Quick facts
- Category: Medical / Health
- 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
Physician-signed. 1. Obtain the certificate from a California physician after any required examination; it should state the fitness conclusion and be on letterhead. 2. The physician personally appears before a California notary with satisfactory ID; the notary completes an acknowledgment (or jurat if the physician swears to accuracy). 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Who signs. The examining/certifying physician. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 (Gov. Code §8211(a)/(b)); physician/exam fees vary. Notarization usually same-day once the physician is available. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s certificate on the physician’s signature — current commission, legible seal/signature, commission number and expiration shown. The SOS verifies the notary, then attaches the apostille. The.
Frequently asked questions
Will a notarized physician certificate be accepted?
Often yes — but some countries (notably Gulf work visas) require an approved panel exam instead. Confirm first.
Who gets notarized?
The physician who signs the certificate.
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Acknowledgment for a signed certificate; jurat if the physician swears to accuracy.
My notary is out of state — OK?
No. Only a California notary’s signature can be apostilled by the California 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).