Quick facts
- The destination often also wants the child's certified birth certificate (separate CDPH/county vital-record apostille) — plan for both.
- Some foreign uses require an EXEMPLIFIED copy ($50 + pages, §70628) — confirm before ordering.
- Never notarize the judgment — it's authenticated by the clerk's certification. (A Voluntary Declaration of Parentage is a different document/route.)
- General condition rules: no lamination · no post-notarization alterations · no tape · staple multipage · legible signatures/seals.
- Submitting a conformed/plain copy or download instead of a clerk-certified copy.
What to know
Issuing office. The Superior Court clerk (family law / records division) in the county where the parentage case was decided. Certified route (how to obtain a certified copy): 1. Gather the case number, party names as filed, and the judgment date. (No case number can trigger a $15 search fee if the search exceeds 10 minutes.) 2. Request a CERTIFIED copy of the FL-250 parentage judgment — "for apostille / international use." 3. If a foreign jurisdiction requires it, request an EXEMPLIFIED (triple-certified) copy instead. 4. Pay the fees (see below). Confirm the clerk's seal and signature are legible. Who can request it. The parties (and their attorneys); family-law records can have access limits — confirm with the court. Required forms. The court's records/copy request form, if any. Order the signed FL-250 judgment. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): - Certified copy of.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I order?
A certified copy of the parentage Judgment (FL-250) from the Superior Court.
Is this the same as the hospital declaration?
No — a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage is administrative; this is a court judgment. Confirm which the destination wants.
How much is the certified copy?
$40 (Gov. Code §70626(a)(4)). The $15 divorce rate does not apply.
Do I also need the birth certificate?
Often yes — foreign nationality/inheritance processes usually want both (the birth certificate has its own vital-record apostille).
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).