Rules for Power of Attorney

• Conditions for a Power of Attorney in Arizona

  Before a Power of Attorney can be authenticated or apostilled, it must meet Arizona's legal execution requirements. Arizona POA Execution Requirements Must be signed by the principal. Must be notarized by an Arizona commissioned Notary Public. POAs for real estate transactions must follow additional statutory rules under Arizona law (Title 14). Witnesses are generally not required, unless specifically requested by the receiving country or institution. Arizona permits remote notarization, but many foreign authorities do not accept e-notarized or remote POAs, so traditional notarization is recommended.

• Notarization Requirements

  Arizona will only authenticate POAs that meet the following: Required Elements The POA must be an original notarized document — photocopies are not accepted. The notarization must comply with Arizona notarial laws, including: Notary’s signature Notary seal Notary commission information Complete notarial certificate wording (acknowledgment or jurat) Important Restrictions No electronic apostilles are issued in Arizona. If the POA was notarized outside Arizona, Arizona cannot authenticate it. Example: A Nevada-notarized POA must be certified by Nevada, not Arizona.

• Arizona Authentication Process

  A. Apostille (Hague Countries) You must submit: The original notarized POA Apostille/Certificate of Authentication Request Form (PDF) $3 fee per document Return postage (tracked service recommended) If the destination country is a Hague member, Arizona will issue an Apostille. B. Certification (Non-Hague Countries) For non-Hague countries, Arizona will issue a Certificate of Authentication instead of an Apostille. Process: Submit the same items as above (POA + form + $3 fee). After receiving Arizona Certification, the POA must be sent to: U.S. Department of State – Office of Authentications The destination country’s embassy or consulate

• Additional Requirements

  Requests to Puerto Rico or U.S. Territories A Notarial Capacity Certificate is required. Additional fee: $18 This applies to: Puerto Rico Guam U.S. Virgin Islands American Samoa Northern Mariana Islands Return Postage All mailed orders must include return postage. Tracked shipping is recommended to ensure safe return. Document Origin Rule Arizona will not authenticate documents recorded by another state. Example: A Nevada birth certificate must be apostilled by Nevada, not Arizona.

• Processing Times

  10–20 business days (mailed requests) Walk-in services available with: $25 expedite fee Limit of 6 documents per customer for apostilles