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 POA. Name the agent and the powers granted; use the California statutory form (§4401) or a custom form with the destination’s required clauses. Include durable language only if you intend a durable POA (#229). 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. (If you need to apostille a copy, have the notary certify a copy of the POA, §4307.) Who can create it. The principal (the person granting authority). 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 —.
Frequently asked questions
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Acknowledgment — a POA is signed willingly, not sworn. The SOS authenticates the notary’s acknowledgment.
Witnesses or notary?
California allows either to execute a POA, but only the notary version can be apostilled — there’s no signature to authenticate on a witness-only POA.
Can I apostille a copy of my POA?
Yes — a California notary can certify a copy of a power of attorney ($15, §4307), and that certified copy can be apostilled.
Does it survive my incapacity?
Not a general POA — use a Durable POA (#229) with durable language if you need that.
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).