California Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation Apostille

Proving the corporation is registered/qualified to do business in California — for cross-border contracts, foreign bank or tax filings that ask for California registration, parent-company or group due diligence abroad, and government/tender requirements that the entity is properly registered in California. Common destinations: wherever a counterparty or authority wants confirmation of the company’s California registration status.

Your documents stay yours. We handle your documents and personal information only to complete your apostille — never sold, shared, or used for marketing by third parties.

Quick facts

Category: Business / Corporate
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

Issuing office. California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division. Order channels: - Online: bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov (certified copies / certificates of status available online — typically fastest). - Mail: Secretary of State, Certification and Records, P.O. Box 944260, Sacramento, CA 94244-2600. - Drop-off (in person): 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (priority over mail; special handling fee applies). Certified route (how to obtain a certified copy): 1. Identify the entity exactly — the registered corporate name in California and the SOS entity (file) number (search free at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov). 2. Order a CERTIFIED copy of the filed Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation — say “certified copy for apostille / international use.” Add a Certificate of Status if the destination wants proof the registration is active. 3. Pay the fees (below). Confirm the SOS.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly do I order?

A certified copy of the filed Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation (S&DC-S/N) from the California Secretary of State. Say “certified copy for apostille.”

What does “foreign” mean here?

Formed outside California — another U.S. state or another country. This is the filing that registers such a corporation to do business in California.

Does this prove my company exists in its home country?

No — it proves California registration. For home-country existence, you generally need the home-jurisdiction formation documents.

Can I just print it from the state website?

No — a free filed image isn’t certified. The apostille authenticates the SOS certification, which only a paid certified copy carries.

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).

Compliant with the rules that actually get documents accepted