How much a certificate costs in the USA
The American bill has a unique trait: it changes from state to state — the same certificate costs double when you cross a line. The ranges below cover most cases; the site of YOUR event's state has the exact number.
The typical items
Typical ranges — each state publishes its table:
- A certified copy: US$15-40 per copy, per state; additional copies in the same order come out cheaper.
- VitalChek and intermediaries: a US$10-15 service fee + shipping — the price of international-card convenience.
- Identity verification: if the state demands a notarised statement, add the notarisation (in the USA, a few dollars; from Brazil, local notarisation + possible translation).
- The Secretary of State apostille: US$5-25 per document, per state — plus the postal back and forth, or someone's presence.
- USA→Brazil shipping: US$15-30 (tracked USPS) to US$60-90 (courier).
- Sworn translation from English in Brazil: hundreds of reais per document.
Where the bill surprises
- The wrong state: ordering from the wrong state (an event in NY city vs NY state, for example) consumes the fee and weeks — prior research is saving number one.
- The apostille by mail: states that only serve by mail double the time; some offer expedited for more.
- Restricted records: when the state requires the certificate chain to prove the connection, each link in the chain is one more document on the bill.
A sample bill
A certified copy in California (~US$29) + VitalChek (~US$12) + the CA apostille (~US$20) + courier (~US$70) + sworn translation in Brazil: the American side around US$130. With a Hand in the state — who collects, apostilles at the counter and dispatches — the timeline drops from “one to two months of mail” to a week.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apostille everything in Washington, DC at once?+
Not for state certificates — the apostille belongs to the issuing state's Secretary of State. The federal Department of State apostilles only federal documents.
Is VitalChek worth the extra fee?+
From abroad, usually yes: international card accepted, a single form and tracking. The state's direct channel saves the fee when it accepts international payment and shipping — check first.
Informative content about request procedures. We do not cover citizenship or visa eligibility. Rules and amounts may change; always confirm before acting.