Quick answer
Floridians sign powers of attorney for China to sell an apartment, collect an inheritance, manage a bank account or hire a Chinese lawyer for litigation. One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- You, the principal, sign before a Florida notary, who takes your acknowledgment, together with two subscribing witnesses…
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Apostille only — Hague member since 2023
- Online notarization
- Available as an add-on
- Consulate serving Florida
- Embassy of China in Washington, D.C.
- Translation
- China generally requires a full Chinese translation sealed by a translation agency, often one registered in China, or by the employer for work-permit files.
How a Florida power of attorney is used in China
Floridians sign powers of attorney for China to sell an apartment, collect an inheritance, manage a bank account or hire a Chinese lawyer for litigation. China's Civil Procedure Law requires a power of attorney sent from abroad for a court case to be notarized and authenticated, which for Florida now means the apostille. Chinese banks and notary offices often have their own templates and may insist the POA name specific property or accounts. Get the Chinese text first, sign it as a bilingual document, then notarize and apostille.
Getting a power of attorney Florida will apostille
Signed by the principal and two subscribing witnesses, with a complete Florida acknowledgment certificate in English (venue, presence or online box, date, ID type, notary's signature and seal). The body can be bilingual or in the destination language. The state checks the notarization, not the powers granted, so have the foreign lawyer or notary approve the wording before you sign.
Get the draft from the foreign lawyer, notary or bank that will use it, then sign before a Florida notary in person or through our online notarization add-on: $40 for the first document ($10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee) and $20 for each additional document. Remote witnesses must be physically in the U.S. while witnessing. Notarization and legal drafting are not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the power of attorney apostille page.
Who receives it in China — and translation
Work permits go through local foreign-expert and work-permit offices; residence permits through public security bureaus' exit-entry offices; companies through local Administrations for Market Regulation; marriages through civil affairs marriage registration offices; and inheritances through Chinese notary offices. The Embassy of China in Washington, D.C. serves Florida, but it no longer authenticates U.S. documents for mainland China.
China generally requires a full Chinese translation sealed by a translation agency, often one registered in China, or by the employer for work-permit files. A Florida translation, even certified, notarized and apostilled, may not be accepted, so ask the Chinese office first.
Work-permit rules require a criminal record certificate issued within six months, and Beijing's marriage registration rules treat a single-status document as valid for six months. Other offices set their own limits.
Consular office serving Florida: Embassy of China in Washington, D.C.
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 it — or sign online
Drop the envelope at any FedEx location. Not signed yet? Add online notarization and there is nothing to ship.
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 power of attorneys get rejected
- Notarized in another state
- Missing witnesses or an incomplete acknowledgment certificate
- Translator also acted as the notary
- Wording rejected by the foreign notary even though the apostille is valid
What it costs for China
$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 China 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).