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: None — privately drafted; a California notary public notarizes the signatures. Notaries are available at banks, shipping/UPS stores, law offices, and via mobile notaries. CA SOS Notary Public Section: (916) 653-3595. Notarized route (steps): Finalize the executed agreement (all signature blocks complete). Each signatory whose signature needs authentication signs in the physical presence of a California notary, with acceptable ID. The notary completes a current California acknowledgment for each signature, attaches the certificate(s), and affixes the seal. Confirm legibility and that the commission number/expiration appear. Who can sign it: The parties (or their authorized officers if a company is a party). Required forms: None statewide — the parties’ own agreement plus California notary acknowledgment wording. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): Up to.
Frequently asked questions
My destination country requires the distributorship to be registered — is the apostille enough?
The apostille authenticates the signature; some countries then require local registration/translation of the agreement. Check the destination’s commercial-agency rules.
Do both parties need to be notarized?
Only those whose signatures the foreign authority needs authenticated — but each one notarized must personally appear.
Parties in different states — one apostille?
No. California authenticates only California notaries; an out-of-state signer apostilles through their own state.
Is there a government fee?
No — it is a private contract; the cost is the notary fee plus the apostille.
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).