Texas Apostille: Do It Yourself, Use a Service, or Start with a Notary
Getting an apostille for a Texas document is a route choice: submit yourself to the Texas Secretary of State, pay a courier or apostille service to handle logistics, or start with a Texas notary when notarization is required first. This page compares those paths with linked official sources only — no invented service prices.
Only the Texas SOS published fee appears with a dollar amount (checked 2026-10-20). Courier and notary fees say “See provider.”
Decision flow by document type
Start with what the Texas SOS publishes about recordable vs non-recordable documents, then confirm Hague vs non-Hague destination rules.
- Texas public / recordable documents (for example, birth or death certificates issued by state or county officials): obtain a qualifying certified copy from the issuing office first. SOS states these cannot be notarized or turned into certified copies by a notary, and certified records must generally be less than five years old. Source: Texas SOS Authentications. Then request the SOS apostille — Request a Universal Apostille.
- Privately signed / non-recordable documents (for example, many powers of attorney): get a proper Texas notarization first (statement of contents/intent plus a true notarial certificate, signature, seal, and date), then submit to SOS. Source: Texas SOS Authentications. Need the notarization step? Post one free request.
- Hague vs non-Hague destination: Texas offers a universal Apostille that acts as both an apostille and an authentication. For countries not party to the Apostille Convention, SOS states you will need additional authentication from the U.S. State Department Office of Authentications. Always confirm with the receiving party. Source: Texas SOS.
- Federal documents (for example, FBI Identity History Summary records or Certificates of Naturalization): Texas SOS does not apostille federal documents — contact the U.S. State Department Office of Authentications. Source: Texas SOS.
| Factor | DIY with Texas SOS (mail or in person) | Apostille courier / service companies | Notary first (NotaryHub request) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best when | You already have a qualifying Texas public record or a properly notarized private document, and you can follow SOS forms, payment, and mail or walk-in rules yourself. | You want a third party to handle packaging, courier or drop-off, and tracking for you. Treat this as a convenience category — not a ranked list of vendors. NotaryHub does not rate or endorse specific courier companies. Confirm fees and timelines with any company you choose. | Your document is a privately signed instrument that must be notarized by a Texas notary before SOS authentication (for example, many powers of attorney). |
| What they do | The Texas Secretary of State Authentications Unit is the only Texas agency that issues apostilles/authentications for Texas public records used outside the United States. You submit Form 2102 (or 2103 for adoption), pay the published fee, and use mail or in-person service as published. | Courier and apostille-service companies typically collect your documents, submit them to the SOS (or coordinate notarization + SOS), and return the finished package. They do not replace the SOS as the issuing authority. | A Texas notary witnesses or notarizes the private document when required. Notaries do not issue apostilles. After notarization, you (or a service) still submit to the Texas SOS. |
| Fees (sourced) | Texas SOS publishes $15 per document (not per page) for a standard universal apostille via walk-in or mail. Adoption proceedings use Form 2103 and a different published fee ($10 per document, with a published cap). Checked 2026-10-20. Confirm on the SOS page before you pay — fees can change. | See provider — NotaryHub does not publish courier or service-company prices. Any company fee is in addition to the Texas SOS fee above. | See provider — NotaryHub does not set notary prices. Discuss notarization fees directly with the responding notary. The SOS apostille fee is separate. |
| How you submit | Mail: Form 2102 + payment + documents (first-come processing; SOS states mailed requests can take up to two weeks from receipt, subject to volume). In person: appointments Tue–Thu; walk-ins Mon and Fri at the published Austin location (temp address notices may apply). | Varies by company — often they mail or deliver to SOS for you. Ask what they need from you and whether notarization is included. Always verify the company’s process against current SOS rules. | Post a free NotaryHub request describing the document and destination country. A responding Texas notary may discuss the notarization step; you still complete SOS submission afterward (DIY or via a service). |
DIY with Texas SOS (mail or in person)
- Best when
You already have a qualifying Texas public record or a properly notarized private document, and you can follow SOS forms, payment, and mail or walk-in rules yourself.
- What they do
The Texas Secretary of State Authentications Unit is the only Texas agency that issues apostilles/authentications for Texas public records used outside the United States. You submit Form 2102 (or 2103 for adoption), pay the published fee, and use mail or in-person service as published.
- Fees (sourced)
Texas SOS publishes $15 per document (not per page) for a standard universal apostille via walk-in or mail. Adoption proceedings use Form 2103 and a different published fee ($10 per document, with a published cap).
Checked 2026-10-20. Confirm on the SOS page before you pay — fees can change.
- How you submit
Mail: Form 2102 + payment + documents (first-come processing; SOS states mailed requests can take up to two weeks from receipt, subject to volume). In person: appointments Tue–Thu; walk-ins Mon and Fri at the published Austin location (temp address notices may apply).
Apostille courier / service companies
- Best when
You want a third party to handle packaging, courier or drop-off, and tracking for you. Treat this as a convenience category — not a ranked list of vendors.
NotaryHub does not rate or endorse specific courier companies. Confirm fees and timelines with any company you choose.
- What they do
Courier and apostille-service companies typically collect your documents, submit them to the SOS (or coordinate notarization + SOS), and return the finished package. They do not replace the SOS as the issuing authority.
- Fees (sourced)
See provider — NotaryHub does not publish courier or service-company prices.
Any company fee is in addition to the Texas SOS fee above.
- How you submit
Varies by company — often they mail or deliver to SOS for you. Ask what they need from you and whether notarization is included.
Always verify the company’s process against current SOS rules.
Notary first (NotaryHub request)
- Best when
Your document is a privately signed instrument that must be notarized by a Texas notary before SOS authentication (for example, many powers of attorney).
- What they do
A Texas notary witnesses or notarizes the private document when required. Notaries do not issue apostilles. After notarization, you (or a service) still submit to the Texas SOS.
- Fees (sourced)
See provider — NotaryHub does not set notary prices. Discuss notarization fees directly with the responding notary. The SOS apostille fee is separate.
- How you submit
Post a free NotaryHub request describing the document and destination country. A responding Texas notary may discuss the notarization step; you still complete SOS submission afterward (DIY or via a service).
Need the notarization step?
Post one free request. Describe your document, destination country, and whether you already have a certified copy. Area notaries can discuss the notarization step; the apostille still comes from the Texas SOS.
Need the notarization step? Post one free requestRelated guides (different intents)
These pages do not reuse this H1. Use them for definitions, act comparison, Spanish content, or online notarization — not this route table.
- What does an apostille mean? (Texas SOS guide) — Definition and process — not the options table
- Apostille vs notary services — Act comparison — notarization vs apostille
- Apostille service page — Request-oriented landing for apostille-related help
- Apostilla en Texas (español) — Spanish-language guide
- Online notarization vs mobile in Texas — If your notarization step may be online (RON) — different intent
Frequently asked questions
- Who issues an apostille in Texas?
- The Office of the Texas Secretary of State is the only Texas agency that issues apostilles and authentications for Texas public records for use outside the United States. Notaries and NotaryHub do not issue apostilles.
- Do I notarize a birth certificate before the apostille?
- Usually no. Texas SOS treats many vital records as recordable public documents: you typically obtain a recent certified copy from the issuing office, then request the SOS apostille. A notary generally cannot create a substitute certified copy of a vital record. Confirm with SOS and the receiving party.
- When do I need a notary first?
- For many non-recordable / privately signed documents, Texas SOS requires a proper Texas notarization (true notarial certificate, signature, seal, and date) before authentication. Read the SOS Apostille/Authentication Guide before submitting notarized papers.
- What if the destination country is not in the Hague Apostille Convention?
- Texas issues a universal Apostille that can serve as authentication, but for countries not party to the Apostille Convention you typically need additional authentication from the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications. Confirm with the receiving authority.
- How is this page different from the apostille blog and service pages?
- This page is the route decision (DIY SOS vs service company vs notary-first). The “what does apostille mean” post explains the concept and SOS process. The apostille vs notary post contrasts the two acts. /services/apostille/ is the request-oriented service landing. The Spanish page covers the same topic in Spanish.
NotaryHub is a Texas lead-generation marketplace. It does not issue apostilles, perform notarizations itself, guarantee SOS acceptance, or set SOS or notary fees. Process details above cite sos.texas.gov/authinfo.shtml and sos.texas.gov/statdoc/request.shtml as of 2026-10-20 and may change — always verify on the official sites and with the receiving party.