Apostille Map

California Apostille: $20 Fee, Addresses & Processing Times (2026)

Updated 2026-10-12

The California Secretary of State issues apostilles that authenticate California public officials' signatures on documents used outside the United States. The base fee is $20 per apostille. Mail requests go only to the Sacramento Notary Public Section and are processed in the order received (no mail expedite). Same-day in-person service is available in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and at periodic pop-up shops, with an extra $6 special handling fee per distinct public official signature. Below are the fees, addresses, cover-sheet rules, and rejection traps, checked against sos.ca.gov in October 2026.

California apostille at a glance

Details
Issuing officeCalifornia Secretary of State, Notary Public Section
Fee (mail)$20.00 per apostille (no special handling fee by mail)
Fee (in person)$20.00 per apostille + $6.00 special handling per distinct public official signature authenticated
Cover sheetRequired: name the country where the document will be used (use SOS cover sheet or write your own)
USPS mail addressNotary Public Section, P.O. Box 942877, Sacramento, CA 94277-0001
Courier mail address (FedEx/UPS/DHL)Notary Public Section, 1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814
Sacramento in person1500 11th Street, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 (same-day counter)
Los Angeles in person300 South Spring Street, Room 12513, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (Ronald Reagan Building; temporarily suite 1215 on the 1st floor due to an elevator outage—confirm on sos.ca.gov)
Mail processingIn order received only; SOS Current Processing Dates page (checked Oct 2026) showed Sacramento working mail received 08/18/2026 (page last updated 08/28/2026). Recheck before you ship.
In-person processingTypically within about 30 minutes after submission; arrive by 4:30 p.m. to guarantee service
Payment (Sacramento in person)Credit card (Visa/Mastercard), check, money order, or cash; checks/money orders payable to Secretary of State
Payment (Los Angeles in person)Credit card (Visa/Mastercard), check, or money order; cash not accepted
Payment (mail)Check or money order payable to Secretary of State for $20.00 per apostille
Contact(916) 653-3595 (apostille / Notary Public Section)

Which documents California can apostille

California apostilles documents signed by a California public official, or original notarized and/or certified California documents. Photocopies are not acceptable. Typical examples include California vital records (birth, death, marriage), court documents, school records when properly certified or notarized, and California notarial acknowledgments. Federal documents such as FBI Identity History Summaries, naturalization certificates, and IRS letters are apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, not the California SOS. Related guides on this site cover birth certificates, marriage certificates, FBI background checks, and diplomas.

How to get an apostille in California by mail

  1. Prepare the original document signed by a California public official, or an original notarized/certified California document—not a photocopy.
  2. Include a cover sheet that states the country where the document will be used. You can use the SOS Apostille Mail Request Cover Sheet or write your own with the destination country, your return address, and a phone and email.
  3. Pay $20.00 per apostille with a check or money order payable to Secretary of State. Mail requests do not pay the $6 special handling fee.
  4. Include a self-addressed return envelope. For tracking, provide prepaid postage or a prepaid carrier label; otherwise the office returns via regular USPS mail.
  5. Mail via USPS to: Notary Public Section, P.O. Box 942877, Sacramento, CA 94277-0001. For FedEx, UPS, or DHL, send to: Notary Public Section, 1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.
  6. Expect first-come, first-served processing. The SOS will not pull mail for rush service. For urgency, use overnight shipping both ways and/or go in person in Sacramento, Los Angeles, or a pop-up shop.

Mail vs in-person vs pop-up vs courier

OptionSpeedLimits / notes
Mail (Sacramento only)Depends on backlog; check Current Processing DatesCheapest path if you are not near an office. No mail expedite once received.
Sacramento counterTypically ~30 minutes$20 + $6 special handling per distinct official signature. Cash OK. Cover sheet required.
Los Angeles counterTypically ~30 minutes (take-a-number)$20 + $6 special handling; no cash. Temporary suite 1215 1st floor during elevator outage.
Pop-up shopsSame day at the eventPeriodic county locations (e.g. Santa Ana, Merced, San Bernardino, San Diego, Richmond scheduled in late 2026). Confirm dates on sos.ca.gov.
Private courier / expediterOften a few business days including shippingUseful if you cannot appear in person. Adds a service fee on top of the $20 state fee (and in-person $6 when they file at the counter).

Common reasons California apostille requests are rejected

  1. Sending a photocopy instead of an original or properly certified/notarized document.
  2. Missing cover sheet or omitting the destination country.
  3. Wrong payment amount, or a check/money order not payable to Secretary of State.
  4. Sending a federal document (such as an FBI background check) to the California SOS.
  5. No return envelope, or expecting the office to expedite a mail request out of order.
  6. Using cash at the Los Angeles office (cash is not accepted there).

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FAQ

How much does an apostille cost in California?
$20.00 per apostille. In-person requests also pay a $6.00 special handling fee for each different public official signature authenticated. Mail requests do not pay the $6 fee. Example: one document, one official, in person = $26; five documents with one official in person = $106; five documents with five different officials in person = $130.
How long does a California apostille take?
In person in Sacramento or Los Angeles, requests are typically processed within about 30 minutes if you arrive by 4:30 p.m. Mail is first come, first served with no rush pull. As of the SOS Current Processing Dates page checked in October 2026, Sacramento was processing mail received 08/18/2026 (that page last updated 08/28/2026)—recheck sos.ca.gov/notary/processing-times/ before you ship.
Where do I mail documents for a California apostille?
USPS: Notary Public Section, P.O. Box 942877, Sacramento, CA 94277-0001. FedEx/UPS/DHL: Notary Public Section, 1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. Include the document, destination-country cover sheet, $20 per apostille payment, and a self-addressed return envelope.
Can California apostille a photocopy?
No. The document must be signed by a California public official or be an original notarized and/or certified document. Photocopies are not acceptable.
Can the California Secretary of State apostille an FBI background check?
No. FBI background checks are federal documents. The U.S. Department of State apostilles them. See our FBI background check apostille guide on this site.
Is this legal advice?
No. Requirements and processing dates change. Verify on sos.ca.gov before you file.

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