I need to submit documents to another country and I have to have the signature of the notary who signed the document certified.  Where do I go?
I need to get an apostille.  Where do I go?

An apostille is a two part process for documents going to countries who are part of the Hague Treaty.  A certification is a three part process for documents going to countries who are not part of the Hague Treaty.  The first step in either process is to take the document to the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court where the notary was commissioned.  The county where the notary was commissioned should be identified in the notary's seal.  The cost is $1.00 per certification.

The second step is to take the document, with the Clerk's certification attached, to the Office of the Secretary of State who certifies the elected Clerk of Court.  If a standard certification is needed the document must also be taken to the State Department.  For more information on Apostilles and Certifications, go the Secretary of State's website. 

Disclaimer

The office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court is committed to serving the citizens of Maryland.  Every effort is made to provide accurate information and assistance regarding matters that are important to you.  Please be advised, however, that we are prohibited by law from rendering legal advice.

Responses to these frequently asked questions should not be considered legal advice and may not be applicable to your individual circumstances. Our intent is only to offer you procedural information, refererences to potential applicable Rules or Statutes, and to possibly provide you with knowledge regarding additional sources where legal information can be found.

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Notice:  These questions represent some of those most frequently asked to the Calvert County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.  For questions regarding matters in other circuit courts, please contact that court directly.  For District Court or Traffic matters, please see the information located on the Judiciary website:  www.mdcourts.gov - click on District Court or contact your local District Court.

For legal advice, you  must consult an attorney.