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
Issuer. Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), Department of Consumer Affairs. Front counter: 2420 Del Paso Road, Suite 270, Sacramento, CA 95834. Public-records requests: BSIS Custodian of Records, P.O. Box 980550, West Sacramento, CA 95798. Public verification: DCA license search at search.dca.ca.gov (free). Notarized route (what you actually do): 1. Assemble the underlying copy. Use a clear copy of your guard card, or a printout of your DCA license verification showing your name, registration number, type (Security Guard), and current status. An official record copy can also be obtained via a Public Records Act request to BSIS. 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 California Security Guard registration (guard card), #____.” The notary takes your acknowledgment (or.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I submit?
A notarized copy-certification affidavit with a copy of your guard card (or DCA verification) attached. The SOS apostilles the California notary’s signature.
Can I apostille just the DCA verification printout?
Not alone — it carries no California signature to authenticate. Notarize a sworn copy affidavit over it first.
Can a notary certify the copy of my guard card?
No — a California notary may copy-certify only a power of attorney. You sign a sworn statement and the notary notarizes your signature.
Do I apostille my firearms or baton permit separately?
Yes — each is a separate credential needing its own notarized affidavit and its own $20 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).