Quick answer
A Florida certificate of status proves a company is active on Sunbiz, which Nigerian banks, partners and regulators ask for when a Florida company becomes a shareholder, opens an account or signs a major contract. Florida issues an authentication certificate for Nigeria, not an apostille — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- The Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz).
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Florida authentication → U.S. Department of State → Nigeria embassy
- Online notarization
- Not applicable — needs a certified copy
- Consulate serving Florida
- Consulate General of Nigeria in Atlanta (its jurisdiction includes Florida)
- Translation
- English is Nigeria's official language, so Florida documents in English normally need no translation.
How a Florida certificate of status is used in Nigeria
A Florida certificate of status proves a company is active on Sunbiz, which Nigerian banks, partners and regulators ask for when a Florida company becomes a shareholder, opens an account or signs a major contract. Order it from the Florida Division of Corporations shortly before you begin, and legalize it with the articles so the set matches. Use the company's exact registered name on every document, so the Nigerian office can tie them together.
Getting a certificate of status Florida will authenticate
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 page.
What happens after the Florida certificate — Nigeria
After we return your document with its Florida authentication certificate, the usual next step is authentication by the U.S. Department of State, followed by legalization by Nigeria's consular office: the Consulate General of Nigeria in Atlanta serves Florida, and the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C. also has a consular section. Confirm the current requirements with the Nigerian office before you send anything. We don't handle, arrange or refer anyone for the federal or Nigerian 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 Nigeria — and translation
Florida is served by the Consulate General of Nigeria in Atlanta, whose published jurisdiction includes Florida; the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C. also has a consular section. In Nigeria, Florida documents go to the Nigeria Immigration Service, state probate registries and courts for estates, state lands registries for property, the Corporate Affairs Commission and investment authorities for companies, and employers, universities and professional regulators.
English is Nigeria's official language, so Florida documents in English normally need no translation. If a Florida document is in another language, for example a Spanish-language record or a foreign certificate attached to a Florida affidavit, have it translated into English, certified by the translator, notarized by a different notary and authenticated in Florida along with the original.
We found no published Nigerian rule on document age for these documents. Ask the receiving office, especially for police records and bank statements, which are usually expected to be recent.
Consular office serving Florida: Consulate General of Nigeria in Atlanta (its jurisdiction includes Florida).
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 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 Nigeria
$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 Nigeria 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).