Apostille San Francisco
Apostille for San Francisco records.
Two offices issue them.
A Public Health copy needs one more step.
A San Francisco birth certificate for someone under 3 comes from the Department of Public Health Office of Vital Records. For anyone older, it comes from the County Clerk at City Hall. A County Clerk copy goes straight to the Secretary of State. A DPH copy needs the County Clerk’s signature authentication first, because the Secretary of State does not have the local health registrar’s signature on file. We handle that step before filing.
Where each San Francisco record comes from.
| Record | Office | Covers | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | DPH Office of Vital Records, City Hall, Room 160 | Born less than 3 years ago | $31 per copyas posted, Oct 2026 |
| Birth | County Clerk, City Hall, Room 160 | Over 3 years old, born after 1906 | $31 per copyeffective Jan 1, 2026 |
| Death | DPH Office of Vital Records (last 3 years); County Clerk, City Hall (older, after 1906) | All years after 1906 | $26 per copy for deaths under 3 yearsas posted, Oct 2026 |
| Marriage, public | Assessor-Recorder, City Hall, Room 190 | Same day in person | $19 per copyas posted, Oct 2026 |
| Marriage, confidential | County Clerk, City Hall, Room 160 | The two spouses only | $19 per copyeffective Jan 1, 2026 |
| Divorce judgment | Superior Court Civil Records, 400 McAllister St, Room 103 415-551-3802 · M–F 8:30–4, closed 12–1 | Family law case files; mail requests may take 30 to 45 days | $0.50 per page, plus a $6 retrieval fee if the file is stored off-site. Certified divorce decree: $15, plus $0.50 per page.court request form, rev. May 2025 |
Why a DPH copy needs one more signature.
The Secretary of State authenticates the signatures of California public officials. For birth and death certificates, that means county clerks, county recorders and the State Registrar. When a certificate is signed by a health officer or local registrar, its guidance says county clerk certification “may be required,” or a certified copy from the county recorder or the state instead.
San Francisco answers that directly: “The signature of the local health registrar is not available in the California Secretary of State’s records. The County Clerk must authenticate the birth or death certificate before the California Secretary of State office can provide you with the apostille service.” The 2023 law that put county health officers’ oaths on file with the state (AB 2324) does not change this for San Francisco copies.
The County Clerk authenticates in person, or by mail with the certified copy, payment, a cover letter requesting signature authentication and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Once it comes back, it goes to the Secretary of State for the apostille.
What sends San Francisco files back.
We screen for each one in the $45 Document Check.
Done right the first time.
“Dante walked me through each step, caught issues before they became problems, and made sure everything was done correctly the first time.”
We read the signature first, handle the City Hall step if your copy needs it, then file in Sacramento.
$45 Document Check before any fee. Mail-in at $180, 2–4 weeks. Price confirmed before work begins.
Asked on San Francisco calls.
01Can my San Francisco birth certificate go straight to the Secretary of State?
02Where do I get a certified copy of a San Francisco divorce judgment?
03Which office has a death certificate from last year?
04I no longer live in San Francisco. Can you handle it without me?
2026-10: Page rebuilt from San Francisco, Superior Court and Secretary of State sources.