Quick answer
A Brazilian who changed their name by a Florida court order finds that Brazil doesn't simply copy it; a foreign judgment generally needs STJ homologation before a cartório will note it on the Brazilian birth record. One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- The Clerk of the Circuit Court in the Florida county where the name change was granted, as a certified copy of the final judgment of change of name (section 68.07…
- Florida state fee
- $20 — included in $220
- Route
- Apostille only — Hague member since 2016
- Online notarization
- Not applicable — needs a certified copy
- Consulate serving Florida
- Consulate General of Brazil in Miami; Consulate General of Brazil in Orlando
- Translation
- 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.
How a Florida name change order is used in Brazil
A Brazilian who changed their name by a Florida court order finds that Brazil doesn't simply copy it; a foreign judgment generally needs STJ homologation before a cartório will note it on the Brazilian birth record. Before starting that, check whether Brazil's own rules solve it more simply: since Law 14.382/2022, adults can change their first name directly at the cartório, and surname changes after marriage or divorce are also handled there. If you still need the Florida order, get it certified by the Clerk of Court, apostilled and translated by a public translator.
Getting a name change order Florida will apostille
A certified copy of the final judgment of change of name with the clerk's original certification and seal or official e-certification, complete with the judge's signature page. The former and new names must match your other records exactly. The state fee is $20, included in our price.
Request it from the clerk of the county that granted the change, online, by mail or at the counter. If you were born in Florida, the change is reported to Vital Statistics, and many foreign offices also want an updated certified birth certificate from VitalChek or the Bureau. Clerk and Vital Statistics fees are not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $20 — included in our price. Full details on the name change order apostille page.
Who receives it in Brazil — and translation
Cartórios de registro civil transcribe foreign births, marriages and deaths under CNJ Resolution 155/2012, and cartórios de notas use powers of attorney and handle many inventários. Brazilian consulates in the U.S. register births and issue CPF numbers for foreigners abroad. The Superior Tribunal de Justiça homologates foreign judgments, public universities revalidate degrees, the Polícia Federal handles migration, and the Receita Federal and state Juntas Comerciais deal with companies.
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.
Brazil has no single age limit for foreign documents, but cartórios, banks and registries often want recent certificates, especially certificates of status and criminal records. Order fresh copies shortly before filing; old consular legalizations from before August 2016 are no longer accepted in place of an apostille.
Consular office serving Florida: Consulate General of Brazil in Miami; Consulate General of Brazil in Orlando.
Four steps, one week
Order online
Pick the document and destination country on the order form and pay by card. After we review your documents, FedEx emails you a prepaid label.
Send your document
Drop the envelope at any FedEx location.
We file in person
We review it, then walk it to the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee for the apostille.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why name change orders get rejected
- Hearing copy, scan or attorney copy instead of the clerk-certified judgment
- Notarized photocopy of the judgment
- Missing pages
- Wrong document: a name restored in a divorce is shown by the divorce judgment
What it costs for Brazil
$220 per document, $380 for two and $160 each for three or more — the state fee, request form, in-person filing in Tallahassee and FedEx shipping inside the U.S. are included. Shipping the finished apostille to Brazil is a flat $100 per order.
Not included: whatever the issuing office charges for the certified copy or certificate, and notarization (online notarization is $40 for the first document — $10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee — and $20 for each additional one).
