California Birth Certificate Apostille and Legalization

Need a birth certificate apostille? SF Notary + Apostille explains the California apostille and international legalization process.

What is a birth certificate?

A birth certificate is a government vital record documenting a person’s birth. The original record remains on file with the appropriate government agency. When an apostilled birth certificate is required, you will need an authorized certified copy of the birth record (birth certificate) issued by the county public health department, county clerk-recorder, or California Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records.

What is a birth certificate apostille?

A birth certificate apostille is a Hague Convention apostille (a.k.a. Secretary of State apostille) that authenticates a birth certificate so that it gains legal recognition abroad. Apostilled birth certificates are often required when applying to marry overseas and for immigration, visa, dual citizenship, foreign estate settlement, and other legal matters.

The California Secretary of State (CA SOS) requires submission of a authorized certified copy of the birth certificate. A CA SOS staff member first reviews the birth certificate to confirm that it is eligible for an apostille and verifies the signature of the county official who signed it. If the document meets all requirements, the Secretary of State issues a numbered apostille certificate, which is attached to the birth certificate. The apostille is then permanently bound to the record with the official red circular seal, stamped so that half appears on the apostille certificate and the other half on the birth certificate.

Our expedited apostille service completes this process in as little as one to two business days.

If the birth certificate will be used in a country that is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention—such as Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, or Vietnam—additional authentication and embassy or consulate legalization may be required. The exact process depends on the destination country. Our price quote will explain each required step, the estimated processing time, and the total cost. See Step 3 below.

How do I obtain a birth certificate apostille/legalization?

Follow these steps to help us obtain an apostilled birth certificate for you as quickly as possible.

Step 1: Confirm that the birth certificate you possess is eligible for an apostille

Skip to the next step if you need to order a birth certificate.

Birth certificates issued in any of California's 58 counties are eligible for California Secretary of State apostilles. Although we mainly focus on obtaining CA SOS apostilles for clients, if you have a birth certificate issued outside of California, we may be able to help you. Please email info@sfnotary.com with details or call +1 (415) 655-9455 to discuss.

California periodically updates its birth certificates to add security features that help protect against fraud and identity theft. Although older certified copies may remain eligible for an apostille, the California Secretary of State or the receiving authority overseas may require a recently issued copy. We recommend obtaining a new authorized certified copy whenever possible.

California birth-certificate formats vary by issuing county and date of issuance. An apostille-eligible certificate should be an authorized certified copy bearing the name, title, and signature of an eligible county or state official. The California Secretary of State authenticates that official’s signature, not the information recorded in the certificate.

The California Secretary of State does not apostille ordinary, self-certified, or notarized photocopies of California birth certificates. Foreign authorities may also reject older certified copies, even when those copies remain eligible for an apostille. We recommend obtaining a recently issued authorized certified copy whenever possible.

Step 2: Obtain a authorized certified copy of the birth certificate, if needed

How to Order an Authorized Certified California Birth Certificate

You can order an authorized certified copy of a California birth certificate in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek. Select the appropriate Bay Area county below for county-specific details. For birth certificates issued in other California counties, go to the appropriate county website or contact the county clerk or vital records office directly.

Birth certificates ordered online or by mail may take several weeks to arrive. If you need an apostille-eligible authorized certified birth certificate quickly and cannot retrieve it personally, SF Notary + Apostille can pick up authorized certified birth certificates for individuals and eligible family members from county clerks and vital records offices in Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties

Who Can Obtain an Apostille-Eligible Authorized Certified Copy?

Only certain authorized individuals, including eligible relatives and representatives acting under a valid power of attorney, may obtain an authorized certified copy of a California birth certificate. If you are not eligible, the county will only provide you with a redacted informational copy, which is not eligible for an apostille from the California Secretary of State.

To obtain an authorized certified copy by mail or through VitalChek, the requesting party generally must sign a Sworn Statement confirming that they are an eligible family member or are acting under a valid power of attorney. The Sworn Statement must be notarized by a U.S. notary public. For VitalChek orders, the completed form can typically be scanned and uploaded or returned by fax.

Requesting parties outside the United States may be able to have the Sworn Statement notarized at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Because notarial appointments can be limited, schedule your appointment as early as possible.

VitalChek may accept a Sworn Statement notarized remotely by a U.S. online notary, depending on the issuing county’s requirements.

San Francisco County‍           ‍Alameda County‍           ‍San Mateo County

Step 3: Email us for a price quote

In order to get a quick price quote, email info@sfnotary.com with the following information:

• Your name, telephone number, and current physical location

• The name, address, telephone number, and email address of the person to whom we will ship the apostilled birth certificate

• The destination country (e.g. France)

• The physical location of the birth certificate, ordering status (if you ordered one), or your need for assistance obtaining a birth certificate

We will respond with a price quote, estimated timing, and payment instructions. Once we receive payment, we will start the apostille/legalization process.

Step 4: Send the birth certificate to us (when applicable)

If you are shipping an authorized certified copy of a birth certificate to us, please wait until we have reviewed a scan and confirmed that the certificate appears eligible for an apostille. Once we approve it for submission, please send the birth certificate to:

SF Notary + Apostille
459 Fulton Street #303
San Francisco, CA 94102

If you are paying by check, please make it out to “SF Notary + Apostille.” Otherwise, we will send you an invoice by email with a payment link that allows you to pay by credit card.

Step 5: We do the rest

As soon as we have the birth certificate, we will obtain an apostille from the Secretary of State in Sacramento and ship it within one to two business days. If you need the certificate legalized for acountry that is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, we will obtain the consulate, embassy and/or US State Department authentications for you for an additional fee, then ship it as soon as it is fully apostilled and legalized. We use FedEx Priority Overnight Service for USA destinations and FedEx International Priority Service for overseas destinations. For any document shipped overseas, we will also send you a scan of the apostilled document for your records.

Frequently asked questions about California birth certificate apostilles

Can I get an apostille on a photocopy of a California birth certificate?

No. The California Secretary of State does not apostille ordinary, self-certified, or notarized photocopies of California birth certificates. You must submit an eligible certified copy issued by an authorized California county or state agency.

Can I get an apostille on an informational birth certificate?

Informational copies bear a disclaimer such as “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY.” They should not be submitted for a California apostille. You will need an authorized certified copy issued by an eligible county or state agency.

What if the birth certificate is old?

Recipients may reject older birth certificates. Check with the requesting party to ensure that the issue date on the birth certificate (found near the bottom left corner) is recent enough for your matter. Clients have reported that their birth certificates were rejected because they were older than six months or a few years.

Whose birth certificate can I order?

California birth certificates are not public record, so only certain individuals are authorized to obtain an authorized certified copy. You can generally request a copy of your own birth certificate and those of your children, spouse, domestic partner, parents, and certain extended family members.

In addition, you can also give authority to a third party by power of attorney or other legal instrument to obtain one of these birth certificates on your behalf.

What if I’m located outside of the county, state, or country?

If you live outside the county where the person was born, or do not have time to visit the county office, we may be able to retrieve an authorized certified copy of the birth certificate on your behalf using a notarized limited power of attorney. If you are not facing an urgent deadline, you may also order the certificate online or by mail and have it shipped directly to us.

Online and mail orders generally require the requesting party to complete a notarized Sworn Statement that must also be notarized by a U.S. notary. This Sworn Statement may be notarized in person by a U.S. notary public or, depending on the county, remotely by an online notary commissioned in a state that authorizes remote online notarization.

If you are outside the United States, you may be able to obtain notarial services from a U.S. embassy or consulate or use an approved U.S. remote online notary. Acceptance requirements vary by county, so please contact us before proceeding.

Alameda County provides an additional online option: Eligible applicants who successfully complete Alameda County’s electronic identity-verification process can order an authorized certified copy without submitting a notarized Sworn Statement. Applicants who cannot complete or choose not to use electronic verification must submit a notarized authorization statement.

How long does a birth certificate take to arrive?

Online and mail-in birth certificate orders can take several weeks to process. Viatlchek and some government agencies currently estimate processing times of up to 90 days. The fastest option is generally to request the certificate in person from the appropriate county office.

If you cannot visit the office personally, an eligible family member, attorney, or authorized representative may be able to retrieve the certificate for you. Using a notarized limited power of attorney, we can generally obtain an authorized certified copy within two business days. This limited power of attorney must be notarized in person or through an approved U.S. remote online notary service, which we can help arrange. Before proceeding, please email info@sfnotary.com or call +1 (415) 655-9455 so that we can confirm the appropriate process.

Contact us about a birth certificate apostille

Need a California birth certificate retrieved and/or apostilled? Email info@sfnotary.com or call +1 (415) 655-9455. Please include the county of birth, destination country, location of the current certificate, shipping details for the apostilled certificate, and your required completion date.

Disclaimer: Information on this website is for informational purposes only. These instructions are based on our knowledge and experience and are meant to be helpful; however, they might contain errors. Please let us know if you encounter mistakes so that we can promptly correct them. SF Notary + Apostille is not a law firm, and its agents are not attorneys. Please contact a licensed attorney or your local bar association for counsel on legal matters.