Oregon apostilles are issued by the Oregon Secretary of State, and you can either file with the state yourself or use a private apostille service to handle it for you. This guide explains how the state process works, what it costs, which documents qualify, and what to look for if you choose a service.
Who issues apostilles in Oregon
The Oregon Secretary of State’s Corporation Division issues apostilles for Oregon public documents. Its office is at 255 Capitol St. NE, Suite 151, Salem, OR 97310, and it offers walk-in service Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The state fee is $10 per apostille or authentication certificate, set by Oregon Administrative Rule OAR 160-100-0040.
The Secretary of State can only certify Oregon documents. It does not apostille:
- Documents from other states; those go to the issuing state’s Secretary of State
- FBI background checks and other federal documents, which go to the U.S. Department of State
- Online background checks or documents without a verifiable official signature
Oregon documents that can be apostilled
According to the Oregon Secretary of State, these are accepted:
- Vital records from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics: birth, marriage, divorce, death and no-marriage verification records
- County records that are original certified copies with the official’s printed name and signature, such as a county marriage license
- Court documents signed by a circuit court clerk or judge, such as divorce decrees and name change orders
- Notarized documents, such as powers of attorney, affidavits, adoption papers and some school records, as long as an Oregon notary signed them
- Business filings, such as certified copies of articles of incorporation or organization and certificates of existence
Bylaws, meeting minutes and other private documents must be notarized before they can be apostilled.
Filing yourself vs using an apostille service
| Filing with the state yourself | Using an apostille service | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $10 per document plus postage | Service fee plus the $10 state fee |
| Effort | You prepare, mail or deliver and track the documents | The service checks, files and returns them |
| Best for | One simple Oregon document, no deadline | Several documents, tight deadlines, federal or out-of-state documents, translations |
Filing yourself is cheapest when you have one clean Oregon document and time to spare. A service is worth it when you need several documents, have documents from more than one state, need an FBI apostille, or need a translation as well.
What to look for in an Oregon apostille service
- A real local address where you can drop off documents
- Clear pricing, with the service fee and government fees shown separately
- Honest turnaround times that match the state’s and the U.S. Department of State’s own timelines
- Help checking documents before filing, so a missing notary seal or wrong copy doesn’t cause a rejection
- Translation support if the destination country needs it
Our guide to finding reliable apostille service reviews explains how to check a company’s track record.
How Apostille Authentications handles Oregon apostilles
Apostille Authentications has Oregon offices in Hillsboro and Lake Oswego. Our fee for a state apostille is $195 for the first document and $65 for each additional document, plus the $10 state fee. Same-day service is available for Oregon documents at the same service fee, depending on when we receive them. See our pricing page and our Oregon apostille guide for details.
We also handle FBI background check apostilles through the U.S. Department of State, documents from other states, and certified translations.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Oregon apostille cost?
The Oregon Secretary of State charges $10 per apostille. Service fees from private companies are extra.
Can Oregon apostille a birth certificate from another state?
No. Each state only apostilles its own records. A California birth certificate, for example, must go to the California Secretary of State.
Can Oregon apostille my FBI background check?
No. FBI background checks are federal documents and must be apostilled by the U.S. Department of State.
Do I need a certified copy of my Oregon birth certificate?
Yes. Order a certified copy from the Oregon Center for Health Statistics or the county where it was issued. Plain photocopies cannot be apostilled.
Get your Oregon documents apostilled
Bring your documents to one of our offices or contact us with your document type and destination country for a quote.
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