Before a New Jersey diploma, birth certificate, or other record can be used abroad, the receiving authority may need proof that the signature or seal is genuine. An apostille serves as that verification.
Unlike the process in many states, an NJ apostille is not issued by the Secretary of State. Instead, requests are handled by the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) in Trenton. The division processes eligible documents such as:
- certified New Jersey vital records;
- state and county government records bearing the signature of an eligible public official;
- court documents with the required official endorsement;
- business documents issued or certified in New Jersey;
- academic records prepared for authentication;
- private documents notarized by a New Jersey notary public.
The destination country determines which form of authentication applies. Hague Apostille Convention countries generally accept an apostille on its own. For destinations outside the Convention, DORES issues a certification instead, with further embassy or consular legalization potentially required.
