Diploma and Transcript Apostille Services

How Diploma and Transcript Apostilles Work

What is a transcript or diploma apostille?

A diploma or transcript apostille is a certificate issued by the Secretary of State that mainly authenticates the signature of a notary public. It is attached to the academic record so the document can be recognized in a foreign country.

We help students and alumni obtain apostilles for diplomas, transcripts, enrollment letters, and other school records. You do not need to be physically present, but the document must first be properly certified or notarized before it can receive an apostille.

Here’s how the process works, starting with the basics:

An Apostille Certifies the Notary Public’s Signature

An apostille does not certify the diploma, transcript, or information contained in the school record. It authenticates the signature and authority of the California notary public who notarized the school official’s signature so that the notarization gains legal recognition in a foreign country.

Before issuing a California apostille, the Secretary of State verifies that:

• The notary’s commission was active on the notarization date

• The notary’s name and commission information are correct

• The notary’s signature matches the signature on file

• The notarial certificate meets California requirements

If the notarization is accepted, the Secretary of State permanently attaches an apostille certificate to the notarial certificate.

Notaries Notarize Signatures—not Documents

A notary public does not certify that a diploma or transcript is genuine. The notary verifies the identity of the person signing or acknowledging the letter of authenticity.

The school official must personally appear before the notary and either sign the letter or acknowledge an existing signature. The notary verifies the official’s identity, completes a notarial certificate, and records the notarization in the notary’s journal.

Neither a sealed nor an unsealed transcript can be apostilled by itself. An authorized school official must sign or acknowledge their signature on a statement on the sealed envelope or on a letter of authenticity attached to the transcript. A notary then notarizes the school official’s signature, creating the notarial certificate that the California Secretary of State can certify with an apostille certificate.

School Registrars Certify Academic Records

A school official—not the notary—confirms that a diploma, transcript, or other academic record is authentic. Most commonly, a registrar, assistant registrar, or other authorized school administrator signs a letter of authenticity confirming that the diploma, transcript, and/or other school records are genuine.

The school official signs the letter in the notary’s presence so that the signature can be notarized. The academic records are then securely attached to the notarized letter of authenticity. Alternatively, the school official may sign a certification directly on a photocopy of the academic record, most often on the reverse side, with the notarial certificate included or attached as a separate page. The notarized record can then be submitted to the California Secretary of State for an apostille.

Step-by-Step Diploma and Transcript Apostille Process

These instructions are generic for any school. Please see the pictorial list at the end of this page for specific instructions for schools to which we frequently send our mobile notaries or from which we regularly receive academic records.

Step 1: Send Us the Required Information

Email info@sfnotary.com with the following:

• What is the name and location of the school?

• Which documents need to be apostilled (ex: diploma, transcripts, enrollment letter)?

• Do you currently possess the diploma, transcripts, or other school records?

• What is the destination country?

• What is your required completion date?

• What is your current physical location?

• What is the name, address, and telephone number of the person to whom we will ship the completed records? If shipping to a business or university, include its name.

• Do you want the diploma and transcripts certified under one letter of authenticity or under separate letters?

Please attach clear scans of any documents you already possess.

Step 2: Decide Whether to Use One Letter or Separate Letters

In many cases, a diploma and transcript can be certified under one notarized letter of authenticity and submitted as one apostille package, which is the most economical option.

If the diploma and transcript are certified under separate letters of authenticity, each notarized letter requires a separate apostille, and our service fee increases by $90 for each additional separately apostilled document.

Before choosing, ask the receiving university, employer, licensing agency, or government authority whether it will accept the diploma and transcripts under one apostille or requires each document to have a separate apostille.

Step 3: Contact the School Registrar

If your school is not listed at the end of this page, contact its registrar or records office. Explain that you need your academic records authenticated for international use.

Ask the registrar to provide:

• Ask whether the school will prepare a fresh official copy or certify a photocopy of a diploma, transcript, or other academic record you already possess.

• One or more letters of authenticity confirming that the attached academic records are genuine, signed or acknowledged by an authorized school official before a notary.

• If the school does not have a notary on staff, ask whether a mobile notary may visit the school to notarize the official’s signature.

Notes and Tips

The fact that a diploma or an existing transcript bears a printed or handwritten registrar’s signature is not enough unless that signature was properly notarized.

Some school employees may be unfamiliar with apostilles and may simply refer you to a bank, shipping store, or outside notary. Politely explain that the notary cannot certify the academic records. An authorized school official must first confirm that the records are authentic, and the notary then notarizes that official’s signature.

If the first person you contact cannot assist, ask to speak with the registrar, assistant registrar, records officer, official custodian of records, or another administrator authorized to certify academic records.

More questions? Please email the information requested above along with your question to info@sfnotary.com or call +1 (415) 655-9455.

For more information or to place your order, please email info@sfnotary.com or call +1 (415) 655-9455.

Disclaimer: Information on this website is for informational purposes only. These instructions are based on our knowledge and experience and are meant to be helpful; however, they might contain errors. Please let us know if you encounter mistakes so that we can promptly correct them. SF Notary + Apostille is not a law firm, and its agents are not attorneys. Please contact a licensed attorney or your local bar association for counsel on legal matters.