Apostille Cost UK: Full 2026 Pricing Guide
Trying to work out how much an apostille costs in the United Kingdom? This page breaks down every fee involved — the FCDO government fees, notary certification costs, and our all-inclusive apostille pricing — so you know exactly what you will pay before you start. Whether you need a certified document for international use or a legalised document for a specific destination country, we cover the full legalisation process below.
How Much Does Our Apostille Service Cost?
Our apostille pricing covers the arrangement, handling, and return delivery of your documents. The FCDO government fee of £40 (no VAT) is payable in addition to our service fee. Discounts available for multiple documents — whether personal documents, business documents, or educational documents.
Standard Service
- Arrangement & handling
- Return by Royal Mail
- All types of documents accepted
+ £40 FCDO fee (no VAT)
Get StartedPriority Service
- Arrangement & handling
- Tracked return delivery
- Ideal for time-sensitive needs
+ £40 FCDO fee (no VAT)
Get StartedExpress Service
- Arrangement & handling
- Express tracked delivery
- Next Day Apostille Service turnaround
+ £40 FCDO fee (no VAT)
Get StartedGet a Quick Quote
Tell us what you need apostilled and we will confirm your exact cost within the hour. No obligation.
What Is the FCDO Apostille Fee?
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is the UK government body that issues apostilles for documents originating in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. You can apply via GOV.UK or through a registered provider like us. The FCDO charges a separate government fee for every document legalised. These FCDO fees were updated in January 2024 for the first time since 2016.
| FCDO Service Type | Government Fee | Turnaround | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| e-Apostille (digital) | £35 | Usually 1 working day | Cheapest option. Requires a digitally signed document from a UK notary or solicitor. Not available for paper documents such as birth, death, marriage, and adoption certificates — these must use the paper-based apostille route. |
| Next-Day Service (registered users) | £40 | Next working day (if submitted before 10am) | Available to registered service providers like Edward Young Notaries. |
| Urgent Service | £100 | Same day | FCDO urgent processing. Limited availability — call to check. |
| Standard Postal (DIY) | £45 | No guaranteed turnaround | Direct public applications sent by post to the FCDO Legalisation Office. The FCDO quotes approximately 10 working days but does not guarantee turnaround times for postal applications. |
Why Use a Registered Provider?
Edward Young Notaries is a registered next-day service provider with the FCDO Legalisation Office. This means we access the £40 government fee rate (not the £45 public postal rate) and can use the next-day submission route directly. The £40 FCDO fee (no VAT) is charged separately to our service fee so you can see exactly what goes to the government and what goes to us.
How Much Does an Apostille Cost in Total?
The total apostille cost depends on whether your document needs notary certification before it can be submitted to the FCDO. Here are two common examples showing the complete cost breakdown.
Example: Birth Certificate
Original document from the General Register Office — no notary certification required.
Example: Notarisation + Apostille
Documents that need a notary — such as degree certificates, professional qualifications, Powers of Attorney, DBS certificates, and corporate documents.
Documents that can be apostilled directly (birth, marriage, death certificates, ACRO police certificates) follow our fixed service fees of £60, £80, or £100 plus VAT — with the £40 FCDO fee payable on top (no VAT on the government fee). Documents that require notary certification first (degree certificates, professional qualifications, corporate documents, Powers of Attorney) are priced individually because each notary job has different requirements. Contact us for an exact quote.
Does Your Document Need Notary Certification?
Not all documents can be apostilled directly by the FCDO. The document type determines whether a UK notary or UK solicitor needs to certify it first. The table below shows which documents need certification and which can go straight to the FCDO for document authentication. This affects processing time but not our apostille price.
| Document Type | Certification Needed? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificates | No — apostilled directly | Issued by General Register Office (official certificate) |
| UK marriage certificates & civil partnership certificates | No — apostilled directly | Issued by General Register Office (official certificate) |
| Death certificates | No — apostilled directly | Issued by General Register Office |
| Degree certificates | Yes — notary certification | Private document from a university, not a UK government body |
| Professional qualifications & qualification certificates | Yes — notary certification | Issued by professional bodies (membership certificates, etc.), not the UK government |
| ACRO police certificates | No — apostilled directly | Issued by ACRO Criminal Records Office |
| DBS certificates | Yes — notary or solicitor certification | DBS certificates do not carry an official signature, so must be certified before the FCDO will apostille them |
| Disclosure Scotland / Disclosure certificates | Usually yes — certification needed | Most Disclosure Scotland certificates are electronic printouts without an official signature. If unsigned, they need certification before apostille |
| Company documents (Companies House) | Yes — notary certification | Corporate documents need a UK notary or solicitor to certify |
| Power of Attorney | Yes — notary certification | Private legal document requiring notarial execution |
| Deed polls | Yes — notary certification | Private document — requires certified copy or notarised original |
| Court documents | Usually no | Issued by a UK court — typically apostilled directly |
| Adoption certificates | No — apostilled directly | Issued by General Register Office (public registry certificate) |
| Bank statements (if original and signed) | No — apostilled directly | Must be an original document bearing an official signature or stamp from the issuing bank |
| Driving Licence / Passport (certified copy) | Yes — notary certification | A certified copy of the licence or passport needs notarisation before apostille |
This is not an exhaustive list. If your document type is not shown above, the issuing authority determines whether third-party certification is needed. Contact us with details of your specific requirements and we will confirm what your apostille needs.
Is an e-Apostille Cheaper Than a Paper Apostille?
Yes — the digital e-Apostille costs £35 from the FCDO, compared to £45 for a standard paper-based apostille. However, not every document qualifies for the e-Apostille route.
An e-Apostille requires the original document to be digitally signed by a UK notary public or solicitor using an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) or Qualified Electronic Signature (QES). The FCDO then issues the apostille as a secure digital certificate rather than a physical apostille stamp attached to the paper document. The e-Apostille is recognised in all Hague Convention countries, though some destination countries — particularly in the Middle East — may still require a paper-based apostille for certain purposes.
Important: e-Apostille Cannot Be Used for Paper Documents
The e-Apostille is not available for paper-based original documents such as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, civil partnership certificates, adoption certificates, DBS certificates, Disclosure Scotland certificates, ACRO police certificates, and fingerprint certificates. These must all go through the standard paper-based apostille route. The e-Apostille is only available for documents that have been digitally signed by a UK notary or solicitor — typically notarised copies of private documents like degree certificates, professional qualifications, and corporate documents.
Which Should You Choose?
If your document qualifies and the destination country accepts digital documents, the e-Apostille saves £10 on the FCDO government fee and is usually processed in one working day. If your document is a paper original (like a birth certificate) or the destination country requires a physical apostille stamp, you will need the standard paper-based apostille. Not sure which you need? Contact us and we will advise based on your destination country and specific requirements.
How Does the Apostille Process Work?
Our apostille process is straightforward. Here is what happens once you send us your documents.
Send Your Documents
Post your original document to our Wigmore Street office or drop it in during working days. We accept documents from across the United Kingdom by Royal Mail or other postal service. We will confirm receipt and your exact cost.
Certification & Submission
We handle notary certification (if needed), complete the application form, pay the FCDO government fee on your behalf (no need for your credit card), and submit your document to the FCDO Legalisation Office for apostille certification.
Apostilled & Returned
The FCDO attaches the apostille stamp (or issues the e-Apostille). We return the apostilled document to you by tracked postal service or you can collect from our office.
What If Your Document Is Going to a Non-Hague Country?
Documents destined for countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention — such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and certain other Middle Eastern states — require embassy legalisation rather than (or in addition to) a standard apostille. See our full legalisation requirements guide for country-specific details.
Embassy legalisation (also called embassy attestation) is a separate document legalisation service with different costs and longer turnaround times. The document typically needs to be apostilled first by the FCDO, then submitted to the relevant embassy or consulate for attestation. Each embassy sets its own government fees and processing times.
Edward Young Notaries provides full apostille legalisation services and embassy legalisation for documents going to non-Hague countries. Contact us with your destination country and document type for a tailored quote.
Why Choose Edward Young for Your Apostille?
- Transparent pricing, no hidden costs — our service fee and the £40 FCDO government fee (no VAT) are shown separately so you know exactly what you are paying and where it goes
- Registered FCDO next-day service provider — we access the faster, lower-cost next-day route directly
- Faculty Office regulated — our notary public is regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury
- All UK documents covered — personal documents, educational documents, corporate documents, court documents, and more. We handle every type of documents from the United Kingdom
- Express Apostille Service available — next-day apostille turnaround when you need legalised documents urgently
- STEP qualified — specialist knowledge for Powers of Attorney, estate documents, and cross-border legal matters
- Central London location — 19 Wigmore Street, W1U 1PH, convenient for document drop-off and collection. Apostille UK-wide by post
- Excellent service and customer support — 5-star Google reviews from clients who value clear apostille pricing and fast turnaround. Contact us by phone number or email address
What Our Clients Say About Our Apostille Service
“Very efficient service. The pricing was clear from the start and there were no surprises. My degree certificate was apostilled and returned within a week.”
“Needed a birth certificate apostilled urgently for a job abroad. Edward Young handled everything quickly and the fixed fee meant I knew exactly what I was paying.”
“Professional and straightforward. They explained which of my documents needed certification and which could go directly. Great customer support throughout.”
“Had multiple company documents apostilled for international use. The entire process was smooth, priced fairly, and completed within the timeframe promised.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Apostille Costs
Edward Young Notaries & Lawyers
Address: 19 Wigmore Street, London W1U 1PH
Phone: +44 20 7499 2605
Email: notary@notarypubliclondon.co.uk
Hours: Monday–Friday 09:00–17:30
Regulated by: Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Memberships: The Notaries Society · STEP · ACSP Registered
Ready to Get Your Document Apostilled?
Service fees from £60+VAT plus £40 FCDO fee. Transparent pricing. Get a quote in under an hour.