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California Apostille
Apostilles on California-issued documents, submitted to the California Secretary of State. Drop off at our California office, book a mobile notary, or mail it in from anywhere.
From $119 per document, California state fee included. You see the exact total before you pay.
- Mail it from anywhere — no office visit, no appointment
- California state fee included, nothing added at checkout
- We check your document before it is submitted
- Email updates at every stage
- Tracked, insured return shipping, worldwide
Rather talk it through? Call (771) 777-4807 and we will tell you what your document needs before you pay for anything.
Current processing times
State apostille (Standard)
7+ business days
State apostille (Rush)
Under 7 business days
State apostille (Same Day)
Same business day
Counted in business days from when we have a usable document, not including return shipping. Rush and same-day depend on the state. Tight deadline? Call us and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable.
An apostille on a California document can only be issued by the California Secretary of State. It does not matter where you live now: if the record was issued in California, or notarized by a California-commissioned notary, California is the only authority that can certify it.
We handle California submissions daily, and we have people on the ground here. That means you can drop your document at our California office and collect it when it is done, book a mobile notary who comes to you anywhere in the state, or mail it in and never leave home. Most services only offer the last one.
California vital records are the most common request: birth, marriage, and death certificates. These must be certified copies issued by the county recorder or the California Department of Public Health, with the official seal. A hospital certificate or a photocopy will be rejected.
Private documents you signed yourself, such as a power of attorney or an affidavit, need notarization by a California notary before the Secretary of State can apostille them. If your document was notarized in another state, it has to go to that state instead.
At a glance
Our addresses in California
- 777 South Alameda Street Downtown Los Angeles, 2nd Floor, Suite 2B, Los Angeles, CA 90021 — drop-off and collection
- 515 Flower Street, 18th and 19th Floors, Los Angeles, CA 90071 — drop-off and collection
You can bring documents to either of these, by appointment. Please book first so someone is expecting you.
California documents we apostille most often
| Document | Where it comes from | Notarization |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | County recorder or CDPH | Not required |
| Marriage certificate | County recorder | Not required |
| Death certificate | County recorder or CDPH | Not required |
| Divorce decree | Superior Court clerk | Not required, needs court seal |
| Power of attorney | You | Required, California notary |
| Diploma or transcript | Your school | Usually required |
| Corporate records | CA Secretary of State | Depends on the document |
| Single status affidavit | You | Required, California notary |
California-specific things worth knowing
- The notary must be California-commissioned. A document notarized in Nevada goes to Nevada, even if you live in Los Angeles.
- Certified copies only. County recorder or CDPH copies with the seal. Informational copies marked as not valid for identity purposes are not accepted.
- Same-day is realistic here. California is one of the states where we can often complete an apostille the same business day if the document reaches us before 10am.
- Large county variation. Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Alameda each have their own process for issuing certified copies, which affects how quickly we can retrieve one if you need it.
- Court documents need the clerk’s certification before the Secretary of State will apostille them.
Start your California apostille. Exact price in about two minutes.
How it works
Step 1
Get us the document
Drop it at our California office, have a mobile notary come to you, or mail it in. We can also retrieve a certified copy for you.
Step 2
We check it first
We confirm the copy is certified, correctly sealed, and notarized where needed, before it goes to Sacramento.
Step 3
Secretary of State submission
We submit and pay the state fee, which is already included in your price.
Step 4
Back to you
Collect it at our office, have it shipped tracked and insured, or get it scanned and emailed the moment it is issued.
California Apostille: common questions
Can I just mail my document or turn up without booking?
No. Please book first. The mailing instructions at the end of the booking give you the address to use and the order number to send with your documents. An unannounced envelope or visit has no order attached to it, which is how documents get delayed.
I live outside California but my document is from California. What do I do?
Mail it to us, or have us retrieve a certified copy. The document has to be certified by California regardless of where you live, and you do not need to travel here.
Can I get a California apostille the same day?
Often yes, if the document reaches us before 10am local time and is correct on arrival. Same-day is one of the advantages of us having people here rather than couriering everything in.
Does California apostille FBI background checks?
No. FBI checks are federal documents and go to the U.S. Department of State, not a state. See our FBI background check page.
My document was notarized in California but I signed it elsewhere. Is that a problem?
What matters is where the notary is commissioned, not where you were. If a California notary witnessed the signature, California issues the apostille.
Do I need a translation for California documents going abroad?
That depends on the destination country, not on California. Many countries require a certified translation. We offer certified and sworn translation alongside the apostille.
Official sources
Requirements, fees and processing times are set by the authorities below and can change without notice. Verify anything time-critical directly with them.
California SOS Notary & Apostille · Request an apostille · Current processing times
Ready to get started?
Book online for an exact price, or drop your document at our California office.
Related: Apostille by state · New York apostille · Birth certificate · Processing times · What you need