Apostille for a UK Contract: FCDO Legalisation Guide

A contract signed in the United Kingdom — a commercial agreement, employment contract, tenancy or another private arrangement — is sometimes required to be presented to an authority abroad: a court, a tax office, a bank or a foreign employer. If the receiving authority requires a UK contract to be legalised, the FCDO Legalisation Office can apostille a contract certified by a UK notary or solicitor. Check the recipient’s requirements first. This article describes how a UK contract is prepared and apostilled, and what the process costs.

Certification by a UK notary or solicitor comes first

The Legalisation Office verifies documents against its own records, and it does that for register certificates, court papers and government documents. A contract does not sit in any of those registers, so official guidance gives the route for papers of this kind: contracts, like qualifications and other private documents, can be legalised when certified by a UK public official such as a UK notary or solicitor. Before the office can act, the contract therefore needs certification — a solicitor or notary confirms the signature to them, and it is that certification the desk will check.

The official guidance is: some private documents need certification by a solicitor or notary before the office can legalise them; check with the receiving organisation whether they require the original or a certified copy, and whether it insists on a particular signatory — e.g. the contract must be signed in front of the notary or the party that has the certificate.

Paper apostille or e-Apostille

For a certified contract, two apostille types are normally open. On the paper route, the office verifies the certification against the signature and seal left by the UK notary/solicitor on the document. For a paper-based apostille, send the certified paper document by post as instructed after applying online. On the electronic route, the documents are uploaded as PDF files signed electronically by a UK notary or solicitor, and the outcome is a fully digital document delivered by email.

The practical consequence: if the receiving authority wants the original physical contract (with attachments), plan the paper route. If the recipient accepts an e-Apostille, ask whether your particular contract is eligible. An e-Apostille application requires a PDF electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor; if the document is ineligible or the recipient requires paper, use the paper route.

What it costs

According to GOV.UK’s current fees and processing times, the standard paper apostille is £45 plus delivery and usually takes up to 25 working days; an e-Apostille costs £35 and takes up to 2 working days. Faster paper options (for registered businesses) can cut the waiting time. If the document cannot be legalised, the fee is not refunded — so it is worth checking in advance that the contract is in the correct form (properly certified by a UK notary or solicitor, in good condition, and with all pages included). Courier is a separate expense: returns start from £6 per 1.5kg for a UK address.

The process, step by step

1. Agree with the recipient which document it wants — the original contract certified by a solicitor/notary, a certified copy, or an electronically signed PDF.
2. Ask the recipient whether an original or certified copy is required, then have the document certified by a UK notary or solicitor as appropriate. For an e-Apostille, submit a PDF electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor, if the document is eligible and the recipient accepts this format.
3. Apply online for the appropriate apostille type and pay the fee per document.
4. On the paper route, post or courier the document to the Legalisation Office and let it know where it should be returned to.
5. The office verifies the certification and attaches the apostille; the receiving party can then verify the apostille online to confirm it was issued by the office.

What to confirm before applying

• Whether the receiving country is a Hague Convention member (the apostille certifies the document there) or imposes its own consular attestation instead.
• Whether the contract plus a certified translation is expected, and who supplies the translation.
• Whether every annex list (appendices, schedules, exhibits) travelling with the contract needs its own apostille or can be included in a single electronic/paper one.

Summary

A UK contract can be apostilled for use abroad once it has been certified by a UK notary or solicitor. The FCDO Legalisation Office verifies that certification and attaches the apostille. According to GOV.UK, on the standard paper route the document usually takes up to 25 working days plus postage and costs £45 per document, while an electronically signed PDF can go through the e-Apostille in up to 2 working days for £35. Ask the recipient about its requirements — certified copy versus original, translations, and annexes — before you start the process.

Apostilla UK editorial team · checked 30 October 2026