Need a Florida (FDLE) background check apostilled for use abroad? We hand-file your FDLE criminal history record in person at the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee and return the finished apostille to you — all state fees included. Most requests are completed in as few as 3 business days, with overnight return shipping available. If a foreign employer, university, or immigration authority has asked you to apostille your Florida background check, this is the fast, in-person way to get it done right the first time.
Scope note: This service covers Florida state (FDLE) background checks, which are apostilled by the Florida Secretary of State. FBI federal background checks are authenticated separately by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and are outside our service — if you were specifically asked for an FBI check, you’ll need the federal route.
What is an FDLE background check apostille?
An FDLE background check is a Florida criminal history record issued by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. An apostille is a certificate under the 1961 Hague Convention that authenticates the record’s certification so it is legally recognized in another member country. The Florida Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations in Tallahassee is the only competent authority that can issue a Florida apostille.
Who needs an FDLE apostille?
- Applying for a residency permit or work visa in another country
- Employment overseas, where a clean criminal record is required
- Teaching English abroad — often bundled with an apostilled diploma and TEFL certificate
- Immigration or naturalization in another country
- Marriage, adoption, or a long-term stay abroad
How the process works
- Obtain your FDLE background check. This is a Florida criminal history record, commonly obtained through Live Scan electronic fingerprinting via an approved vendor or directly from FDLE, in the certified form required for authentication.
- Send it to us. Ship your document to our team. If your receiving country requires a notarized affidavit alongside it, ask us about remote online notarization.
- We file in person. Our team hand-delivers your document to the Florida Department of State for the apostille — and we pre-check it first to catch the formatting errors that get documents rejected.
- We ship it back. Your apostilled background check returns to you by FedEx, with overnight options available.
Why file in person instead of by mail
Mailing an apostille request to the state can take weeks, and a single formatting error — a photocopy instead of a certified original, or a missing certification — sends the whole request back to the start. We file in person and pre-check every document, so you avoid the delays and rejections that come with the DIY mail-in route.
Cost
$199 for your first document and $75 for each additional document — all-inclusive. That covers the state fee, in-person filing at the Florida Department of State, and FedEx return shipping within the U.S. No hidden add-ons.
Hague vs. non-Hague countries
If your destination country is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention, your background check receives an apostille. If it is not a member, the document needs authentication and embassy legalization instead of an apostille. Not sure which applies to your country? Contact us and we’ll tell you exactly what’s required.
Frequently asked questions
Does an FDLE background check need to be notarized before the apostille?
The record must be in the certified form the state accepts. We review your document before filing and tell you if anything else is needed, so it isn’t rejected at the counter.
How long is an FDLE apostille valid?
The apostille itself does not expire, but many foreign authorities require the underlying background check to be recent — often issued within the last 3 to 6 months. Confirm the timing rule with the authority requesting it.
Do I need to come to Florida in person?
No. Ship your document to us, we file it in person at the Department of State, and we ship the completed apostille back to you anywhere.
Can you apostille an FBI (federal) background check?
No. FBI background checks are federal documents apostilled by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. We handle Florida state (FDLE) background checks.
How fast can I get my FDLE apostille?
As fast as 3 business days with our standard service once we receive your document, with overnight return shipping available if you’re on a tight deadline.
How much does it cost?
$199 for the first document and $75 for each additional document, with all state fees and FedEx return shipping included.
Get your Florida background check apostilled
Ready to start? Call or text 954-999-4933, or send us your document to get your Florida FDLE background check apostilled quickly and correctly. Your request is handled by the Online Florida Apostille Team — local Florida notaries who file in person at the Department of State and know how to get time-sensitive documents through.