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
Translator-prepared — no government issuing office. 1. Translate the document and prepare a Certificate of Translation Accuracy identifying the source and target languages, the document, and the translator’s statement of accuracy and qualifications. 2. The translator personally appears before a California notary with satisfactory ID. The notary administers an oath and completes a jurat; the translator signs in the notary’s presence. 3. Staple the certificate to the translation and the source document (or a copy), and confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Who can swear it. The translator (or a translation-company representative attesting to the work). Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the jurat (Gov. Code §8211(b)); usually same-day. The translation itself is priced by the translator/agency. What.
Frequently asked questions
Does the apostille prove my translation is accurate?
No — it authenticates the notary’s signature on the translator’s sworn certificate. The SOS doesn’t translate or judge accuracy.
What exactly do I submit?
The translator’s sworn Certificate of Translation Accuracy (jurat), stapled to the translation and source document.
Who has to appear before the notary?
The translator (or company representative) who signs the certificate.
Do I need a “certified/sworn” translator?
California has no state sworn-translator license; the translator certifies their own accuracy. Professional certification (e.g., the American Translators Association) can add credibility if the destination wants it.
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).