Quick answer
An Italian notaio preparing a deed for a Florida company wants proof the company is active on the signing date, not just that it was formed. One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- The Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz).
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Apostille only — Hague member since 1978
- Online notarization
- Not applicable — needs a certified copy
- Consulate serving Florida
- Consulate General of Italy in Miami
- Translation
- Italian offices need an official Italian translation of English records, and the Miami consulate states that it does not translate documents.
How a Florida certificate of status is used in Italy
An Italian notaio preparing a deed for a Florida company wants proof the company is active on the signing date, not just that it was formed. The Sunbiz certificate of status provides that, but it doesn't name officers or managers, and the notaio must check that the signer has authority. Pair the certificate with a certified annual report or a notarized officer's certificate showing who can sign, each apostilled and translated into Italian. Order the certificate close to the deed date; a notaio may refuse one that's several months old.
Getting a certificate of status Florida will apostille
The original certificate of status, or a new certificate requested together with the apostille; never a photocopy or scan. It can only show the company as active if the annual report is filed and the entity hasn't been dissolved, and it speaks only for the date it was issued.
Order it from the Division online or by mail (listed at $8.75 for corporations, $5 for LLCs and $8.75 for partnerships by mail), or let us request a fresh certificate with the apostille using the two separate payments the state requires. The Division's fee is not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the certificate of status apostille page.
Who receives it in Italy — and translation
The Consulate General of Italy in Miami handles citizenship by descent and transcription of Florida births, marriages and divorces into the comune's civil records; applicants must live in its district. Citizenship by marriage is filed online with the Ministry of the Interior. Italian notai use powers of attorney and handle property and inheritances, the Agenzia delle Entrate receives inheritance declarations, and universities and CIMEA assess foreign degrees. Since Law 74/2025, citizenship-by-descent applications filed after March 27, 2025 face much narrower eligibility — confirm you qualify before preparing documents.
Italian offices need an official Italian translation of English records, and the Miami consulate states that it does not translate documents. Our general rule is a translation certified by the translator, notarized by a separate Florida notary and apostilled; ask the consulate whether it accepts that format or certifies translations itself. Courts and some comuni in Italy may instead require a translation sworn before an Italian court (asseverata). Translate after the apostille, including the apostille page.
Criminal-record certificates for citizenship by marriage are valid for six months from issue and must still be valid when you file. For descent files, the consulate wants every document in original in one complete submission, so order fresh vital records close to your appointment.
Consular office serving Florida: Consulate General of Italy in Miami.
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 certificate of statuss get rejected
- Photocopy or scan of the certificate
- Entity not active because the annual report wasn't filed
- Certificate older than the foreign institution's age limit
- Letter from an accountant or registered agent instead of the Division's certificate
What it costs for Italy
$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 Italy 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).
