What is an apostille?

An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the signature of a public official on a document for use outside the United States. In California, apostilles for California public officials' signatures are issued by the California Secretary of State. An apostille does not validate the contents of the underlying document.

Does Book CA Notary issue the apostille?

No. The California Secretary of State determines eligibility and issues the apostille. Book CA Notary is a private service provider that can courier eligible documents to and from the Secretary of State's Sacramento office.

Can someone else take my document to the California Secretary of State?

Yes. The California Secretary of State allows an individual to request an apostille on behalf of another person. Book CA Notary uses this process to provide private apostille courier services.

Can I ship my documents to Book CA Notary?

Yes, for requests we have reviewed and agreed to handle. Contact us before shipping original documents so we can discuss the document type, where it originated, the country where it will be used, your timing needs, and return shipping.

Should I send a photocopy or the original document?

Requirements depend on the document. Do not send a photocopy or original document until you have confirmed what is needed for your particular request.

How fast can an apostille be completed?

Processing depends on the California Secretary of State and the document being submitted. Book CA Notary does not guarantee state processing times. Our courier service is designed to avoid requiring you to personally travel to Sacramento.

Can you apostille a document from another state?

Apostille authority generally depends on the public official whose signature is being authenticated. Our Sacramento courier service is focused on documents eligible for processing through the California Secretary of State. Contact us with the document details before shipping anything.

What country information do you need?

Tell us the country where the document will ultimately be used. The destination country is important information for an apostille request, so please provide it when contacting us.

Can you notarize a document before getting the apostille?

Some documents may require notarization before they can be submitted for an apostille. When legally appropriate, Book CA Notary can discuss separate California notary services. Not every document requires or permits the same preparation, so contact us before signing or shipping the document.

How will my completed documents be returned?

We will arrange the return method with you before processing the request. Tracked shipping is recommended for important documents. Shipping charges and options can vary based on destination and requested delivery speed.

service

California Apostille Courier Service

Ship your documents to us. We hand-carry eligible California documents to the Secretary of State in Sacramento and ship the completed apostille back to you.

Need a California document apostilled for use outside the United States? Book CA Notary provides a convenient courier option for customers who do not want to make the trip to Sacramento themselves.

Ship It to Us. We Take It to Sacramento. We Ship It Back.

You do not have to spend hours driving to Sacramento just to present eligible documents for an apostille.

After we confirm that your documents are appropriate for our courier service, you can ship them to Book CA Notary. We personally take the documents to the California Secretary of State in Sacramento for apostille processing, retrieve the completed documents, and arrange shipment back to you using the agreed return method.

This service can be especially useful for individuals, businesses, funeral homes, legal professionals, schools, agencies, and other organizations located hours away from Sacramento.

How Our Apostille Courier Service Works

Tell us what document you have, where it originated, the country where it will be used, your deadline, and where the completed document needs to be returned.

We Review the Request

Before you ship anything, we review the basic information with you to help determine whether the document appears appropriate for our California apostille courier service and whether additional preparation may be needed.

Ship Your Documents to Us

Once the next steps are confirmed, send the documents using the shipping method discussed with us. Tracking is strongly recommended for important original documents.

We Hand-Carry Them to Sacramento

Book CA Notary personally presents eligible documents to the California Secretary of State's Sacramento office for apostille processing.

We Retrieve the Completed Documents

After the Secretary of State processes the request, we retrieve the completed documents.

We Ship Them Back to You

The completed documents are returned using the agreed shipping method so they can continue to their final destination.

Before You Ship Your Documents

Please contact us before mailing original documents. Apostille requirements depend on the type of document, who issued or notarized it, and where the document will be used.

What Is a California Apostille?

An apostille is a certificate used to authenticate the signature of a public official on a document that will be used outside the United States.

For California documents, the California Secretary of State is the government office that issues the apostille.

An apostille authenticates the public official's signature, the capacity in which that official acted, and, when appropriate, the seal or stamp on the document. It does not validate the contents of the underlying document.

Book CA Notary does not issue apostilles. We provide private courier and document-handling services to help customers get eligible documents to and from the California Secretary of State.

Documents Commonly Submitted for Apostille

Depending on the document and its preparation, apostille requests may involve documents such as:

• Birth certificates
• Death certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Powers of attorney
• School and educational documents
• Business documents
• Affidavits and declarations
• Documents notarized by a California notary public
• Other California public documents intended for use outside the United States

Document requirements vary. A document being on this list does not automatically mean it is ready or eligible for an apostille.

Why Use an Apostille Courier?

California offers apostille services through the Secretary of State, but getting documents to the appropriate office can be inconvenient when you live or work far from Sacramento.

Driving several hours each way can mean losing much of a workday in addition to fuel, vehicle expenses, parking, and travel time.

Our courier service provides another option: ship eligible documents to us and let a local professional handle the trip to the Sacramento Secretary of State office.

For businesses and organizations that regularly handle documents for international use, this can also help keep employees focused on their normal work instead of sending someone on a long-distance document run.

California Secretary of State Processing

The California Secretary of State determines whether a document is eligible for an apostille and performs the actual apostille service.

Processing times can change, and Book CA Notary cannot guarantee how quickly the Secretary of State will complete any particular request.

Our role is to provide the courier service: transporting eligible documents to the Sacramento office, presenting the request, retrieving the completed documents when available, and arranging their return.

Apostille Fees and Shipping

Your total cost may include separate components:

• California Secretary of State apostille fees
• California Secretary of State in-person special handling fees when applicable
• Book CA Notary courier/service fees
• Incoming shipping
• Return shipping
• Any additional document preparation or notarization services requested and legally permitted

Because apostille requests can involve different numbers and types of documents, contact us for pricing specific to your request.

Serving Customers Throughout California

You do not need to live near Sacramento to use our apostille courier service.

Eligible California documents can be shipped to Book CA Notary after the request has been reviewed with us. This makes the service useful for customers throughout Northern California and other parts of the state who would otherwise face a lengthy trip to Sacramento.

Whether you are an individual handling a document for family matters abroad or an organization that needs documents processed for international use, contact us before shipping and we will discuss the next steps.

Why Book CA Notary?

Book CA Notary combines professional document handling with convenient access to Sacramento.

You can communicate directly with us about your request, shipping arrangements, and return delivery.

Our role is clear: the California Secretary of State determines eligibility and issues the apostille, while Book CA Notary provides the private courier and related service.

California Apostille FAQs

What is an apostille?: An apostille is a certificate that authenticates the signature of a public official on a document for use outside the United States. In California, apostilles for California public officials' signatures are issued by the California Secretary of State. An apostille does not validate the contents of the underlying document.
Does Book CA Notary issue the apostille?: No. The California Secretary of State determines eligibility and issues the apostille. Book CA Notary is a private service provider that can courier eligible documents to and from the Secretary of State's Sacramento office.
Can someone else take my document to the California Secretary of State?: Yes. The California Secretary of State allows an individual to request an apostille on behalf of another person. Book CA Notary uses this process to provide private apostille courier services.
Can I ship my documents to Book CA Notary?: Yes, for requests we have reviewed and agreed to handle. Contact us before shipping original documents so we can discuss the document type, where it originated, the country where it will be used, your timing needs, and return shipping.
Should I send a photocopy or the original document?: Requirements depend on the document. Do not send a photocopy or original document until you have confirmed what is needed for your particular request.
How fast can an apostille be completed?: Processing depends on the California Secretary of State and the document being submitted. Book CA Notary does not guarantee state processing times. Our courier service is designed to avoid requiring you to personally travel to Sacramento.
Can you apostille a document from another state?: Apostille authority generally depends on the public official whose signature is being authenticated. Our Sacramento courier service is focused on documents eligible for processing through the California Secretary of State. Contact us with the document details before shipping anything.
What country information do you need?: Tell us the country where the document will ultimately be used. The destination country is important information for an apostille request, so please provide it when contacting us.
Can you notarize a document before getting the apostille?: Some documents may require notarization before they can be submitted for an apostille. When legally appropriate, Book CA Notary can discuss separate California notary services. Not every document requires or permits the same preparation, so contact us before signing or shipping the document.
How will my completed documents be returned?: We will arrange the return method with you before processing the request. Tracked shipping is recommended for important documents. Shipping charges and options can vary based on destination and requested delivery speed.

Need a California Apostille Without the Trip to Sacramento?

Start by telling us about your document, the country where it will be used, and your deadline. We will discuss the next steps before you ship anything.

Start Your Apostille Request

Disclosure

Book CA Notary is a private apostille courier service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the California Secretary of State. The California Secretary of State determines document eligibility and issues the apostille.

California Apostille Service Areas

Book CA Notary provides private Apostille courier and document-preparation assistance for appropriate California documents intended for use abroad. Select a city for location-specific information. These are service information pages, not local offices.

Alameda County

Fremont · Hayward · Oakland · San Leandro · Union City

Butte County

Chico

Contra Costa County

Concord · Richmond

El Dorado County

Placerville

Fresno County

Fresno

Humboldt County

Eureka