Current UK Legalisation Office fees depend on the apostille service you use. GOV.UK currently lists the standard paper apostille at £45 per document plus return costs, e-Apostille at £35 per document, the Next-Day paper service for registered businesses at £40 per document, and the Restricted Urgent paper service for registered businesses at £100 per document.
Those are government legalisation fees. Your total cost can be higher if the document needs solicitor or notary certification first, physical delivery, translation, destination-country attestation or professional handling.
For the full service route, see our UK apostille service. If your main concern is turnaround, use the separate guide on UK apostille processing times.
Current UK apostille fees
| Legalisation Office service | Current fee per document | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard paper apostille | £45 | Standard paper route; return courier or postage is separate |
| e-Apostille | £35 | Eligible electronically signed PDF documents |
| Next-Day paper service | £40 | Registered businesses only |
| Restricted Urgent paper service | £100 | Registered businesses only; pre-approval required |
Government fees can change. Check the current GOV.UK legalisation guidance before paying or sending documents.
Why the apostille fee may not be your total cost
Certification or notarisation
Some UK documents can be legalised in their existing official form. Other documents need certification by an appropriate UK public official, such as a solicitor or notary, first. That professional fee is separate from the Legalisation Office apostille fee.
Return delivery
Paper apostilles involve a physical document. The standard government fee does not include all return costs, so courier or postage needs to be included in the real budget.
Translation or destination-country authentication
An apostille may not be the final stage. Depending on the destination and receiving organisation, you may also need translation, embassy or consular authentication, or Ministry of Foreign Affairs processing. These are separate services and costs.
Professional apostille support
If you use First Elite Global or another service provider to review the route, coordinate certification or handle the application, the professional service fee is separate from the government fee. Request an itemised scope so the Legalisation Office charge, third-party costs and professional fee are clear.
Does the document type change the FCDO apostille fee?
The government fee is charged per document according to the selected Legalisation Office service. The document type can still affect your overall cost because it may change the preparation route—for example, whether certification or notarisation is required before legalisation.
See the UK apostille documents guide for document eligibility and preparation requirements.
Is e-Apostille cheaper?
The current Legalisation Office fee for an e-Apostille is lower than the standard paper fee, but the electronic route is not available for every document. The document must meet the e-Apostille requirements and the receiving organisation should accept the electronic format.
Choosing a route solely because the government fee is lower can be a false economy if the recipient ultimately requires a paper apostille.
How to avoid unnecessary apostille costs
- Confirm the receiving organisation’s requirements before applying.
- Check whether it needs the original or a certified copy.
- Confirm whether a solicitor or notary must certify the document first.
- Check whether paper apostille or e-Apostille is accepted.
- Do not pay for urgent processing until the document itself is ready.
- Ask for professional and third-party charges to be itemised separately.
For avoidable preparation issues, see common UK apostille mistakes.
UK apostille cost FAQs
How much is a standard UK apostille?
GOV.UK currently lists the standard paper apostille fee at £45 per document, plus applicable return courier or postage costs.
How much is a UK e-Apostille?
The current government fee is £35 per eligible document.
Is the next-day apostille service available to everyone?
No. The Legalisation Office identifies its Next-Day paper service as a registered-business service.
Does First Elite Global’s fee equal the government apostille fee?
No. Government legalisation charges and any professional support, certification, courier, translation or destination-country costs should be treated separately. Request an itemised scope for your actual document route.
Request an apostille document review or see the main UK apostille service.
