How Much Does an Apostille Cost in California?

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By the notaries at Mar Vista Cheap Mobile Notary, commissioned by the California Secretary of State · Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources: California Secretary of State: Apostille, U.S. Department of State: Authentications, Government Code § 8211

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Every cost, line by line

Item	Typical cost	When it applies
California apostille	$20 per apostille, plus a handling fee in person	Every California document (one apostille per document)
Federal apostille (U.S. Department of State)	$20 per document	FBI checks and other federal documents
Notarization	Up to $15 per signature (state cap)	Personal documents: powers of attorney, affidavits, consents, copy certifications
Certified copy of a vital record	Set by the county or state; varies by record	Birth, marriage and death certificates, if you need a fresh copy
Translation	Usually priced per page or per word	Most non-English-speaking destinations
Embassy or consulate legalization	Set by each country; varies widely	Countries outside the Hague Convention
Service fee and travel	Quoted per job	When we notarize at your location and take the documents to the Secretary of State

Check sos.ca.gov and the State Department for current government fees; they change from time to time.

Example totals (government fees only)

• Power of attorney for Mexico: one notarization ($15 for one signer) + one California apostille ($20) = $35, plus translation if requested.
• Birth certificate for Italian citizenship: the county’s fee for a fresh certified copy + one apostille ($20), plus a translation into Italian.
• FBI background check for Spain: the FBI’s fee for the Identity History Summary + one federal apostille ($20), plus a sworn translation.
• Business documents for China: one apostille per document ($20 each; China joined the Hague Convention in 2023), plus translation.

What makes an apostille cost more

• More documents. Each document gets its own apostille. A five-document packet is five apostille fees.
• Federal documents. The State Department is slower than the California office and usually means mailing to Washington, D.C. (federal apostilles).
• Non-Hague countries. Authentication plus embassy legalization adds the embassy’s fee and time (apostille vs. authentication).
• Rush timing. Same-day walk-in service at the Los Angeles office saves weeks over mail, but needs someone to stand in line.
• Rejections. The most expensive apostille is the one that gets sent back. A wrong copy or a defective notarial certificate means paying for everything twice.

How our pricing works

We quote one total before you commit: the notarization, our travel to you, the government fees, and taking the documents through the Secretary of State’s Los Angeles office. If you also need a translation, it’s included in the quote. Call (424) 484-9268 with the documents and destination country for an exact price.

Common questions

How much is an apostille in California?

The Secretary of State charges $20 per apostille, plus a handling fee for in-person requests. Notarization, copies, translation and service fees are separate.

Do I pay per page or per document?

Per document. A multi-page power of attorney gets one apostille.

Is it cheaper to do it myself?

You save the service fee, but you’ll need to get the right copy or notarization, and either mail the request or visit the office in person. If time matters or the documents are complex, a mistake usually costs more than the service.