Quick facts
- Category: Affidavit / Sworn Statement
- Apostilled by the California Secretary of State (Sacramento or Los Angeles)
- Fee: $20 per document (mail) or $26 (walk-in) at the California Secretary of State
- Free document review before you pay any government fee
- Tracked outbound and return shipping included
What to know
Self-prepared — no issuing office. 1. Draft the affidavit. Name the person and each next of kin with the relationship and the basis of your knowledge; attach a death certificate copy or supporting records if the destination asks. 2. Personally appear before a California notary with satisfactory ID. The notary administers an oath and completes a jurat; you sign in the notary’s presence. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Who can swear it. A relative or a disinterested witness with personal knowledge. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the jurat (Gov. Code §8211(b)); usually same-day. Drafting is free. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s jurat — current commission, legible seal/signature, commission number and expiration shown. The SOS verifies the notary, then attaches the.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I submit?
Your sworn Affidavit of Next of Kin, notarized with a jurat. The SOS apostilles the notary’s signature.
How is this different from an Affidavit of Heirship?
Heirship (#200) identifies the full set of heirs; next of kin focuses on the closest living relative(s). Use whichever the destination asks for.
Does it authorize an estate transfer?
Not by itself — the destination’s law (and often a court order) governs the transfer.
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Jurat — it’s sworn.
Common destinations
Countries this document is most often sent to (pulled from this page's own guidance). Every destination has its own rulebook — apostille (Hague) or full legalization (non-Hague).