California Secretary of State Apostille: What It Is and How It Works

What the California Secretary of State Does

Which California Documents Qualify?

1. 1 Certified public records Birth, marriage, and death certificates and other records issued by a California government office. These need an official certified copy signed by the proper public official.
2. 2 Privately signed documents that are notarized Powers of attorney, affidavits, declarations, and many business and school documents. The signer appears before a California notary, and the notary's signature is what the Secretary of State authenticates. If you need a notary, see Gale Ranch Notary.

The group your document belongs to decides what you need to do before submission. Getting this wrong is the most common cause of delays.

Apostille or Legalization?

• Country in the Hague Apostille Convention: the apostille is enough.
• Country outside the Convention: California issues an authentication certificate, and the document generally also needs legalization by that country's embassy or consulate.

Tell us the destination country and we'll confirm which route you need.

Before You Submit: A Quick Checklist

1. 1 Is the document an original or an official certified copy, not a photocopy?
2. 2 Has it been signed in front of a notary if it's a private document?
3. 3 Is the notarial certificate complete, with no blank spaces?
4. 4 Does the receiving office require a translation or a recently issued copy?
5. 5 Do you know whether the destination needs an apostille or legalization?

If any answer is "not sure," send us the details before you submit anything.

Common Mistakes That Cause Rejection

• Notarizing a photocopy of a vital record
• Using the wrong type of notarial certificate
• Signing the document before meeting the notary
• Missing pages, signatures, or dates
• Submitting a document from another state

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