How a Florida notarized document is used in Brazil
Brazil's own practice is firma reconhecida, a signature recognized by a cartório. For someone in Florida, a notarized document with a Florida apostille plays that role: declarations for a cartório, consents, and statements for a bank or an inventário. Two Brazilian rules follow it. Under Law 14.195/2021, only a Brazilian public translator's translation has public faith, and the original must travel with it. And under the Public Registries Law, foreign-language documents meant to have effect against third parties are registered, with their translation, at a Registro de Títulos e Documentos. Ask the receiving party whether that registration applies.
Translation for Brazil
Our general rule for translations is certified by the translator, notarized by a separate notary and apostilled in Florida, but Brazil instead requires its own public translators. Under Law 14.195/2021, only a tradutor e intérprete público registered with a Brazilian Junta Comercial gives a translation public faith in Brazil, and the original-language document must accompany it. Apostille in Florida first, then have a Brazilian public translator translate the apostilled original, and ask whether the apostille page must be translated too.
What your Florida notarized document must look like
Florida can only apostille a notary it can verify, so the document must be signed in front of a Florida-commissioned notary with a complete notarial certificate: the venue (State of Florida, County of …), the date, the signer's name, how the signer was identified, the notary's signature and the seal showing the commission number and expiration. A missing county, a missing date or a stamp without a signature means a rejection at the counter. Not signed yet? Add online notarization to your order and sign on video with a Florida notary — no office visit.
Step by step: notarized document apostille for Brazil
- Order online — pick "Notarized document" and "Brazil" on the order form; $220 per document, $380 for two, $160 each for three or more.
- Send a photo — reply to the confirmation email with a picture of the document. We check the certification before anything ships, so a defect is caught before it costs you a round trip.
- Drop it at FedEx — after approval, FedEx emails you a prepaid QR code; show it at any FedEx Office or Ship Center, no printer or label needed.
- Filed in person in Tallahassee — we walk the document into the Florida Department of State and ship the apostilled original back by FedEx within 5–7 business days of receipt — to your U.S. address, or to Brazil with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Brazil. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.