Quick facts
- Category: Power of Attorney / Authorization
- 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
Self-prepared — no issuing office. 1. Draft the limited POA. Name the agent and precisely define the powers and any time limit. Add durable language only if you intend durability (#229). 2. Sign and acknowledge before a California notary. The principal personally appears with satisfactory ID and acknowledges the signature; the notary completes the acknowledgment. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. (For a copy, the notary can certify a copy of the POA, §4307.) Who can create it. The principal. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the acknowledgment (Gov. Code §8211(a)); usually same-day. Drafting is free. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s acknowledgment — current commission, legible seal/signature, commission number and expiration shown. The SOS verifies the notary, then attaches.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from a general POA?
A limited POA grants authority only for the named act(s)/period; a general POA (#227) is broad.
Acknowledgment or jurat?
Acknowledgment — a POA is signed willingly, not sworn.
Can a limited POA be durable?
Yes — add the durable language (#229) if you want it to survive incapacity.
Can I apostille a copy?
Yes — a California notary can certify a copy of a POA ($15, §4307), and that copy can be apostilled.
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).