Quick facts
- Category: Power of Attorney / Authorization
- 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
Self-prepared — no issuing office. 1. Draft the durable POA. Name the agent and powers, and include the durable language (§4124). Decide immediate vs. springing (effective on incapacity, which needs a mechanism to determine incapacity). 2. Sign and acknowledge before a California notary. The principal personally appears with satisfactory ID and acknowledges the signature; the notary completes the acknowledgment. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. (For a copy, the notary can certify a copy of the POA, §4307.) Who can create it. The principal — and they must have capacity at the time of signing. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the acknowledgment (Gov. Code §8211(a)); usually same-day. Drafting is free. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s acknowledgment — current commission,.
Frequently asked questions
What makes it durable?
The durable language (§4124) stating it survives the principal’s incapacity. Without it, the POA ends on incapacity.
What’s a springing POA?
One that becomes effective upon incapacity (rather than immediately); it needs a way to establish that incapacity.
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Acknowledgment — a POA is acknowledged, not sworn.
Can I apostille a copy?
Yes — a California notary can certify a copy of a POA ($15, §4307), and that copy can be apostilled.
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).