To get an apostille in Colorado, first have your document notarized by a Colorado notary or obtain a certified copy from the issuing agency, then submit it to the Colorado Secretary of State with a completed request identifying the destination country. The Secretary of State verifies the official’s authority and attaches the apostille. In-person submissions are often completed the same day; mailed requests take longer.
Getting an apostille in Colorado is straightforward once you understand the order of operations — but that order is exactly where most people get tripped up. Submit a document in the wrong form, skip the notarization, or send an uncertified photocopy, and the Secretary of State will return it unprocessed, costing you days or weeks. This guide walks through each step so your document is accepted the first time.
This is a companion to our complete guide to apostille services in Colorado, which covers what an apostille is and when you need one. Here, the focus is purely on the how — the practical, step-by-step process.
Before You Start: What You Need to Know
An apostille authenticates a Colorado public document for use in a country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention. Before you begin, confirm two things: the destination country, and whether that country is a Hague member. The destination determines whether you need an apostille (for Hague countries) or authentication plus embassy legalization (for non-Hague countries). It also goes on the request form, so you need it up front.
You will also need to know what kind of document you have, because the preparation differs. Notarized documents, vital records, and educational records each take a different first step, covered below.
The 5 Steps to Get a Colorado Apostille
Step 1: Prepare the document
Every document needs an official Colorado signature or seal before it can be apostilled. For most documents, that means notarization by a Colorado notary public. Vital records and educational records follow a different first step — see preparing each document type below.
Step 2: Complete the Secretary of State request
Colorado’s authentication request asks for the document details, the destination country, and your return method. Fill it out completely. The destination country is the field people most often leave blank, and it is the one that determines whether you receive an apostille or an authentication.
Step 3: Submit to the Colorado Secretary of State
Send or bring the prepared document and the request form to the Secretary of State’s office in Denver. You can submit in person or by mail. In person is fastest. If you mail it, use trackable shipping and include prepaid return postage.
Step 4: The apostille is attached
The Secretary of State confirms the notary or official who signed your document was properly commissioned, then attaches the apostille certificate. It comes as a separate page bound to your document. Never detach it — separating the apostille from its document voids the authentication.
Step 5: The document is returned
Your completed document is returned to you or shipped directly to the destination country. If your destination is not a Hague member, this is where the additional embassy legalization step begins.
Preparing Each Document Type
The first step changes depending on what you are apostilling. Matching the right preparation to your document is the single most important thing you can do to avoid rejection.
| Document type | First step | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney, affidavits | Notarize with a Colorado notary | Signing before meeting the notary |
| Birth, marriage, death certificates | Get a certified copy from Vital Records | Submitting a notarized photocopy |
| Diplomas, transcripts | Have the registrar sign or seal it | Using an unofficial copy |
| Background checks | Obtain the official certified result | Using an expired or unofficial report |
If you are unsure which preparation your document needs, MJ Notary Denver can confirm it before you submit — a quick check that prevents the most common cause of delay.
“The document must be notarized by a Colorado notary public or certified by Vital Records or the County Clerk’s office before it can be authenticated.”
Common Mistakes That Cause Rejection
Almost every rejected apostille traces back to one of these four issues. The good news is that all of them are avoidable with a little preparation, and a notary who handles apostilles regularly will catch them before submission.
How Long Does It Take?
Timing depends entirely on how the request reaches the Secretary of State. An in-person submission for a Hague-country document can often be completed the same day or the next business day. A mailed request is slower — standard return mail alone can add seven to ten business days, before counting the time the office needs to process it.
Because MJ Notary Denver submits in person at the Secretary of State’s office in Denver, we can frequently complete a Colorado apostille within 24 hours of notarization for Hague-country documents — far faster than mailing it yourself.
Let MJ Notary Denver Handle the Whole Process
The steps are simple, but each one has a way to go wrong, and a single misstep means starting over. As a Colorado notary and member of the National Notary Association, MJ Notary Denver manages the full process — notarizing your document, preparing the request correctly, submitting it in person to the Secretary of State in Denver, and returning the finished apostille to you or shipping it abroad.
We serve Denver and the surrounding metro area — including Aurora, Lakewood, Centennial, Littleton, Englewood, and Commerce City — and coordinate apostilles statewide. Contact MJ Notary Denver or call (720) 333-0580 to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you get an apostille in Colorado?
Apostilles in Colorado are issued by the Colorado Secretary of State’s office in Denver. You submit your prepared document and request form there in person or by mail. MJ Notary Denver submits in person on your behalf, which is the fastest route.
Can I get an apostille the same day in Colorado?
Often, yes. In-person submissions to the Secretary of State for Hague Convention countries can frequently be completed the same day or within 24 hours of notarization, excluding weekends and holidays. Mailed requests take significantly longer.
Does the document need to be notarized before the apostille?
Most documents must be notarized by a Colorado notary first. The exception is vital records like birth and marriage certificates, which instead require a certified copy from Vital Records or the County Clerk. The Secretary of State will not apostille an uncertified or un-notarized document.
How much does it cost to get an apostille in Colorado?
MJ Notary Denver’s full apostille service is $175 per document, covering notarization, Secretary of State submission, and handling. The state’s per-document fee is included; international shipping via DHL is billed separately at cost.
Can I get a Colorado apostille by mail?
Yes. You can mail your prepared document and request form to the Secretary of State, but it is slower than in person — use trackable shipping and include prepaid return postage. Many people use a notary service that submits in person to save time.
Written by
MJ Notary Denver
MJ Notary Denver is a certified Colorado notary public and member of the National Notary Association, providing mobile notary, apostille, online notarization, and loan signing services throughout the Denver metro area since 2019. Commission #20194021878.