NEW JERSEY · APOSTILLE & TRANSLATION
Apostille & Certified Translation in New Jersey
In New Jersey, apostilles are issued by the Department of the Treasury's Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) in Trenton — not the Secretary of State, which trips up a lot of people. If your New Jersey birth certificate, diploma, power of attorney, or marriage record is headed to a country in the Hague Apostille Convention, you'll typically need both the state's apostille and a certified translation into the destination language. Translation HelpDesk handles the translation side: $0.05 per word (most civil documents run $15–25), a free 250-word sample, and 24–48 hour turnaround, all backed by our USCIS Rejection Pledge. We're a nearshore team in Chihuahua, Mexico serving all 50 states, so we translate your NJ apostille package into flawless Spanish — or your foreign document into English — without the U.S. agency markup.
Updated July 11, 2026 · Guidance only — confirm current fees and steps with the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), in Trenton. Unlike most states, New Jersey does NOT issue apostilles through the Secretary of State — the Treasury's Division of Revenue is the competent authority.
HOW IT WORKS IN NEW JERSEY
Getting an Apostille in New Jersey
In New Jersey, apostilles and certifications are issued by the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) in Trenton, not the Secretary of State. The standard route is to pre-pay the statutory fee online through the state's njportal.com/dor/apostille system, then either mail your documents (PO Box 628, Trenton, NJ 08625-0628) or hand-deliver them to the walk-in lobby at 33 West State Street, 5th Floor, Trenton (open 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday). Vital records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates must first be issued as certified copies by the New Jersey State Office of Vital Statistics before DORES can apostille them, and notarized documents must carry the original inked signatures of both the NJ notary and the person who signed. The fee is $25 per certificate — confirm the current statutory amount and any expedite charge on the DORES portal before submitting.
TRANSLATION + APOSTILLE
Where Certified Translation Fits
For a New Jersey document headed to a Hague Convention country (Mexico, Spain, Colombia, etc.), apostille the English original at DORES FIRST, then have us translate the complete package — the document AND the apostille certificate — into the destination language. The most common mistake is translating first: the apostille gets added afterward in English, so a translate-first document arrives abroad with an untranslated certificate and frequently gets bounced. If instead you need a notarized translation apostilled in New Jersey, the translator's signed affidavit of accuracy is notarized by a NJ notary and DORES then apostilles that notary's signature — and remember, USCIS filings inside the U.S. need only a certified translation, never an apostille.
Translation HelpDesk provides the certified English translation with a signed Certificate of Accuracy (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)) that USCIS accepts, and can advise on whether you need the apostille before or after translation for your specific document and destination.
FEES & TIMING
Cost & Turnaround
Apostille fee: New Jersey charges $25 per certificate for a standard apostille or certification; expedited next-business-day service is available in person for an additional fee (commonly cited around $15) — always confirm the current statutory amounts on the DORES portal, since fees can change. One DORES quirk to budget for: if you attach a notarized translation to a vital record and ask for both to be apostilled, the state issues TWO apostilles and charges TWO fees. On the translation side, Translation HelpDesk is $0.05/word — a typical birth or marriage certificate lands in the $15–25 range — with a free 250-word sample so you see the quality before you pay.
Typical processing: Mail-in requests to DORES typically take about 12–20 business days from the date they're received in Trenton, and that window isn't guaranteed — it runs longer during busy periods. Walk-in or expedited service at the Trenton office is generally completed the next business day for the extra expedite fee. Translation HelpDesk delivers your certified translation in 24–48 hours, so the translation step is never the bottleneck.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does New Jersey issue apostilles through the Secretary of State?
No. New Jersey is one of the states that does not use the Secretary of State for apostilles. They're issued by the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) in Trenton. You can pre-pay online at njportal.com/dor/apostille, then mail your documents to PO Box 628, Trenton, NJ 08625-0628, or bring them to the walk-in lobby at 33 West State Street, 5th Floor.
Should I translate my document before or after getting the New Jersey apostille?
For a New Jersey document going abroad, get the apostille from DORES first, then translate the whole package — the document and the apostille certificate together — into the destination country's language. If you translate first, the apostille is added later in English and the receiving country often rejects the incomplete translation. We can translate the full apostilled document within 24–48 hours.
How much does a New Jersey apostille cost and how long does it take?
DORES charges $25 per certificate for standard service, with next-business-day expedited processing available in person for an additional fee — confirm the current amounts on the DORES portal. Mail-in requests generally take about 12–20 business days from receipt, while walk-in expedited service in Trenton is usually done the next business day. Our certified translation adds only 24–48 hours on top.
Do I need an apostille for USCIS?
No. USCIS never requires an apostille — it requires a certified English translation of any foreign-language document, such as a birth or marriage certificate. Apostilles are for documents used in foreign countries, not for immigration filings inside the U.S. If you're filing with USCIS, all you need is our certified translation, which comes with our USCIS Rejection Pledge.
Can you apostille and translate my New Jersey birth certificate?
We handle the certified translation; the apostille itself must come from DORES. First request a certified copy of the birth certificate from the New Jersey State Office of Vital Statistics, have DORES apostille it, then send us the apostilled document and we'll translate the full package. Message us by email at info@translationhelpdesk.com for a free 250-word sample and a flat quote.
How does New Jersey apostille a notarized translation?
New Jersey can apostille a notarized translation: your translator provides a signed affidavit of accuracy, a NJ notary notarizes that affidavit, and DORES apostilles the notary's signature. Keep in mind that if you attach a translation to a vital record for apostille, DORES issues two apostilles and charges two fees. We provide the certified translation plus a notary-ready affidavit of accuracy so the package is ready for DORES.