California Apostille Guide | Process, Documents, Timeline

Q: What's the difference between apostille and legalization?

Apostille is the single-step Hague Convention route u2014 used for documents going to one of the 120+ Hague member countries. Legalization is the multi-step embassy/consulate process for non-Hague countries. See the comparison .

Direct Answer

A California apostille is a single-step authentication issued by the California Secretary of State under the 1961 Hague Convention. It applies to eligible California vital records, notarized documents, academic records, and California-issued public documents. Filed at the Sacramento or Los Angeles counter, or by mail.

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What Documents Qualify

Apostille applies to public documents issued in California. The four eligibility buckets:

Vital records — birth, marriage, death certificates from CDPH or county recorder (long-form copies for most foreign uses). See complete eligibility taxonomy.
Court records — divorce decrees, court orders. Often need county-clerk certification of the judge’s signature before the apostille.
Notarized documents — POAs, affidavits, statements. The Secretary of State first certifies the notary’s commission, then attaches the apostille.
Academic + business records — diplomas, transcripts, articles of incorporation, certificates of good standing.

Federal Documents — Not California

FBI background checks, USCIS records, IRS letters, and other federal documents are authenticated by the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. — not by California. We coordinate federal routing separately. Federal routing →

The Filing Process

Confirm eligibility via the $35 Document Check.
Choose filing route — same-day Sacramento walk-in or mail submission.
Secretary of State attaches the apostille (counter: typically same business day when capacity allows; mail: see live posted times).
Document returns with apostille attached, ready for the destination country.
Translation, if required by the destination, is completed after the apostille — see the relevant country page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the California Secretary of State apostille office?

Two California Secretary of State locations: the Sacramento public counter at 1500 11th Street, 3rd Floor, and the Los Angeles regional office at 300 South Spring Street, Room 12513. Mail submissions go to P.O. Box 942877, Sacramento, CA 94277.

Can I get same-day service in San Francisco?

Apostilles are issued by the California Secretary of State, not in San Francisco. Same-day requires an in-person trip to the Sacramento or Los Angeles counter. We file at the counter on your behalf and return the document by tracked carrier.

Why was my apostille rejected?

Most common reasons: short-form vital record submitted when long-form was required, missing notary acknowledgment, court order without judge-signature certification, federal document submitted to California, or destination country requirements not met. The $35 Document Check catches these before fees are spent.

How do I know my document is California-eligible?

If the document was issued by a California state or local public official (county recorder, court clerk, notary public commissioned in California, school registrar at a CA institution), it qualifies. The $35 Document Check confirms this and routes federal/out-of-state documents to the correct authority.

Do I need translation?

Translation is a destination-country requirement, not a California requirement. Some countries (Italy, Spain, Mexico, France) require certified translation completed after the apostille. See the relevant country page for translation rules.

What’s the difference between apostille and legalization?

Apostille is the single-step Hague Convention route — used for documents going to one of the 120+ Hague member countries. Legalization is the multi-step embassy/consulate process for non-Hague countries. See the comparison.

How long is a California apostille valid?

An apostille doesn’t expire. However, many destination countries require the underlying document (e.g., FBI background check, marital status affidavit) be issued within 3–6 months of submission. Freshness of the source document is what matters.

Explore Next

Start with the $35 Document Check

Apostille San Francisco verifies your documents are filing-ready before California Secretary of State fees are spent. The $35 Document Check is credited 100% to your apostille service when you proceed; non-refundable if the document is declined.

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Apostille issuance is by the California Secretary of State. Apostille San Francisco is a private filing service; not a government agency; no legal advice. Outcomes are not guaranteed.

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