Handled Start to Finish Apostilles in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
We notarize, prepare and submit your documents to the Arizona Secretary of State, then return them or mail them anywhere in the world, often the same day.
What is an apostille, and do I need one for my Arizona documents?
If a foreign government, school, court or business partner has asked for an apostille, your paperwork has to go through the Arizona Secretary of State before it leaves the country. An apostille is the certificate the Secretary of State attaches to a document so another country will accept it as genuine. At Mobile First Notary, we handle that whole process for customers in Scottsdale and across the Phoenix area, from the notarization to delivering the finished document.
The requests come from all kinds of situations. A Scottsdale Airpark company expanding into Mexico needed a company resolution apostilled before its team flew out to meet its new partner. An older client in North Scottsdale needed divorce documents apostilled because China and Australia each required them before he could sell property there. In both cases, the documents had to pass through the Secretary of State's office before they could be used abroad.
You may also see this called getting documents apostilled or document authentication. The Secretary of State uses "authentication" for the same service.
Who can apostille my documents in Scottsdale?
Only the Arizona Secretary of State can issue an apostille for a Scottsdale document. City offices, Maricopa County and notaries do not issue them, and the state's Apostille and Document Authentication page explains the official process.
That leaves two separate stages for most documents: a notarization wherever you are, and the apostille itself at the state office in downtown Phoenix. We handle both. All our notaries are commissioned by the Arizona Secretary of State, bonded, and carry Errors and Omissions insurance. We notarize, pick up, prepare and deliver your documents from start to finish, so you never have to drive downtown or fill out the state's request yourself.
How do you handle an apostille from start to finish?
We take your apostille from the first signature to the moment the finished document is back in your hands or on its way abroad.
- A notary meets you at your home, office, hospital, care facility or job site. If your documents need printing or collecting, we do that too.
- We notarize the document when it needs it, and we can provide a witness if the document calls for one.
- We prepare the paperwork and the Secretary of State's request.
- We submit the request to the Arizona Secretary of State.
- We return the apostilled document to you, or mail it straight to its destination with your preferred carrier, including overseas.
Our team includes notaries, translators, witnesses and document runners, so one call covers every step. We are open 24 hours every day, including holidays, and in many cases we can arrive within 30 to 60 minutes, depending on location and availability.
Can I get an apostille the same day in Scottsdale?
Yes, an apostille can be completed the same day, and two recent jobs show what that looks like.
The Scottsdale Airpark company expanding into Mexico needed its company resolution notarized and apostilled before the team flew out for a meeting with the Mexican company. Our notary met them at their business, the document went to the Arizona Secretary of State, and it came back apostilled that same day. From pickup to drop-off, including traffic between the Airpark and the state office, the whole job took about two to two and a half hours.
How did a same-day apostille work for a client in a North Scottsdale care facility?
An older client living in an assisted living facility in North Scottsdale was selling property in China and in Australia, and each country required apostilled divorce documents to complete the sale. His daughter, visiting from California, was helping him through it.
Our notary met them at the facility. Because the two countries required so many documents, the notarization took about an hour. That same day, the documents were walked into the Arizona Secretary of State's office for the apostilles and then mailed to his daughter in California.
What does the Arizona Secretary of State require, and what changes on November 2, 2026?
The Arizona Secretary of State requires an apostille request form, the original notarized or certified document, and a state fee for each document. Photocopies are rejected. The Secretary of State's pages list the current fee and requirements, and we prepare the request form for you.
Starting November 2, 2026, the Secretary of State's Business Services office in Phoenix works by appointment only, until further notice, so an in-person visit needs a scheduled appointment. Requests can still go by mail, which the state lists at 10 to 20 business days with return postage required. In-person expedited service is limited to 6 documents per visit.
For most people, that means a choice between booking an appointment and making the trip downtown, or mailing the request and waiting weeks. When we handle the job, the trip downtown is ours, not yours.
Which documents can you get apostilled?
We handle apostilles for birth and marriage certificates, school records, powers of attorney, affidavits, court documents, and business and corporate paperwork. Each starts a little differently, depending on whether it needs a certified copy, a notarization or a step from the institution that issued it.
How do I apostille a birth or marriage certificate in Arizona?
A birth or marriage certificate is apostilled from a certified copy issued by the office that holds the record, never from a photocopy. Maricopa County Public Health issues birth certificates for Maricopa County births and publishes guidance on getting an apostille for a birth certificate. Once you have the certified certificate, we take it through the Arizona Secretary of State and return it to you or mail it abroad. Marriage certificates follow the same path, using the certified record from the office that issued it.
If the certificate is going to a foreign registry, we can help in English or Spanish, and we provide certified translations in Spanish, Russian, Italian, French and many more languages.
How do I apostille a diploma or school records?
A diploma or transcript usually goes through the school's registrar, or needs a notarized copy, before it can be apostilled. Arizona State University's registrar, for example, publishes an apostille page describing the school's part of the process, and other schools set their own procedures. Once you have what the school provides, we notarize it where needed, prepare the request, submit it to the Secretary of State, and return or mail the finished documents.
Can a power of attorney or affidavit be apostilled for use abroad?
Yes. A power of attorney or affidavit is notarized first and then apostilled, and we handle both steps. We notarize financial and medical powers of attorney and affidavits, and we can provide a witness when the document requires one.
Our notaries meet signers where they are, including hospitals and care facilities. For our North Scottsdale client, that meant notarizing at his assisted living facility before the documents went to the state office. We also notarize parental travel consent letters for minors traveling abroad.
Can court documents be apostilled?
Court documents can be apostilled once they meet the Secretary of State's certification and notarization requirements. The divorce documents for our North Scottsdale client's property sales in China and Australia were exactly this kind of job.
We do not provide legal advice, so confirm with the receiving country or your attorney which documents you need. From there, we handle the notarization, the state request and the return.
How do business and corporate documents get apostilled for multi-country deals?
Company resolutions, changes of directors or officers and other corporate paperwork are notarized and then apostilled so a foreign partner or registry will accept them. For the Scottsdale Airpark company expanding into Mexico, the apostilled resolution was back at the business the same day, before the team left for its meeting.
A deal that spans several countries often needs a separate set of apostilled documents for each one, and we prepare and submit them together. We also notarize the contracts, business agreements and HR documents that go with a deal.
Where do I go for an apostille, Scottsdale or Phoenix?
Either office can start your apostille, or a notary can come to you. Our Scottsdale office is at 15333 N Pima Rd, Scottsdale, (602) 551-6163. Our Downtown Phoenix office is at 301 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, (602) 851-9660.
Office visits are by appointment, and both offices have a wheelchair-accessible entrance, restroom and seating. For a mobile appointment, our notary comes to you anywhere in Scottsdale, the Phoenix metro and Maricopa County. You can also email us at Team@MobileFirstNotary.com.
How much does an apostille service cost?
Our fees vary with travel, time and document type, so the cost depends on where we meet you and which documents you need apostilled. The quickest way to an answer is to call either office or fill out our Schedule Now form with your document types and the destination country. The state's own fees are listed on the Secretary of State pages linked above, and we accept all major payment methods except checks.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an apostille take in Arizona?
An Arizona apostille can be finished the same day when it goes through the state in person, while the Secretary of State lists 10 to 20 business days for requests sent by mail. Both of the jobs described above, the Scottsdale Airpark resolution and the North Scottsdale divorce documents, were completed the same day.
Can a notary issue an apostille?
No, a notary cannot issue an apostille. The Arizona Notary Public Reference Manual says notaries may not issue apostilles or certificates of authentication. Our notaries complete the notarization, and we take the document to the Arizona Secretary of State for the apostille.
Do you come to me, or do I have to come to your office?
We come to you at your home, office, hospital, care facility or job site anywhere in Scottsdale, the Phoenix metro and Maricopa County. You can also book a visit to our Scottsdale or Downtown Phoenix office. In many cases, we can arrive within 30 to 60 minutes, depending on location and availability.
Will you mail my apostilled documents overseas?
Yes, we mail apostilled documents overseas with your preferred carrier. We can return the finished documents to you or send them straight to wherever they need to go, abroad or within the United States, as we did for our North Scottsdale client, whose documents went to his daughter in California.
What documents do I need to bring for an apostille?
You need the original notarized or certified document, because the Arizona Secretary of State rejects photocopies. For a birth certificate, marriage certificate or school record, get the certified copy from the office that issued it. We prepare the request form, complete any notarization and handle the submission and delivery.
Can you help with apostille paperwork in Spanish?
Yes, we help with apostille paperwork in Spanish. Mobile First Notary is Latino-owned, offers bilingual assistance in English and Spanish, and provides certified translations in Spanish, Russian, Italian, French and many more languages.
How much does it cost?
The cost depends on travel, time and document type. Call either office or fill out our Schedule Now form with your document types and destination country, and we will give you an answer for your request. The state's fees are listed on the Secretary of State pages.
Do you offer legal advice about which country needs what?
We do not provide legal advice about what a country requires. The receiving country, school, court or your attorney can tell you which documents you need, and once you know, we handle the notarization, preparation, submission and delivery.
How do I start my apostille in Scottsdale?
Tell us what you are sending, where it is going and when it needs to be there, and we will take it from there. The fastest way to reach us is to call our Scottsdale office at (602) 551-6163 or our Downtown Phoenix office at (602) 851-9660, or to fill out our Schedule Now form.