Quick facts
- Category: Business / Corporate
- 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
Issuing office. California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division. Order channels: - Online: bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov (certified copies / certificates available online — typically fastest). - Mail: Secretary of State, Certification and Records, P.O. Box 944260, Sacramento, CA 94244-2600. - Drop-off (in person): 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (priority over mail; special handling fee applies). Certified route (how to obtain a certified copy): 1. Identify the entity exactly — name as registered and the SOS entity (file) number (search free at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov). 2. Order a CERTIFIED copy of the specific filed Certificate of Amendment — say “certified copy for apostille / international use.” Add a Certificate of Status if the destination wants proof the entity is active. 3. Pay the fees (below). Confirm the SOS certification stamp, signature, and State Seal are.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I order?
A certified copy of the filed Certificate of Amendment from the California Secretary of State. Say “certified copy for apostille.”
I changed my company name — is this the document?
Usually yes — a Certificate of Amendment records the name change. Some destinations also want the original or restated Articles to show before/after.
Can I just print it from the state website?
No — a free image isn’t certified. The apostille authenticates the SOS certification on a paid certified copy.
How much is the certified copy?
$5 certification plus copy fees ($1 first page, $0.50 each additional) — about $6–$7. (That’s separate from the original filing fee.)
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).