California Apostille Step by Step
Getting an apostille in California is more straightforward than most people expect. Whether you need to legalize a birth certificate, diploma, power of attorney, or corporate document, the process follows the same core steps.
Step 1 — Confirm your document qualifies
California apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State for documents originating in California — vital records, notarized documents, court records, and official government-issued certificates. If your document is from another state, it must be apostilled by that state's authority.
Step 2 — Obtain a certified copy if required
For vital records (birth, marriage, death), you need a certified copy from the county recorder or the California Department of Public Health. For notarized documents, the original notarized version is submitted directly.
Step 3 — Submit to the California Secretary of State
The Secretary of State's office in Sacramento or Los Angeles processes apostilles. Mail processing currently takes 10–15 business days. In-person drop-off is faster but requires travel.
Step 4 — Use a professional service for 2-day results
Through CaliforniaApostille.US, we handle the entire submission at the Secretary of State office and return your apostilled document in just 2 business days. First apostille is $180, and $75 for each additional document.
Step 5 — Receive and ship your document
Your apostilled document is valid in all 120+ Hague Convention member countries. We can ship to you, your embassy, consulate, or any international address via FedEx, UPS, or DHL.
📘 DIY Guides available:
🇺🇸 How to Apostille a Notarized Document in California — Gumroad
🇺🇸 DIY Apostille Made Easy Guide for California Documents — Amazon Kindle
🇺🇸 Easy Guide – California Edition: Step-by-Step Instructions — Amazon Kindle
Ready to get your California Apostille?
First apostille $180 · $110 each additional · 2-day processing · English & Español
Order your California Apostille →S. Musetti has been providing Notary Public, Apostille, and Spanish translation services since 2003. Member of the National Notary Association, certified signing agent. Service area: California statewide. Tel: (707) 992-5551.