What Tallahassee sends me
The requests that come most often from this part of Florida:
- Documents that will be apostilled by the Department of State.
- Affidavits and sworn statements for state agencies and courts.
- Powers of attorney for family matters elsewhere.
- University and academic paperwork, including transcripts for use abroad.
- Company documents and filings.
Worth knowing in Tallahassee
The Florida Department of State, which issues apostilles, is based here, so filing in person is realistic for people in Tallahassee in a way it is not for the rest of the state, and it is usually faster than mailing a package.
Being close to the office does not change the order of the steps, because the notarization still comes first and the apostille authenticates it afterwards.
Academic documents are a local pattern, and a diploma you hold can be attested as a copy, while a transcript often has to come certified from the institution instead.
How an online session works
You book a time, and I send a secure link, usually for the same day or the next, and the platform then checks your identification and asks a few questions drawn from public records, before we meet on video, where I confirm you understand what you are signing and that nobody is pressuring you.
You sign electronically, I complete the notarial certificate, and you download the finished document with its seal and audit trail, all of which normally takes about fifteen minutes.
What you need
- A phone, tablet or computer with a camera and microphone.
- A current, government-issued photo ID.
- The document, complete and unsigned.
- Confirmation from the office receiving it that they accept an electronic notarization.
In person, honestly
I am based in Lakeland and travel inside Polk County, so I do not drive to Tallahassee for a signing, so if your document has to be signed on paper in front of a notary, look for a mobile notary there, and if it can be done online, we can start today.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you travel to Tallahassee?
- No, I travel inside Polk County only, and everything else is done in an online session, which is valid across Florida and carries the same legal weight as signing in person.
- Is an online notarization valid here?
- Yes, Florida authorized remote online notarization in 2020, and a document notarized this way has the same effect as one notarized across a desk, though the office receiving it can still ask for paper.
- Can I walk my document into the Department of State myself?
- Yes, and from Tallahassee that is usually the fastest route, because mailing a package adds days at each end.
- Can you certify a copy of my diploma?
- Usually yes, because it is a document you hold and not a public record, though check whether the receiving office wants a certified copy from the institution instead.