The California Secretary of State Los Angeles regional office issues apostilles in person at 300 South Spring Street, Room 12513, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Walk-in only — no appointments. Fee: $20 per apostille plus $6 per additional public-official signature. Cash is not accepted at the Los Angeles office — Visa, Mastercard, check, or money order only.
Four checks before you walk into 300 South Spring Street
- ✓ Document is California-issued or California-notarized. Federal records go through federal authentication routing; out-of-state records go to that state’s SOS.
- ✓ Destination is a Hague Convention party. If not, the document needs embassy or consulate legalization instead.
- ✓ Underlying record is the correct form — CDPH or county certified copy for vitals; current-commission notary acknowledgement for notarized documents.
- ✓ Payment is not cash. Bring Visa, Mastercard, check, or money order. The LA office does not accept cash.
About the California Secretary of State Los Angeles Office
The California Secretary of State Notary Public Section operates a regional public counter in Los Angeles that issues apostilles in person for California-source documents. It is one of two California counters that issue apostilles — the other is the Sacramento Secretary of State office on 11th Street.
Address
California Secretary of State
Notary Public Section
300 South Spring Street, Room 12513
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Service
Walk-in only. No appointments. Visitors take a numbered ticket on arrival and wait for their number to be called. Same-day issuance is typical when the document is eligible and counter capacity allows. Same-day outcomes are not guaranteed by the Secretary of State.
Payment Accepted
Visa, Mastercard, check, or money order made out to “Secretary of State”. Cash is not accepted at the Los Angeles office — this is the most common rejection reason at the LA counter and differs from the Sacramento counter, which does accept cash.
Phone
(213) 897-3062 — California Secretary of State Los Angeles regional office line.
Hours
Public counter hours are posted by the Secretary of State on sos.ca.gov and can change with seasonal volume. Confirm hours before traveling.
Current Room
The permanent location is Room 12513. As of 2026 the office has temporarily relocated within the building due to an elevator outage — confirm the current room on sos.ca.gov before arriving.
Fees at the Los Angeles Counter
- $20.00 per apostille (per document) — statutory.
- $6.00 Special Handling fee for each additional public-officer signature authenticated on the same submission.
- No surcharge for walk-in versus mail — fee is identical to the Sacramento counter and to mail filings.
Apostille San Francisco’s service fee is separate. See service + state fee breakdown for the full picture.
What the LA Office Issues
The Los Angeles counter authenticates the same scope of documents as the Sacramento counter: California birth, marriage, and death certificates issued by the California Department of Public Health or a county recorder; documents notarized by a California notary public; California court documents bearing a clerk’s certification; California-issued business records. Federal documents are not authenticated in California — they go through the federal authentication routing.
Sacramento vs Los Angeles — Side-by-Side
Same: $20 + $6 fee structure, walk-in only, same-day issuance when capacity allows, identical document scope, dynamic public-counter hours.
Different — Sacramento accepts cash; Los Angeles does not. Sacramento is the primary office and handles mail intake; Los Angeles is regional and walk-in only. Sacramento is at 1500 11th Street, 3rd Floor; Los Angeles is at 300 South Spring Street, Room 12513.
How Apostille San Francisco Handles LA Filings
- Document arrives at our San Francisco hub at 416 Bryant Street.
- Pre-filing eligibility review — same checks as Sacramento routing.
- Courier to the Los Angeles counter when LA timing or geography is the better fit (LA-based client coordinating an originating document, or Sacramento backlog runs longer than LA).
- Apostille attached by the LA Notary Public Section staff.
- Return delivery to the client by tracked carrier of choice.
Common Mistakes at the LA Counter
- Cash brought to LA. The most common LA-specific rejection — cash is not accepted in Los Angeles. Bring Visa, Mastercard, check, or money order.
- Informational copy of a vital record. Only CDPH or county-recorder-issued certified copies are eligible — informational copies are returned.
- Notary acknowledgement with expired commission. The notary’s commission must be current as of the date of notarization.
- Federal document. FBI, USCIS, IRS, and other federal records cannot be apostilled in California. Federal routing only.
- Missing destination-country cover sheet. Each apostille request needs a cover sheet naming the destination country.
- Assuming Sacramento and LA are identical. Same fees, same scope — but LA does not accept cash, and LA does not process mail filings. Mail filing route goes only to Sacramento.
Los Angeles Apostille Office FAQ
Where is the California apostille office in Los Angeles?
Does the LA apostille office accept cash?
Do I need an appointment at the LA apostille office?
How much does an apostille cost at the LA office?
Can the LA office issue an apostille same-day?
Can the LA office apostille federal documents like an FBI background check?
Can I mail documents to the LA office?
What is the phone number for the LA apostille office?
Related Routes and Tools
Verify eligibility before you walk into 300 South Spring Street.
One business day to confirm document type, destination country, and payment method (remember: no cash at LA). The $35 Document Check is credited 100% to your apostille service when you proceed; non-refundable if the document is declined. Same-day outcomes are not guaranteed.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-24.