California Copy Certification of a Power of Attorney Apostille

Providing a foreign bank, registry, or authority with a certified copy of a POA while keeping the original; using the same POA in multiple places; and proving the POA’s contents abroad without producing the original. Common destinations: India, the Philippines, Mexico, the UK, and EU states.

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Quick facts

Category: Identity / Copy Certification
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

Notary-direct — no sworn affidavit needed. 1. Bring the original POA to a California notary. 2. The notary certifies a copy of the POA — comparing the copy to the original (or making the copy) and attaching the §4307 copy-certification certificate. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Who can request it. The POA holder (the principal or, in practice, whoever holds the original POA and needs a certified copy). Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 to certify a copy of a POA (Gov. Code §8211(e)); usually same-day. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s copy-certification certificate on the POA copy — current commission, legible seal/signature, commission number and expiration shown. The SOS verifies the notary, then attaches the apostille. Direct copy-certification (§4307) — not a sworn.

Frequently asked questions

Why can a notary certify a POA copy but not a passport copy?

California law specifically authorizes notaries to copy-certify a power of attorney (§4307) — it’s the only such exception. Other documents use a sworn true-copy affidavit.

Does the certified copy equal the original?

For proving the POA’s contents, a §4307-certified copy has the same force and effect as the original.

Do I need a sworn affidavit too?

No — the notary’s direct copy-certification is the document. (That’s what makes this different from #242–246, #248–250.)

Do I have to appear?

Bring the original POA; the notary certifies the copy against 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).

Compliant with the rules that actually get documents accepted