit to the office estimate. [MO-01:return paragraph; MO-02; MO-03:printedp.89.]","Keep translations, electronic originals and verification distinct \u2014 The handbook discusses foreign-language documents and an English notarial certificate when the notary cannot read the original certificate language; do not imply the notary certifies the translation\u2019s accuracy. Obtain the receiving office\u2019s actual translator/format requirements. No current SOS e-Apostille issuance or universal RON-printout conversion was established here; DHSS acceptance of electronic notarization on an application does not prove apostille acceptance of every electronic record. Contact Commissions through the official page for issuer verification/corrections; the corporate portal\u2019s Verify Certificates feature is not proven an apostille lookup. [MO-03:printedpp.89\u201390; MO-06: RON applications; MO-09.]","Worked case:multi-notary authorization and vital record \u2014 A hypothetical packet contains one paper authorization with two different Missouri notaries and one $15 certified birth record. State apostille charges are $20 for the authorization plus $10 for the birth, then $15 procurement=$45, before application notarization, private notary fees and delivery. Repeating three acts by one notary on that same authorization would not itself triple its state fee. Procurement-application notarization must not be confused with adding a notary to the issued birth record. [MO-01:fee units; MO-07.]","Worked case:three-page company filing \u2014 A certified copy of a three-page filed record is $1.50 copying\u002B$10 certification=$11.50; one ordinary $10 apostille gives $21.50 in listed state charges before delivery. A good-standing certificate is a different $10 record order and would add its own apostille if also required. Do not assume a single notary cover can combine official-company, school and federal records under one government fee or authenticate each underlying issuer. [MO-08; MO-01.]","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.] Optional document review is available only within an agreed paid managed-service scope. This free guide does not include personal DIY consulting.","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":["Official payee conflict: cover/page say Secretary of State\u2019s Office; handbook says Director of Revenue. Follow the request form for the ordinary payment and confirm an affected legacy order. Both 600 West Main, Room 322 and PO Box 784 remain officially published, with street required for courier/counter. [MO-01; MO-02; MO-03; MO-10; MO-11.]","Counter hours conflict: notary contact page 8\u20134 versus handbook 8\u20134:30. St. Louis suite conflict: notary contact150 versus general contact210. Confirm exact branch services and suite before travel; no visit or live queue proof. [MO-03; MO-10; MO-11.]","School/record electronic output, downloaded company certificate and any RON-to-paper conversion need the exact accepted process; a portal account or signed PDF alone does not establish e-Apostille capability. [MO-01; MO-03; MO-09.]","Adoption fee cap application and multiple-notary/multiple-record certification count require packet-specific Commissions calculation. [MO-01.]","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}