Choose the record the recipient requires
Ask the overseas institution whether it needs a certified marriage certificate, a certified court record or another form of proof. A decorative certificate from a ceremony, a marriage license application and a certified marriage record may serve different purposes. Confirm the intended use, receiving country, language and any issue-date requirement before ordering a copy.
Apostille and translation are separate steps. If a translation is requested, ask whether the recipient specifies a translator, language or certification format. Keep the certified record intact while those requirements are clarified.
Florida and other issuing states
For a Florida marriage record, obtain a certified copy from the appropriate vital records office or clerk. Check the Florida Department of State accepted-document guidance to determine whether the available certification can be authenticated. An ordinary photocopy does not become an official marriage record simply because someone notarizes it.
A record issued in another U.S. state normally follows that state’s certification and apostille procedure. Tell our team the issuing state before sending an original. The place where you currently live or where the foreign recipient is located does not by itself make a non-Florida record eligible for a Florida apostille.
Review before shipping
For an initial review, provide the document type, issuing office, destination country and deadline. Our team can explain the administrative route and identify preparation questions. The receiving institution decides whether it accepts the document for its intended purpose; the competent authority determines whether it can issue an apostille.
Allow separately for obtaining the certified record, document review, government processing and delivery. A private handling option does not guarantee a government completion date. Confirm the return address and shipping arrangements before submitting the certified copy.
Related document guides
See our birth certificate guide, death certificate guide and document guide directory. For a Spanish explanation, visit Apostillar certificados de matrimonio.
This is general information. Florida Apostillar is a private document coordination company; the competent authority issues the apostille. Confirm requirements with the receiving institution.