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. Veterinary Medical Board (VMB), Department of Consumer Affairs. Verification: DCA license search at search.dca.ca.gov (free); BreEZe at breeze.ca.gov. Consumer Information Center: (800) 952-5210; email vmb@dca.ca.gov. Notarized route (what you actually do): 1. Assemble the underlying copy. Use a clear copy of your RVT registration, or a printout of your DCA license verification showing your name, RVT number, type, and current status. An official record copy can also be obtained via a Public Records Act request to the Board. 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 Registered Veterinary Technician registration, RVT #____.” The notary takes your acknowledgment (or administers a jurat) and authenticates your signature. 3. Confirm the notary’s seal, signature, commission.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I submit?
A notarized copy-certification affidavit with a copy of your RVT registration (or DCA verification) attached. The SOS apostilles the California notary’s signature.
Should I use the Letter of Good Standing?
No — that’s for transferring to another state’s board, not for foreign apostille (and it’s currently delayed). Use a notarized copy.
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 RVT registration?
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).