If you searched “how to get an apostille in California,” you are in one of two very different situations, and which one decides who issues your apostille.
Who issues a California apostille
The California Secretary of State issues apostilles, but only for documents signed by a California public official: a California notary public, a county clerk or recorder, a state agency, or a California court. The office verifies the official’s signature. It does not review what your document says.
So a birth certificate from a California county, a California court order, or a document notarized by a California notary goes to the California Secretary of State. A document notarized in another state goes to that state. Federal documents, like an FBI background check, go to the U.S. Department of State.
How to apostille a document in California, step by step
- Get the right version of the document. Vital records must be certified copies from the county or the California Department of Public Health. Private documents (a power of attorney, affidavit, consent letter) must be notarized by a California notary first.
- Fill out the apostille request cover sheet and name the country where the document will be used. The country decides whether you get an apostille or a certificate for a non-Hague country.
- Pay the fee. The State of California charges $20 per apostille. Walk-in requests add a $6 special handling fee per signature.
- Submit it by mail to the Secretary of State, Notary Public Section, P.O. Box 942877, Sacramento, CA 94277-0001, or in person at the Sacramento office (1500 11th Street) or the Los Angeles office (300 South Spring Street). The Los Angeles office does not take cash.
In person, documents are often finished the same day. Mail takes longer, so plan around your deadline.
If you live in California but don’t want to deal with Sacramento
Here is the part most people don’t know. If your document is a private document that needs notarizing anyway, it does not have to be notarized in California. A New York notary can notarize it online while you sit at home in Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland or anywhere else. The New York Department of State then issues the apostille for that notarization.
An apostille is an apostille. Every Hague Convention country accepts one from any U.S. state, as long as it was issued by the state whose official signed the document.
That is the service we run. We notarize your document online, handle the county authentication and the state apostille filing in New York, and ship it to you.
We notarize your document online, get the New York apostille, and ship it to you anywhere in the U.S. $199 all in for the service. See the apostille service →
This only works for documents that you sign and have notarized. A California birth certificate, a California court record or any California county document still has to go through the California Secretary of State, because those signatures belong to California officials.
Common reasons California apostilles get delayed
A photocopy instead of a certified copy. A notarial certificate that is incomplete or missing the seal. No country listed on the cover sheet. A federal document sent to the state, which simply comes back. Each one costs you a round trip, so check before you send.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apostille cost in California?
The California Secretary of State charges $20 per apostille. In-person requests add a $6 special handling fee per signature.
How long does a California apostille take?
In-person requests in Sacramento or Los Angeles are often finished the same day. Mailed requests take longer, and posted processing times change, so check the Secretary of State before you send.
Can a California resident get a New York apostille?
Yes, for a document notarized by a New York notary. New York online notaries can notarize for signers located anywhere, and the New York Department of State then apostilles that notarization. This does not work for California-issued public records like birth certificates or court records.
Does the California Secretary of State apostille FBI background checks?
No. An FBI background check is a federal document, so it is authenticated by the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications, not by any state.
Will a foreign country accept an apostille from New York if I live in California?
Yes. Hague Convention countries accept an apostille from any U.S. state. What matters is that the apostille comes from the state whose official signed the document, not where you live.
Related reading
- Apostille services in New York
- What is an apostille?
- How long does a New York apostille take?
- Why apostille requests get rejected
- Apostille vs certificate of authentication
This article is general information, not legal advice. Government fees and processing times change, so confirm with the issuing office before you submit. NotarEaseNYC is a notary and document service, not a law firm.