California Apostille FAQ

Standard California Secretary of State mail-in processing takes 5–7 business days from the date we file. SOS workload can extend this period. In-person Sacramento filing is faster when eligible. Same-day service is available through our Sacramento courier at $550 — call to confirm current availability before sending documents.

The apostille certificate itself does not expire. However, some destination authorities — especially for vital records — require recently issued source documents. Confirm the destination country’s document-age requirements before ordering a new certified copy. We verify this during the $45 Document Check.

A California apostille is for documents going to Hague Convention member countries — issued by the California SOS. Authentication + embassy legalization is for non-Hague countries (China, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, etc.) — handled by the U.S. Department of State then the destination embassy. The two routes are not interchangeable — using the wrong one results in rejection.

$175 — standard mail-in apostille, per document
$200 — notary + apostille (we coordinate both steps)
$400 — same-day notary + apostille
$425 — door-to-door San Francisco same-day
$550 — same-day Sacramento courier filing
$45 — Document Check (credited toward your service)

A pre-flight review before you commit to service. We verify document type, issuing authority, certification format, destination country requirements, and correct routing (California SOS vs. federal OSCA). If anything would cause a rejection, we catch it here — before you’ve mailed any originals. The $45 is credited toward your apostille fee. Start a Document Check →

The most common rejection causes: wrong format (photocopy instead of certified original) · incomplete notarial wording · unclear registrar or notary signatures · missing county certification for pre-2005 vital records · incorrect routing (sending a federal document to California SOS). Our $45 Document Check catches all of these before filing.

No. FBI Identity History Summary reports are federal documents issued by the FBI CJIS Division. They must be authenticated through the U.S. Department of State OSCA in Washington D.C. — not the California SOS. Filing with Sacramento results in rejection. See the FBI Background Check Apostille guide for the correct federal route.

Yes — with a certified copy from CDPH or the county recorder. Hospital souvenir certificates and photocopies are rejected. Pre-2005 certificates may need an additional county certification step before SOS filing. We verify during the $45 Document Check. See the full Birth Certificate Apostille guide.

In most cases, yes. Diplomas are private documents — a California notary must notarize your acknowledgment of the diploma before the SOS will accept it. Official transcripts bearing the registrar’s original raised or colored seal may qualify for direct apostille without notarization. We coordinate both steps. See the Diploma Apostille guide.

No. Whether it’s a vital record, court record, diploma, or notarized document — the California SOS requires a certified original or a properly notarized version. Ordinary photocopies are rejected without review, regardless of quality or clarity.

Yes. We offer international courier service from our San Francisco office. Once the apostille is issued and returned to us, we forward it directly to your destination. Mention the destination country and delivery address when you submit — we include a courier quote alongside the apostille fee.

Yes, for California SOS apostilles when the SOS allows in-person filing that day. We courier to Sacramento and file the same day we receive your document. Same-day service is $550. Not available for federal documents — OSCA processing cannot be expedited the same way. Call to confirm availability before sending: (415) 439-0289.