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
Affidavit route (self-prepared — no issuing office): 1. Draft the affidavit. Name the child, the parent(s), and the facts attested; attach 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. (If both parents sign, each signature is its own $15 jurat.) 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Official VDOP route (if the destination needs the legally binding document): obtain a free certified copy of the filed VDOP by submitting a notarized Request for a Filed Voluntary Declaration of Parentage (Form DCSS 0918) to the Parentage Opportunity Program, P.O. Box 419070, Rancho Cordova, CA 95741. Apostille that certified copy via the certified route (or the court judgment, #59). Who can.
Frequently asked questions
Affidavit, VDOP, or court judgment — which do I need?
A private affidavit is a sworn statement; the VDOP (DCSS 0909) is California’s official declaration that equals a court judgment once filed; a court judgment (#59) settles contested cases. Confirm which the destination requires.
What exactly do I submit (affidavit route)?
Your sworn Affidavit of Paternity, notarized with a jurat. The SOS apostilles the notary’s signature.
How do I get a copy of a filed VDOP?
Submit a notarized Form DCSS 0918 to the Parentage Opportunity Program; a certified copy is free and mailed to you.
Can I use a VDOP form I downloaded?
No — the public copy is marked “SAMPLE ONLY.” Obtain the official form/copy through authorized agencies.
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).