Quick facts
- Category: Financial / Real Estate
- 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 identifying you, the property, and your ownership (attach the deed reference if helpful). 2. Personally appear before a California notary with satisfactory ID; swear and sign in the notary’s presence; the notary completes the jurat. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Who swears it. The property owner (the affiant). Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the jurat (Gov. Code §8211(b)); usually same-day. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s jurat on the affidavit — current commission, legible seal/signature, commission number and expiration shown. The SOS verifies the notary, then attaches the apostille. Jurat (the statement is sworn). Notarial wording must be current California language and in English (the affidavit body can be.
Frequently asked questions
Affidavit or recorded deed?
An affidavit is your sworn statement; a certified copy of the recorded deed (#269/#272) is the recorded instrument. Use whichever the destination requires (sometimes both).
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Jurat — the affidavit is sworn.
Does the apostille prove I own the property?
No — it authenticates the notary, not the truth of ownership.
Do I have to appear in person?
Yes — swear and sign before the notary with valid ID.
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).