Quick facts
- Category: Professional License
- 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
Source. Your physical FAA airman certificate, or a printout of the FAA Airmen Inquiry record (free), or an official replacement/records copy from the FAA Airmen Certification Branch (Oklahoma City). Notarized route (what you actually do for the California apostille): 1. Assemble the underlying copy. Use a clear copy of your airman certificate and/or an FAA Airmen Inquiry printout showing your name, certificate number, ratings, and status. 2. Sign a copy-certification by affidavit before a California notary — a sworn statement that “the attached is a true and correct copy of my FAA airman (pilot) certificate, #____.” The notary takes your acknowledgment (or administers a jurat) and authenticates your signature. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. If the destination requires federal authentication of the FAA original instead:.
Frequently asked questions
Can California apostille my FAA pilot certificate?
Not the FAA original directly — that’s federal. But California can apostille a notarized copy you make before a California notary (the SOS authenticates the notary).
When do I use the U.S. Department of State instead?
When the destination specifically requires federal authentication of the FAA-issued document itself. Federal-official documents route to the U.S. Dept of State, Office of Authentications.
What exactly do I submit for the California route?
A notarized copy-certification affidavit with a copy of your airman certificate (or FAA Airmen Inquiry) attached.
Can a notary certify the copy of my certificate?
No — a California notary may copy-certify only a power of attorney. You sign a sworn statement and the notary notarizes your signature.
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).