Do Virginia Birth and Marriage Certificates Need Notarization for an Apostille?

No. Virginia's authentication instructions say birth, marriage, death, and divorce certificates must not be notarized. Start with a qualifying official record from the issuing authority rather than booking a notary to stamp it.

Start with the right certificate

For Virginia vital records, request a recently issued certified record through Virginia Vital Records or an authorized DMV location. The state's authentication instructions require issuance within the past 12 months. That refers to when the certificate was issued, not when the birth, marriage, death, or divorce occurred.

A marriage record obtained from a Virginia Circuit Court needs a Certification of Official Record, also called a Triple Seal. Tell the clerk it is intended for international authentication. A divorce certificate and a court-issued divorce decree are different records, so ask the overseas recipient which it needs before ordering.

Review Virginia's document requirements before requesting your record. Use the official Vital Records information to identify the appropriate request process. Confirm that the record you order matches what the overseas recipient requested.

Why adding a notary stamp can cause a delay

A personal photocopy does not replace the official certified record. Virginia lists photocopied, altered, notarized, and out-of-state vital records among reasons for rejection. Keep the issued document intact and check the state's rejection guidance before submitting it.

If you already have an older certificate, check its issue date. If the document was notarized or altered, ask the issuing authority about obtaining a replacement. Do not assume another stamp will correct the problem.

Confirm what the overseas recipient needs

The receiving organization is the office that will use your document, such as a foreign civil registry or immigration authority.