France
Apostille in France
At a glance
Who issues apostilles in France, and what does it cost?
| Uses apostilles? | Uses apostilles1 |
|---|---|
| Member since | 1 |
| How it joined | Ratified (signed and confirmed), 1 |
| Who issues apostilles | Regional councils and interdepartmental chambers of notaries (conseils régionaux et chambres interdépartementales de notaires), french public documents whose signatory is based in metropolitan France, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon2 Public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal of Nouméa (procureur général près la cour d'appel de Nouméa), documents whose signatory is based in New Caledonia3 |
| Fee | €10 (per document for individuals, request of up to three documents, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 €20 (per document for individuals, request of up to three documents, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 €5 (per document for individuals, from the fourth document, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 €10 (per document for individuals, from the fourth document, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 €20 (per document for legal entities, request of up to three documents, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 €40 (per document for legal entities, request of up to three documents, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 €10 (per document for legal entities, from the fourth document, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 €20 (per document for legal entities, from the fourth document, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax)2checked 18 October 2026 No fee, according to the office (apostilles issued by the other competent authorities (overseas courts))2checked 18 October 2026 |
| Processing time | The decree says the apostille is issued within three working days from the day the information needed is available in the database of public signatures4checked 18 October 2026 |
| Electronic apostille | Available8 |
| Online register to check apostilles | Available (check an apostille)2 |
| Documents covered | 8 kinds of document listed by the office |
| What the receiving side decides | Whether it accepts the document: for example how recent it must be and whether it needs a translation. |
| Last checked |
Step by step
How to get an apostille in France
Before starting, check on notaires.fr the list of documents to provide, and the map of town halls that have added their signatures to the national database of public signatures.5
If the document is a private deed, first have a formal declaration added to it, such as a certification of the signature, so that it becomes a public act.6
Create the request online on the apostille.notaires.fr portal.7
Pay the fee per document, which depends on the number of documents, on whether you are a person or a company, and on whether you ask for delivery within 24 hours.2
The notaries deliver the apostille only in electronic form.8
Documents
Common documents
As listed by the office:
- Judgments and other acts of a judicial or administrative court6
- Acts of the public prosecutor's office6
- Documents drawn up by a court clerk, such as a criminal record extract6
- Acts drawn up by a commissioner of justice (formerly bailiff), such as a report of findings6
- Civil status documents, such as a birth certificate6
- Documents from an administrative authority, such as a tax assessment, a diploma or a school certificate6
- Notarial deeds, such as an act of notoriety, a power of attorney, a will or a donation6
- Formal declarations added to a private deed, such as a certification of signature6
More about these documents: birth certificate, criminal record certificate, university degree certificate, academic transcript, power of attorney, affidavit or sworn statement, court judgment.
Contacts
Who to contact in France
- Apostille officeRegional councils and interdepartmental chambers of notaries (conseils régionaux et chambres interdépartementales de notaires)2French public documents whose signatory is based in metropolitan France, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
- Apostille officePublic prosecutor at the Court of Appeal of Nouméa (procureur général près la cour d'appel de Nouméa)3Documents whose signatory is based in New Caledoniasec.pg.ca-noumea@justice.fr
- The office that will receive your documentAsk it before you start what it needs: an apostille, a translation, or a document issued recently.
Common situations
Using a document from or in France
A document issued in France
The apostille comes from France, from the office named above. It works in any other country where the Convention applies with France.
Check where it can be usedA document for use in France
Get the apostille in the country that issued the document, not in France. France accepts it if that country is also a member and the Convention applies between the two.
Check your countryGood to know
Good to know
Note: Rule
Documents drawn up by diplomatic and consular agents, and administrative documents about a commercial or customs operation (for example a health certificate), cannot be apostilled.6
Note: Rule
A private deed such as a contract cannot be apostilled as it is; it first needs a formal declaration, such as a certification of signature, that gives it the character of a public act.6
Note: Rule
A translation can only be apostilled if it was made by a sworn translator whose signature has been certified, and it must be submitted with the original document.6
Note: Rule
Apostilles do not apply to French documents meant for a French administration.6
Note: Rule
Certain French public documents about birth, death, name, marriage, divorce, civil partnership, filiation, adoption, residence, nationality or lack of criminal record can be presented in another EU country without an apostille.6
Note: Rule
When the apostille is part of a request for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, it is issued by the public prosecutor at the court of appeal where the signatory is based, not by the notaries.2
Before the apostille
Private documents
A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public, and the apostille then goes on the notary’s certificate. A copy of a public document from another country is first certified by a notary public, then apostilled.
An apostille only confirms the signature, the role of the person who signed and any seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm what the document says. The office that receives the document decides what it accepts.
Questions
Questions about apostilles in France
Does France accept apostilles?
Yes. France has been a member of the Apostille Convention since 24 January 1965, so it issues and accepts apostilles for documents exchanged with other member countries.
Who issues apostilles in France?
Regional councils and interdepartmental chambers of notaries (conseils régionaux et chambres interdépartementales de notaires) (french public documents whose signatory is based in metropolitan France, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) and Public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal of Nouméa (procureur général près la cour d'appel de Nouméa) (documents whose signatory is based in New Caledonia).
How much does an apostille cost in France?
€10 (per document for individuals, request of up to three documents, excluding tax). €20 (per document for individuals, request of up to three documents, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax). €5 (per document for individuals, from the fourth document, excluding tax). €10 (per document for individuals, from the fourth document, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax). €20 (per document for legal entities, request of up to three documents, excluding tax). €40 (per document for legal entities, request of up to three documents, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax). €10 (per document for legal entities, from the fourth document, excluding tax). €20 (per document for legal entities, from the fourth document, apostille within 24 hours on request, excluding tax). No fee, according to the office (apostilles issued by the other competent authorities (overseas courts)). Fees can change, so check the office’s own page before you apply.
How long does an apostille take in France?
The office says: The decree says the apostille is issued within three working days from the day the information needed is available in the database of public signatures.
Do I need to notarise a private document first?
Yes. A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public. The apostille is then added to the notary’s certificate, not to the private document itself.
Is an apostille valid in countries that are not Convention members?
No. An apostille only works in other member countries. Countries outside the Convention use a different process, usually called legalisation. The office that receives your document decides what it accepts.
Sources and verification
Sources
- HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)
- France - Competent Authority (Art. 6)
- Modification de la liste des autorités compétentes pour délivrer des apostilles en France
- Décret n° 2021-1205 du 17 septembre 2021 relatif à la légalisation et à l'apostille des actes publics établis par les autorités françaises
- Accueil - Portail Grand Public
- Legalization or apostille of a public act drawn up by a French authority
- Centre de Légalisation et de l'Apostille de Paris (CLAP)
- Apostille et légalisation - Chambre des Notaires de l'Essonne
- Status
- Last verified: (18 October 2026)
- How it was checked
- Checked by our team against the sources above
- Next review
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