Apostille and Exemplified Copies

Apostille and Exemplified copies of vital records are routinely required for foreign use. The Apostille and Exemplified copies consist of an Alabama birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificate signed by the State Registrar and an additional certification signed by the Alabama Secretary of State. Certain restrictions apply to Apostille and Exemplified copies of birth and death certificates. By Alabama law, birth certificates are confidential records with restricted access for 125 years from the date of birth. Death certificates are confidential records with restricted access for 25 years from the date of death. These records may be obtained by the following persons:

• Person named on the certificate
• Mother or father (or legal guardian) of person named on the certificate
• Husband or wife of person named on the certificate
• Son or daughter of person named on the certificate
• Sister or brother of person named on the certificate
• Legal representative of an authorized person

If you are not an authorized individual listed above and do not have written and signed permission to obtain a restricted birth or death certificate, your request for an Apostille or Exemplified copy will not be processed.

Identification will be required to obtain a restricted birth or death certificate. View ID Requirements for more information.

Apostille and Exemplified copies of marriage and divorce certificates are not restricted and may be obtained by anyone upon payment of the proper fee.

Determination of whether to request an Apostille copy or an Exemplified copy is based upon the country in which you will use the documents. If the country in which the documents will be used is party to the Hague Convention, an Apostille copy is affixed to the certificate. If the country in which the documents will be used is not part of the Hague Convention, an Exemplified copy is affixed to the certificate. Please note that there is a difference between Members of the Hague Conference and Parties to the Hague Convention.

If you request an Apostille or Exemplified copy from the Alabama Center for Health Statistics, it must be requested by mail, by telephone, or in person. These copies cannot be requested online or at the Alabama county health departments.

To request an Apostille or Exemplified copy by mail, please download and complete the Mail-in Application. (Solucidad so para un Nacimiento, una Muerte, Una Unión, o un Certificado del Divorcio).

In the applicant section of the application form, next to "Reason for Request", please write which type of copy you are requesting, (Apostille or Exemplified), and provide the foreign country in which the vital record will be used. Be sure to include the correct payment with your application.

The fee for an Apostille or Exemplified copy is $25.00 each. There is an additional fee of $15.00 to expedite a request. You may also order regular certified copies of the same record at the same time for $6.00 each. No certification from the Secretary of State will be attached to these additional copies. Make check or money order payable to "Center for Health Statistics." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable. 

To request an Apostille or Exemplified copy by telephone with a debit or credit card, or if you have further questions about Apostille or Exemplified copies, call a Customer Service Representative at (334) 206-5418. There are additional fees for using this service.