Quick answer
Nigerian families sign many private documents in Florida: undertakings to a Nigerian bank, letters introducing a relative to a land registry, statements for a school in Nigeria. Florida issues an authentication certificate for Nigeria, not an apostille — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- A notary public with an active Florida commission, in person or as a Florida-registered online notary.
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Florida authentication → U.S. Department of State → Nigeria embassy
- Online notarization
- Available as an add-on
- 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 notarized document is used in Nigeria
Nigerian families sign many private documents in Florida: undertakings to a Nigerian bank, letters introducing a relative to a land registry, statements for a school in Nigeria. Since Nigeria works in English, no translation is needed; the document simply needs a complete Florida notarial certificate before it can be authenticated. If you're outside Florida, our online notarization can handle the signing.
Getting a notarized document Florida will authenticate
A complete Florida notarial certificate in English: venue (State of Florida, County of ___), physical presence or online notarization box, date, signer's name, ID type or personally known, and the notary's original signature, printed name and seal with commission number and expiration date. The document itself can be in any language, and the notary's commission must have been active on the signing date.
Sign before any Florida notary, at an in-person appointment in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa or Clearwater (notarization charged separately), 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. Notarization is not included in the $220 apostille price.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the notarized document 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 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 authentication certificate.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why notarized documents get rejected
- Certificate missing the venue, presence box or ID type
- Notary commissioned in another state
- Commission expired on the notarization date, or seal illegible
- Notarized photocopy of a vital record or court record
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).
