How to Apostille a New Jersey Birth Certificate

What an apostille is, and who issues it in New Jersey

An apostille is a one-page certificate recognized by every country in the Hague Apostille Convention. It does not translate or change your document; it confirms that the signature and seal on it are real.

In New Jersey, apostilles are issued by the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) in Trenton, and only for documents issued in New Jersey. A New York birth certificate must be apostilled by New York; federal documents such as an FBI background check go through the U.S. Department of State.

Step 1: Get the right certified copy

This is where most people get stuck. The Treasury needs a certified copy carrying the original signature of the State Registrar or a Deputy State Registrar. That means ordering from the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, and noting on the application that the copy is for an apostille.

The state charges $25 for the first certified copy and $2 for each additional copy ordered at the same time (VitalChek adds a processing fee online). A photocopy, a hospital certificate, or an old copy from home will not be accepted, and a notary cannot certify a copy of a birth certificate in New Jersey.

Step 2: Submit the request to the Treasury

1. Create the request online at the Division of Revenue's apostille portal (njportal.com/dor/apostille). You name the country where the document will be used; each country needs its own request.
2. Pay the state fee: $25 per document for standard service or $40 per document for expedited service in 2026, plus a small card or e-check charge.
3. Print the confirmation and mail it with the original certified copy to the Notary Unit, P.O. Box 452, Trenton, NJ 08646. Expedited requests go by UPS or FedEx or in person at 33 West State Street, 5th floor.
4. Wait for the apostilled document to come back by mail. Standard processing has been running 12 to 20 business days; expedited is usually the next business day after receipt.

Do you also need a translation?

The apostille is in a standard format, but the certificate itself is in English. The Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador often ask for a Spanish translation of the certificate and sometimes of the apostille. Rules differ by country and even by office, so ask the receiving office before you order.

Fermin Consulting prepares certified Spanish translations ($25 first page, $10 each additional) with a signed certificate of accuracy, and can handle the apostille for you from $85 plus state fees, with pickup anywhere in Essex County.