How do you prepare an Ohio high school, college, university transcript for an apostille?
The transcript must be signed by a school official (principal, registrar, counselor, etc.) The signature of the school official must be original.
Sample certification:
The signature of the school official must be properly notarized by an Ohio notary public. The notary must complete a notarial certificate with all required information.
The notarial certificate must be in English and include the following:
- Language to indicate if the act was an acknowledgment or jurat.
- The state and county venue where the notarization was performed.
- The date on which the notarial act was performed.
- The signature of the notary.
- The notary public’s printed or typed name which can appear below their signature or on their notary stamp.
- The expiration date of the notary public’s commission, if the notary public is a non-attorney. Attorney notary commissions do not expire.
- The notary seal which includes the coat of arms of Ohio within a circle that is at least ¾ of an inch, not larger than one inch, and surrounded by the words “notary public,” “notarial seal,” or words to that effect, and the words “State of Ohio.” The seal can be either a stamp or embosser.
Acceptable notarial certificates:
Acknowledgment certificate:
Jurat certificate:
Can an Ohio notary certify a copy of a transcript?
IMPORTANT! Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 147.141, the notary cannot certify that a document is an original document or a true copy of another record. (Note: An individual can make a written statement that the document is an original or a true copy and sign that statement. That signature can be notarized).
