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 letter. Name the authorized person, the specific task, any limits/period, and your identity details. 2. Sign before a California notary. Personally appear with satisfactory ID; the notary completes an acknowledgment (or jurat if sworn). 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Who can create it. The person granting the authorization. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 (Gov. Code §8211(a)/(b)); usually same-day. Drafting is free. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s certificate (acknowledgment or jurat) — current commission, legible seal/signature, commission number and expiration shown. The SOS verifies the notary, then attaches the apostille. Notarial wording must be current California language and in English (the letter body can be in any.
Frequently asked questions
Letter or power of attorney?
A letter suits limited administrative tasks; for legal authority to bind you (contracts, property, finances), use a POA (#227/#228).
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Usually an acknowledgment; a jurat if the letter is sworn. Either way the SOS authenticates the notary.
How specific should it be?
Name the person and the exact task; vague letters get questioned abroad.
Do I have to appear before the notary?
Yes — personally appear with ID.
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).