A Florida apostille submission gets rejected for one of seven reasons — almost every time. After processing thousands of apostille submissions in person at the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee, Online Florida Apostille has documented every rejection pattern we have ever encountered. This original data does not exist anywhere else. Understanding these seven mistakes is the difference between getting your document back in 3 business days and starting over from scratch. Call 954-999-4933 if you need help reviewing your document before submission.
The 7 Most Common Florida Apostille Rejection Causes
1. Incomplete Notarial Statement
The single most common cause of Florida apostille rejection is an incomplete notarial statement on a notarized document. The Florida Department of State requires the notarization to include all of the following elements: the venue (state and county where notarized), the type of notarial act (acknowledgment or oath), the notary’s full printed name, the notary’s commission number, the notary’s commission expiration date, the notary’s original signature, and the notary’s official seal or stamp. If any one of these elements is missing, the document is returned without an apostille.
How to avoid it: Before submitting, verify that the notarial block contains every required element. If the notarization is missing any component, the document must be re-notarized. Our team reviews every document for notarial completeness before submission — this is why our rejection rate is near zero.
2. Using a Photocopy Instead of an Original
Florida law requires that the document submitted for apostille be an original — not a photocopy, scan, or fax copy. This applies to both notarized documents and certified government documents. Photocopied birth certificates, marriage certificates, and court documents are automatically rejected. Photocopied notarized documents are also rejected because the notary’s original signature and seal must be present.
How to avoid it: Always request a certified original copy from the issuing agency. For birth certificates and marriage certificates, this means ordering a new certified copy from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or the county clerk’s office — not making copies of existing documents.
3. Submitting a Document from Another State
The Florida Department of State can only apostille documents that originate from Florida or are notarized by a Florida-commissioned notary public. Documents issued by another state’s government — even if you currently live in Florida — must be apostilled by that state’s competent authority. This is a common misunderstanding that causes significant delays.
How to avoid it: If your birth certificate was issued in Georgia, it must be apostilled by the Georgia Secretary of State — not Florida. If your power of attorney was notarized by a Florida-commissioned notary, it can be apostilled in Florida regardless of where you live. If you are unsure, call us at 954-999-4933 before submitting.
4. Wrong Certification for Clerk-Issued Documents
Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and court documents issued by a Florida county clerk must be certified by the clerk’s office before they can be apostilled. The certification must include the clerk’s official stamp or seal and the clerk’s signature. Many people submit documents that they believe are certified copies but are missing the official clerk certification. The Florida Department of State cannot apostille these documents and returns them for correction.
How to avoid it: When ordering court documents or marriage certificates from the county clerk, specifically request a certified copy — not a plain copy. Confirm that the document has the official raised seal or stamp and the clerk’s original signature before submitting for apostille.
5. Documents Notarized by an Out-of-State Notary
Only documents notarized by a Florida-commissioned notary public can receive a Florida apostille. If your power of attorney, affidavit, or other notarized document was signed before a notary in another state, the Florida Department of State cannot apostille it. It must instead go to the competent authority for the state where the notarization occurred.
How to avoid it: If you need a Florida apostille on a notarized document and you are located outside Florida, use Florida’s Remote Online Notarization (RON) service. A Florida-commissioned notary can notarize your document via secure video from anywhere in the world, making it eligible for a Florida apostille. Online Florida Apostille offers RON as part of our complete apostille service at $299 flat.
6. Vital Records Not Obtained from the Correct Agency
Florida birth certificates and death certificates must be obtained from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville and signed by the current State Registrar to be eligible for apostille. Certified copies obtained from local health departments are not acceptable. This is one of the most frequently misunderstood requirements and results in wasted time and money when the wrong document is submitted.
How to avoid it: Order birth and death certificates directly from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. Confirm that the document bears the signature of the State Registrar — not a local health department official. If you have already ordered a document from a local health department, you will need to reorder from the correct agency.
7. Missing or Incorrect Payment
The Florida Department of State charges $10 per document for apostille certification and $10 for Certificate of Incumbency when required for court-certified documents (making some documents $20 total). The Department does not accept cash or credit cards. Payment must be by check or money order payable to “Florida Department of State” in U.S. currency drawn from a U.S. bank. Incorrect payment — wrong amount, wrong payee, cash, or credit card — results in automatic return of the submission.
How to avoid it: Include a check or money order for the exact amount. When submitting through Online Florida Apostille, we handle all payment directly so you never encounter this issue.
What Happens When Your Document Is Rejected
When the Florida Department of State rejects an apostille submission, they return your original documents by mail — sometimes taking 2–4 weeks just for the return. You then must identify and correct the issue and resubmit, starting the processing clock over from the beginning. For mail-in submissions, a rejection can add 6–8 weeks to your total timeline.
This is why in-person submission with pre-review matters. When Online Florida Apostille submits your documents, we review them for every potential rejection cause before they ever reach the Florida Department of State. Our near-zero rejection rate is the direct result of this pre-submission review process.
Get a Free Pre-Submission Review
Before you submit any document for a Florida apostille, call Online Florida Apostille at 954-999-4933 Monday through Saturday 7AM to 5PM Eastern. We will review your document type, verify it qualifies for Florida apostille, and identify any issues before you spend time and money on a submission that will be returned.