California Apostille Services & Processing Time Guide

What is an apostille?
An apostille is an official certificate issued by the California Secretary of State that authenticates a public official's signature for use in countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. The apostille authenticates the signature and official seal, not the contents of the document.

How do I get an apostille in California?
To get an apostille in California, the document must be California-issued or California-notarized. If notarization is required, it must be completed before the document is submitted to the California Secretary of State for apostille processing.

What documents can be apostilled in California?
California apostilles are available for birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, powers of attorney, affidavits, FBI background checks, diplomas, transcripts, corporate documents, adoption records, and other eligible California-issued or California-notarized documents.

Do California birth, marriage, and death certificates need notarization before apostille?
No. Certified California birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates do not require notarization before apostille processing. They must be certified copies issued by the proper county or state agency.

How long does California apostille processing take?
Standard apostille processing is completed within 5–7 business days after documents are received and ready for submission. Priority apostille processing is completed within 1–2 business days. Vital records are completed within 7–10 business days.

Can I get priority apostille service in California?
Yes. Priority apostille service is available for eligible California documents. Priority processing is completed within 1–2 business days after documents are received and ready for submission.

What is the difference between an apostille and embassy legalization?
An apostille is used for countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents going to non-Hague countries require authentication and embassy or consulate legalization instead of an apostille.

What is federal authentication?
Federal authentication applies to federal documents, including FBI background checks, and documents that require U.S. Department of State authentication. Federal documents are not apostilled by the California Secretary of State.

Can I mail my documents for apostille processing?
Yes. You may mail your documents for apostille processing. Once received, the documents are prepared for submission to the appropriate government office and returned securely with tracking.

How do I know if my document is ready for apostille?
The required steps depend on the document type, issuing agency, notarial wording, and destination country. If your document is incomplete, improperly notarized, issued by the wrong agency, or intended for a non-Hague country, additional steps are required before submission.

Can you help if I need the certified record first?
Yes. If you need a certified California birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, divorce decree, or court record before obtaining an apostille, I provide California Certified Record Retrieval Services for eligible requesters.