Apostille for a California birth certificate
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What it costs
$129for the first document, all-in
- Each additional
- $59
- Included
- Our service, the $20 California Secretary of State fee per apostille, and return shipping within the United States.
How it works
- You send
A photo of the certificate, then the original certified copy by mail.
- We do
Check the certificate and submit it to the California Secretary of State with the $20 fee. Each step shows on your tracking page.
- You get back
The certificate with the apostille attached, checked against your order and shipped to you.
How long it takes
- Our part
- We send your document to the authority within 1 business day of receiving it, and ship it back within 1 business day of getting it back.
- The state, by mail
State is now processing mail received Nov 3.
California Secretary of State, checked Nov 12. A current figure, not a promise.
Overnight delivery does not speed up processing, and a mailed submission cannot be pulled for expedited service.
What can go wrong
You need an original certified copy; a photocopy or a notarized copy cannot be used. A certificate signed by a county health officer or local registrar may first need a county clerk certification or a new certified copy.
A certificate signed by a local registrar or health officer
Get the county clerk certification or a new certified copy before you mail it.
A notarized copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate
Send the original certified copy.
A photocopy instead of the original
Send us the original document.
If an authority still rejects a document, we resubmit it at no service charge. Refund policy
Who can order a fresh certified copy
An authorized certified copy of a California birth, death or marriage certificate can be ordered only by the person named, a parent, legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner, and a short list of others, such as an attorney for the person or someone acting under a court order or power of attorney. A request by mail must include a notarized sworn statement.
So record retrieval works as “we prepare the request, you sign it”. It costs $49 plus the agency’s fee at cost. Record retrieval cannot be ordered online yet, because we are still confirming the agency's fee.
Questions
Can a notary certify a copy of my birth certificate?
Not for a California certificate. A California notary public cannot certify copies of vital records such as birth, death and marriage certificates. You need an original certified copy from the issuing agency.
Who can order a certified copy of a California birth certificate?
An authorized certified copy of a California birth, death or marriage certificate can be ordered only by the person named, a parent, legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner, and a short list of others, such as an attorney for the person or someone acting under a court order or power of attorney. A request by mail must include a notarized sworn statement.
Can a photocopy be apostilled?
Not for a California document. The California Secretary of State accepts original documents only, and a photocopy cannot be apostilled. Other states have their own rules, and each state's page here lists what that state says.
How long does it take?
We send your document to the authority within 1 business day of receiving it, and ship it back within 1 business day of getting it back. The authority's time is separate and we cannot promise it. Where a state publishes a figure, that state's page here shows it with the day we read it. For example: On November 12, 2026 the California Secretary of State reported it was processing mailed apostille requests received on November 3, 2026. In-person requests at the Los Angeles office are typically processed within 30 minutes.
Can you translate my document?
Yes. Certified translation costs $39 per page and is added to the same order. Countries and offices have their own translation rules, so ask the office that will receive your documents whether it accepts a certified translation made in the United States before you order one.