How a Florida notarized document is used in Mexico
Mexican notarios públicos are senior lawyers with far more authority than a Florida notary, and they read foreign notarized documents closely. They check that the Florida notarial certificate is complete (venue, date, signer, ID method, seal) and that the wording covers what Mexican law requires for that act. If the text is in English, the notario will still want a perito translation in Mexico. The fix costs nothing: send your draft to the notario or your Mexican lawyer before you sign, then notarize, then apostille.
Translation for Mexico
Our general rule is a translation certified by the translator, notarized by a different notary and apostilled in Florida. Mexico is the big exception: notarios, courts and Registros Civiles usually require a perito traductor authorized by a state Tribunal Superior de Justicia instead, done in Mexico after the apostille. Mexican consulates in the U.S. generally don't ask for a translation of English documents, and SEP revalidation accepts a simple translation.
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 Mexico
- Order online — pick "Notarized document" and "Mexico" 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 Mexico with international return shipping (+$100).
One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs for Mexico. Whatever the office there asks for after that — a translation, a filing deadline — is covered above.