My Florida ApostillePolk County · Name Change Order
Name Change Order Apostille — Polk County, Florida
Got a name change order from Polk County? Here's exactly where to get a certified copy in Polk County and how we get it apostilled — $220, 5–7 business days, filed in person in Tallahassee.
Get a certified copy from the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller in Bartow, then send it to us — we file it in person in Tallahassee. $220, 5–7 business days.
A certified copy of the final judgment of change of name with the clerk's original certification and seal or official e-certification, complete with the judge's signature page. The former and new names must match your other records exactly. The state fee is $20, included in our price.
State fee: $20 — included in our $220. Fees the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller charges for the certified copy are not included.
Why name change orders get rejected
Hearing copy, scan or attorney copy instead of the clerk-certified judgment
Notarized photocopy of the judgment
Missing pages
Wrong document: a name restored in a divorce is shown by the divorce judgment
$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 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).
Common questions
From the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller in Bartow. Ask for a certified copy — a plain copy or printout can't be apostilled.
No. Only the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee issues Florida apostilles. The county office certifies the record; we take it from there.
No. A former name restored in a divorce is part of the final judgment of dissolution of marriage, so that judgment is the document to apostille.
Many foreign offices want both. If you were born in Florida, order a fresh certified birth certificate and apostille it with the judgment: two documents are $380.
My Florida Apostille ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use myfloridaapostille.com or our apostille service, how we use it, and what choices you have.
Information we collect
When you place an order, we collect: your name, email address, phone number, return shipping address, the type and number of documents you're ordering, the destination country, and any notes you include with your order. We also receive payment information indirectly through Stripe, our payment processor — we never see or store your full card number.
When you visit our website, we collect standard analytics data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and referring URLs. This data is used to improve the site and is not tied to your personal identity.
How we use your information
To process and fulfill your apostille order
To complete the Florida Department of State Apostille Request Form on your behalf
To create FedEx shipping labels and track shipments
To send order confirmations, status updates, and shipping notifications
To respond to your inquiries or customer service requests
To comply with legal obligations (tax records, government requests)
How we share your information
We share your information only with the third-party service providers necessary to fulfill your order:
Stripe — payment processing
FedEx — shipping and tracking
Florida Department of State — when filing your apostille request
Resend — transactional email delivery
Cloudflare — website hosting and security
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your data with marketers or advertisers.
Document handling
You ship physical documents to our office for processing. We treat your original documents as confidential and store them securely until they are filed with the Florida Department of State. We do not retain copies of your documents after the apostille is returned to you.
Data retention
We retain order records (name, email, order details) for seven years to comply with tax and business record requirements. You may request deletion of your data at any time by emailing [email protected], subject to our legal retention obligations.
Cookies
Our website uses minimal cookies for basic functionality and analytics. We do not use advertising cookies or tracking pixels from third-party ad networks.
Your rights
You have the right to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you. To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected] or (850) 900-3443.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the most recent changes were made. Continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
By using myfloridaapostille.com or our apostille service, you agree to these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully before placing an order.
Our service
My Florida Apostille is an independent document service that facilitates apostille processing through the Florida Department of State on behalf of customers. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Florida Department of State, the U.S. Department of State, or any government agency. We are a private business providing convenience services.
What we do
Receive your original documents via FedEx at our office
Complete the Florida Department of State Apostille Request Form on your behalf
Pay the $10 Florida state filing fee on your behalf (included in your price)
Walk your documents in person to the Florida Department of State counter
Ship the apostilled documents back to you via FedEx
What we cannot do
We cannot guarantee that the Florida Department of State will issue an apostille for your specific document. Final decisions rest with the state.
We cannot accept documents that do not qualify for apostille (such as hospital "souvenir" certificates, photocopies, or uncertified records).
We do not provide legal advice. We can describe general apostille requirements, but for legal questions about your documents or their use abroad, consult an attorney.
We do not provide translation services. If your destination country requires a translated apostille, you must arrange translation separately.
We do not handle federal documents or documents issued by states other than Florida. Federal documents require U.S. Department of State authentication; non-Florida documents require their issuing state's Secretary of State.
Your responsibilities
You agree to:
Provide accurate information when placing your order
Ship only documents that qualify for Florida apostille
Pay the full order amount at the time of placing the order
Confirm your return shipping address is accurate and deliverable
Comply with all applicable laws regarding the documents you submit
Turnaround time
Our standard turnaround is five to seven business days from the moment we receive your documents at our office. This timeline depends on third-party factors outside our control, including FedEx transit times and the Florida Department of State's processing schedule. We are not liable for delays caused by carriers, state offices, weather, holidays, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
Document rejection
If the Florida Department of State rejects your document, we will contact you within one business day to discuss options. Some rejections can be resolved same-day at the counter; others require new documents from the issuing agency. Rejections do not entitle you to a refund of the state filing fee or our service fee, because both the fee and the labor have been performed.
Lost or damaged documents
Documents shipped via FedEx are insured up to $100 by default. For irreplaceable documents, you may purchase additional FedEx Declared Value coverage when you hand your envelope to FedEx. We are not liable for loss or damage during transit beyond FedEx's published insurance coverage.
Payment and refunds
Payment is due at the time of order placement and is processed by Stripe. Refunds are governed by our separate Refund Policy.
Intellectual property
All content on myfloridaapostille.com, including text, graphics, logos, and design, is the property of My Florida Apostille and protected by U.S. copyright law. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without our written permission.
Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim related to our services is limited to the amount you paid us for the order in question. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including but not limited to lost opportunities, missed deadlines, or visa application denials.
Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida. Any disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Leon County, Florida.
Changes
We may update these Terms at any time. The "Last updated" date reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
We want every customer to be satisfied. Because our service involves third-party fees and irreversible work performed on your behalf, refunds depend on when you cancel.
Full refund available if:
You cancel before shipping your documents to us
You cancel after shipping but before we file your documents with the Florida Department of State — your documents will be returned to you unopened, and we will refund your payment in full minus any FedEx shipping costs already incurred
No refund available if:
We have already filed your documents with the Florida Department of State (the $10 state fee has been paid on your behalf and our labor has been performed)
The Florida Department of State rejects your document because it is non-apostillable, incorrect, expired, or otherwise ineligible — we cannot refund the state fee or our service fee in these cases
The destination country does not accept the apostille format (you should verify this with the receiving party before ordering)
You ordered the wrong service or destination — we are not responsible for customer errors at order placement
Include your order number (from your confirmation email) and a brief explanation. We will respond within one business day.
Processing time
Approved refunds are processed within 5–10 business days to the original payment method. Your bank or card issuer may take additional time to display the refund.
Damaged or lost documents
If your documents are damaged or lost in transit by FedEx, FedEx insurance applies (default $100, or up to the Declared Value coverage you purchased). We will work with you to file a FedEx claim. Our service fee is non-refundable in these cases because the loss occurred outside our control.
Questions?
If you have questions about our refund policy before placing an order, please contact us — we'd rather answer questions upfront than handle refunds later.
