Quick answer
Florida deeds come up in Kuwait mainly as proof of assets, for a bank or in a divorce or estate case before Kuwaiti courts. Florida issues an authentication certificate for Kuwait, not an apostille — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- The county official who keeps Florida's Official Records (in most counties, the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller), as a certified copy of the recorded deed.
- Florida state fee
- $20 — included in $220
- Route
- Florida authentication → U.S. Department of State → Kuwait embassy
- Online notarization
- Not applicable — needs a certified copy
- Consulate serving Florida
- Embassy of the State of Kuwait, Washington, D.C.
- Translation
- Kuwait's embassy legalization instructions don't set a translation rule.
How a Florida property deed is used in Kuwait
Florida deeds come up in Kuwait mainly as proof of assets, for a bank or in a divorce or estate case before Kuwaiti courts. Order a certified copy of the recorded deed from the county's official records office, then authenticate it. The deed shows ownership as of recording, so a Kuwaiti office may also ask for a recent property record. Confirm the office really needs a legalized deed before you pay for each step.
Getting a property deed Florida will authenticate
A certified copy of the recorded deed with the custodian's certification and seal, or the clerk's official electronic certification printed complete with its verification page, including every recorded page and exhibit. The original deed returned after closing, free online search copies and notarized photocopies can't be apostilled.
Find the book and page or instrument number in the county's Official Records search, then order a certified copy in person, by mail or electronically where offered; Palm Beach County's E-Certify service, for example, sells electronic certified copies for $8 per document. County fees are not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $20 — included in our price. Full details on the property deed page.
What happens after the Florida certificate — Kuwait
After we return your document with its Florida authentication certificate, it goes to the U.S. Department of State for authentication, then to the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Washington, D.C. for legalization. The embassy's instructions list that exact order: Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, then the embassy. Ask your sponsor or the Kuwaiti office whether the document must also be attested by Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs after it arrives. We don't handle, arrange or refer anyone for these steps.
We don't handle or arrange the U.S. Department of State or embassy steps. See how non-Hague authentication works.
Who receives it in Kuwait — and translation
Legalized Florida documents in Kuwait are used by the Ministry of Interior for residence and family visas, the Public Authority for Manpower and employers for work permits, the Ministry of Higher Education for degree recognition, the Ministry of Health for medical licensing, the Ministry of Justice and courts for family and estate matters, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for companies. In the U.S., the legalization step is done by the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Washington, D.C.
Kuwait's embassy legalization instructions don't set a translation rule. Kuwaiti courts and ministries generally work in Arabic and may require an Arabic translation, often made by a translation office in Kuwait. Ask the receiving office first. If it accepts a Florida translation, the translator certifies it, a different notary notarizes it, and it is authenticated in Florida along with the original.
We found no published Kuwaiti rule on document age. Employers and the Ministry of Interior may want recently issued vital records and police checks, so ask your sponsor how recent each must be before you start.
Consular office serving Florida: Embassy of the State of Kuwait, 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 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 authentication certificate.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why property deeds get rejected
- Original deed returned after recording, with no certified-copy certification
- Watermarked or uncertified online printout
- Notarized photocopy of the deed
- Missing exhibit with the legal description
What it costs for Kuwait
$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 authentication to Kuwait 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).