Quick answer
A Florida driver's license is occasional for South Africa. One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- A Florida notary, notarizing your sworn statement that the attached license copy is true.
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Apostille only — Hague member since 1995
- Online notarization
- Available as an add-on
- Translation
- English is one of South Africa's official languages and Florida documents are issued in English, so they usually go without a translation.
- Turnaround
- 5–7 business days, filed in person
How a Florida driver's license copy is used in South Africa
A Florida driver's license is occasional for South Africa. It's sometimes useful as proof of address or secondary ID in a FICA file for a bank or conveyancer, alongside a passport copy. A Florida notary can certify a photocopy of both sides as a true copy, and that certification can be apostilled. For driving in South Africa, ask the authorities what they accept; a certified copy of your license isn't a substitute for carrying the license itself. Confirm what the bank or attorney actually needs before ordering.
Getting a driver's license copy Florida will apostille
A front-and-back copy of your current license attached to your sworn statement, signed in front of a Florida notary who completes a jurat. If the foreign office wants your driving history instead, it needs FLHSMV's certified record, unaltered. The plastic card itself can't be apostilled.
Sign the sworn statement before any Florida notary 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. For a certified driving record, order from FLHSMV online or with form HSMV 90511, which lists $10 and about two weeks of processing. Notarization and FLHSMV fees are not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the driver's license copy apostille page.
Who receives it in South Africa — and translation
The Department of Home Affairs handles visas, permits and civic records. The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) evaluates foreign degrees. Attorneys and conveyancers take Florida documents to the Deeds Office, banks and the Master of the High Court for estates. DIRCO (the Department of International Relations and Cooperation) says foreign documents must be legalised in their country of origin, which for a Florida document means the Florida Department of State.
English is one of South Africa's official languages and Florida documents are issued in English, so they usually go without a translation. Home Affairs' sworn-translator requirement covers documents that aren't in an official South African language. If a Florida document is in another language, our standard applies: translator's certification, notarized by a different notary, with its own Florida apostille, and ask whether Home Affairs instead wants a sworn translator.
Home Affairs' work-visa checklists say a police clearance can't be older than six months when submitted. Parental consent affidavits for children traveling through South African ports of entry must be no more than four months old when presented, according to DIRCO's advisory.
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 apostille.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why driver's license copys get rejected
- Notary stamp on a copy with no certificate wording
- Statement signed before the notary session
- Notarized in another state
- Uncertified driving record printout
What it costs for South Africa
$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 South Africa 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).
