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 it. 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 franchise agreement, including exhibits/schedules. The signing party (the franchisor’s authorized officer or the franchisee) signs in the physical presence of a California notary, with acceptable ID. The notary completes a current California acknowledgment, attaches it, and affixes the seal. Confirm legibility and that the commission number/expiration appear. Who can sign it: The franchisee, and/or an authorized officer of the franchisor — whoever’s signature the destination needs authenticated. Required forms: None statewide — the parties’ own agreement plus California notary acknowledgment wording. Cost + timeline for.
Frequently asked questions
Who signs — franchisor or franchisee?
Whoever’s signature the destination needs authenticated signs before a California notary. If the franchisor is out of state, it notarizes and apostilles through its own state.
Is the FDD apostilled the same way?
The Franchise Disclosure Document is separate; if a foreign authority wants it, it is notarized as its own private document and apostilled separately ($20/$26 each).
Is there a government fee for the agreement?
No — it is a private contract; the cost is the notary fee plus the apostille.
Can I apostille the franchisor’s trademark too?
A California SOS trademark/service-mark registration is a state record (certified-copy route, registry #82). A federal USPTO trademark goes to the U.S. Department of State, not the CA SOS.
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).