Quick facts
- Category: Financial / Real Estate
- 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
County Recorder-certified copy. 1. Confirm the deed is recorded with the County Recorder for the property’s county. If not yet recorded, record it first (recording requires the original notarized deed; recording fees apply). 2. Request a certified copy of the recorded grant deed from the County Recorder. 3. The Recorder issues the certified copy (official signature/seal): $1.00 certification (Gov. Code §27364) + per-page copy fee (county-set, Gov. Code §27366). Who issues it. The County Recorder. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): $1.00 certification + county-set per-page copy fee; turnaround varies by county (same-day in person at many Recorders, longer by mail). What the SOS needs to see: a County Recorder-certified copy bearing the Recorder’s official certification, signature, and seal. The SOS verifies the official’s signature, then attaches the apostille. No notary.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just notarize a copy of my deed?
No — for a recorded deed, get a County Recorder-certified copy; the SOS authenticates the Recorder, not a notary.
Does the deed need to be recorded first?
Yes — only a recorded deed is a public record the Recorder can certify.
Grant deed vs. quitclaim deed?
A grant deed transfers with implied warranties; a quitclaim (#270) transfers only whatever interest the grantor has. The apostille route is the same.
Does the apostille prove I own the property?
No — it authenticates the Recorder’s certification, not title validity.
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).