Quick facts
- Category: Affidavit / Sworn Statement
- 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 declaration. State the facts clearly and include a sworn/affirmed statement of truth (and the destination’s required wording, if any). 2. Personally appear before a California notary with satisfactory ID. The notary administers an oath/affirmation and completes a jurat; you sign in the notary’s presence. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission number, and expiration are present and legible. Who can swear it. The declarant, about facts within their knowledge. Cost + timeline for THIS step (verified June 2026): notary $15 for the jurat (Gov. Code §8211(b)); usually same-day. Drafting is free. What the SOS needs to see: a California notary’s jurat — current commission, legible seal/signature, commission number and expiration shown. The SOS verifies the notary, then attaches the apostille. Jurat, not acknowledgment — the declarant.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apostille a penalty-of-perjury declaration?
Not by itself — it has no notary signature. Have a California notary notarize it with a jurat first.
What exactly do I submit?
Your sworn declaration, notarized with a jurat. The SOS apostilles the notary’s signature.
Is a “sworn declaration” the same as an affidavit?
Effectively yes — both are sworn statements notarized with a jurat.
Oath or affirmation?
Either — California notaries can administer an affirmation instead of a religious oath; both fit a jurat.
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).