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 (certificates and certified copies for corporations, LLCs, and LPs — 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 the certificate): 1. Identify the entity and the specific filing — entity name, SOS file number, and which document/filing date you need certified. 2. Order a CERTIFICATE OF FILING for that document — say “for apostille / international use.” (Add a certified copy of the underlying document if the destination wants the document itself, too.) 3. Pay the fees (below). Confirm the SOS signature and State Seal are present before submitting.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I order?
An SOS Certificate of Filing for the specific document/filing you need confirmed. Say “for apostille.”
How is this different from a certified copy?
The certificate confirms a document was filed; the certified copy is the document itself with a certification stamp. Order whichever (or both) the destination wants.
How much is it?
$5 (Gov. Code §12183) per document listed; add $5 + page fees if you also want the certified copy.
Can I just print my filing confirmation?
No — a free confirmation isn’t the certificate. The apostille authenticates the SOS-issued, signed certificate.
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).
