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 filed Certificate of Cancellation — say “certified copy for apostille / international use.” 3. Pay the fees (below). Confirm the SOS certification stamp, signature, and State Seal are present before submitting for apostille. Who can request it. Anyone — filed cancellations.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I order?
A certified copy of the filed Certificate of Cancellation from the California Secretary of State. Say “certified copy for apostille.”
Is cancellation the same as dissolution?
No — LLCs/LPs cancel; corporations dissolve (#75). Order the one matching your entity type.
Why apostille a cancellation?
To prove abroad that the LLC/LP has ceased to exist — e.g., to close a foreign account or registration.
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.
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).