Central Florida
Polk County, Florida apostille filing
Every Polk County paper that needs a foreign-use stamp still goes to Tallahassee. We cover 24 cities and 38 ZIP codes in this county.
Polk County, without the jargon
Polk County is in Central Florida. 24 cities and towns and 38 ZIP codes here still use one Tallahassee office for the foreign-use stamp.
Orlando, Kissimmee, Lakeland, and The Villages send student records, hospitality work documents, and family records. Unofficial school printouts fail. Ask the registrar for a certified copy.
If the document is a court file — divorce, name change, adoption — the Polk County clerk has to certify it first. We cannot take a website printout to the state.
How documents leave Polk County
Inbound shipping from this county is 2 business days to our Tallahassee desk. We drop the original at the state office and send it back with tracking.
Birth and marriage records still come from Florida vital records. Powers of attorney still need a Florida notary. An FBI report still cannot be stamped here.
Latin America from this county
Families in Polk County send documents to Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Brazil, and Central America more than anywhere else. Those countries take the Florida stamp. Cuba does not.
Cities and towns in Polk County
AuburndaleBabson ParkBartowDavenportDundeeEagle LakeFort MeadeFrostproofHaines CityHomelandIndian Lake EstatesKathleenKissimmeeLake AlfredLake HamiltonLake WalesLakelandLakeshoreMulberryNalcrestPolk CityRiver RanchWaverlyWinter Haven
Questions people ask
Can the Polk County clerk add the apostille?
No. The clerk can certify a court copy. Only the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee can add the foreign-use stamp.
Do I have to visit the county seat?
Only if you still need a certified court copy. Once you have that document, you can ship it to us from anywhere in the county.