California Birth Certificate Retrieval & Apostille Service

Whether you are in California, another state, or overseas, we can manage the entire process from obtaining an authorized certified copy and securing a California Secretary of State apostille to completing any additional embassy or consulate legalization and delivering the finished documents to you or a third party by FedEx.

If you need a new birth certificate, we can retrieve it from the issuing county for you. You can also order the certificate directly from the county or VitalChek and have it mailed to our San Francisco office.

If you already have a certified birth certificate, please send us a clear, legible scan by email. We will review it for apostille eligibility before you ship the original. And if you are in the U.S., we can email you a prepaid FedEx label to ship it to us.

The Fastest Way to Obtain a California Birth Certificate Apostille

The fastest method to obtain a birth certificate is in person from the county office. If you cannot visit the county yourself, we may be able to retrieve an authorized certified copy on your behalf using a notarized limited power of attorney.

This service is especially convenient for clients who:

• Live outside California or the United States

• Cannot visit the issuing county personally

• Need the birth certificate and apostille quickly

• Want one company to manage retrieval, apostille, scanning, and shipping

We offer birth certificate retrieval services in Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties.

Who Can Order an Authorized California Birth Certificate?

California restricts who may receive an authorized certified copy of a birth certificate. The following people and entities are generally eligible:

• The person named on the birth certificate

• A parent or legal guardian of the person named on the certificate

• A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or registered domestic partner of the person named on the certificate

• A person entitled to receive the record under a court order

• An attorney representing the person named on the certificate or that person’s estate

• A licensed adoption agency or attorney requesting the record for an authorized adoption proceeding

• A law-enforcement officer or government-agency representative conducting official business

• A person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act on behalf of the person named on the certificate or that person’s estate

An eligible applicant must complete the county’s required identity verification or sign a sworn statement under penalty of perjury. Depending on the ordering method and county, the sworn statement may also need to be notarized.

A person who does not fall within one of these categories may generally order only an informational certified copy. Informational copies are marked “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY” and are not eligible for a California Secretary of State apostille.

Four Ways to Get Your Birth Certificate to Us

Option 1: We Retrieve the Birth Certificate for You

For the fastest service, we can often retrieve an authorized certified copy from a county office on behalf of an eligible applicant. Retrieval service may be available in Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Sonoma counties.

Because county policies vary, we will first confirm whether retrieval by limited power of attorney is permitted for your request.

To get started, we will need:

• The name listed on the birth certificate

• Both parents’ names

• The date and place of birth

• The applicant’s relationship to the person listed on the certificate

If the county permits us to act as your authorized agent, we will prepare a limited power of attorney specifically authorizing us to retrieve the certificate. The eligible applicant must have it notarized in person, through a U.S. remote online notary service accepted by the issuing county, or at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Remote online notarization is generally the fastest option because the electronically notarized document can be emailed to us immediately after the appointment.

Important Restriction for Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County permits us to retrieve a birth certificate using a limited power of attorney only when the authorization is signed by the person named on the birth certificate.

Although California law allows certain relatives to order authorized copies, Los Angeles County will not allow us to retrieve someone else’s birth certificate using a limited power of attorney signed by that person’s spouse, parent, grandparent, child, sibling, or other eligible relative.

For example, Los Angeles County will not allow a parent to authorize us by limited power of attorney to retrieve a minor child’s birth certificate, even an infant’s. The person named on the certificate must be able to understand and personally participate in the notarization of the limited power of attorney.

If the person named on the certificate is too young or otherwise unable to complete the notarization, an eligible relative or other authorized applicant must instead:

• Order the certificate directly from Los Angeles County

• Order it online through VitalChek

• Pick it up in person from a Los Angeles County office

When ordering by mail or online, you may be able to have the certificate delivered directly to our San Francisco office for apostille processing. Contact us before submitting the order so we can provide the correct delivery instructions.

After We Retrieve the Certificate

Once we receive the authorized certified copy, we will obtain the California Secretary of State apostille and any additional authentication or legalization required for the destination country. We will then email you a scan and generally ship the completed documents to you or a third party on the next business day.

Option 2: Order Directly from the County

You may order an authorized certified copy from the California county where the birth occurred and have it mailed directly to:

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

Many California counties require mail-in applicants to submit a Sworn Statement, which is a declaration signed under penalty of perjury confirming that the applicant is legally authorized to receive a certified copy of the birth certificate. The statement must generally bear an original, wet-ink signature notarized by a U.S. notary public. Applicants living abroad may instead be able to obtain a notarial service from a consular officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Alameda and other counties also now offer online ordering with no notarization requirement. County requirements and processing times vary widely by county and may change due to staffing levels, workloads, and other factors.

Contact us before placing your order so we know the certificate is coming and have the information needed to process it promptly upon arrival.

Option 3: Order Online Through VitalChek

Many California counties promote VitalChek for online birth certificate orders. You can request VitalChek mail the certificate directly to us at:

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

VitalChek orders usually require a notarized Sworn Statement. Depending on the issuing county, VitalChek may accept a Sworn Statement notarized through an approved U.S. remote online notary service. The notarized Sworn Statement can then be submitted to VitalChek by fax or file upload.

This is especially helpful for people living abroad who cannot easily appear before a U.S. notary public or schedule a notarial appointment with a consular officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

Option 4: Send Us a Certificate You Already Have

If you already possess a certified California birth certificate, email us a clear scan so that we can review it before shipping the original.

We will review the scan to determine whether the certificate appears eligible for a California apostille. We may recommend obtaining a newer copy if the certificate:

• Is an informational copy rather than an authorized certified copy

• Is a birth record abstract rather than the long-form birth certificate required by most foreign authorities

• Does not bear the signature of an eligible county or state official

• Is damaged or difficult to read

• Is in an older format that may no longer be accepted for apostille processing

• Does not meet the foreign authority’s recency requirement (some countries require certificates issued within the past year or even the past six months)

Please do not ship the original until we have reviewed the scan and confirmed that it appears suitable for submission.

Can I Order a Birth Certificate Online Without Notarization?

Some counties now offer electronic identity verification as an alternative to a notarized Sworn Statement.

For example, eligible applicants ordering from Alameda County may be able to order an authorized certified copy online without notarization if they successfully complete the county’s identity-verification process. Applicants who cannot complete electronic verification may still need to submit a notarized authorization statement.

County procedures change, so always review the issuing county’s current options and requirements before ordering. Read our county-specific birth certificate retrieval and apostille instructions:

San Francisco County Birth Certificate Retrieval‍           ‍Alameda County Birth Certificate Retrieval‍           ‍San Mateo County Birth Certificate Retrieval

What Is a California Birth Certificate Apostille?

An apostille is an authentication certificate issued under the Hague Apostille Convention. It verifies the signature and authority of the county or state official who certified the birth certificate so the document can be recognized in another Hague Apostille Convention member state (country).

Apostilled birth certificates are frequently required for:

• Dual-citizenship applications

• Marriage abroad

• Immigration, visa, and residency applications

• Foreign passport applications

• International adoptions

• Inheritance and estate matters

• School enrollment

• Legal proceedings overseas

Important consideration: The California Secretary of State authenticates the signature of the government official who certified the record. It does not verify the personal information recorded on the birth certificate.

Which Types of Birth Certificates Can Be Apostilled?

The California Secretary of State generally requires an authorized certified copy issued by an eligible California county office or the California Department of Public Health. California birth records may be issued as either a long-form birth certificate, which reproduces the complete public portion of the registered birth record, or a birth abstract, which contains only selected identifying information. Either format may be eligible for an apostille when properly certified by an eligible public official. A birth abstract may qualify for an apostille, but many foreign authorities will not accept it. Unless the receiving authority has specifically confirmed otherwise, we recommend obtaining a long-form authorized certified copy.

Some California birth records may have Social Security numbers or other confidential information redacted. California protects parents’ Social Security numbers and certain medical and social information as confidential; these details are collected for limited governmental purposes, including child-support enforcement, and are not ordinarily reproduced on standard certified copies. A legally required redaction does not, by itself, prevent an otherwise eligible authorized certified copy from receiving an apostille.

Informational birth certificates are not eligible for apostille certification. Informational copies bear a disclaimer such as: “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY,” and may also have signatures or other information redacted.

Ordinary photocopies and notarized photocopies of California birth certificates are also not eligible for a California Secretary of State apostille.

Does the Birth Certificate Need to Be Recently Issued?

Although the California Secretary of State may apostille certain older certified copies, the foreign authority receiving the document may impose its own recency requirement.

Some authorities require a birth certificate issued within the previous six months, one year, or another specified period. Confirm the acceptable issue date with the requesting authority. When possible, we recommend obtaining a recently issued authorized certified copy to avoid recency problems.

Hague and Non-Hague Countries

For countries participating in the Hague Apostille Convention, a California Secretary of State apostille is generally the only authentication required.

Documents intended for countries that do not participate in the Convention may require additional embassy or consulate legalization and U.S. State Department authentication.

Tell us the destination country when requesting a quote. We will identify the appropriate process and provide the estimated cost and processing time.

How Our Birth Certificate Apostille Service Works

Step 1: Tell Us About Your Request

Email info@sfnotary.com with:

• Your name, telephone number, and current physical location

• The California county where the birth occurred

• Whether you already have the birth certificate or need to obtain an authorized certified copy, including if:

  • You would like us to pick it up from the county

  • You will order it, or have already ordered it, directly from the county

  • You will order it, or have already ordered it, online through VitalChek

• The destination country where the certificate will be presented

• Your deadline

• The apostilled certificate recipient’s name, business name (if applicable), delivery address, and telephone number

If you already have the certificate, attach a clear scan to your email for our review.

Step 2: We Review Your Request and Provide a Quote

We review your certificate or retrieval requirements, confirm the authentication process required for the destination country, calculate any shipping charges, and provide a quote.

Your quote may include the costs and estimated processing times for birth certificate retrieval, a California Secretary of State apostille, any additional embassy or consulate legalization and U.S. Department of State authentication required for a non-Hague country, and domestic or international shipping.

Step 3: We Retrieve and Authenticate the Certificate

If you select our retrieval service, we first obtain an authorized certified copy of the birth certificate from the issuing county. Once we receive an eligible certificate—whether retrieved by us, ordered by you, or sent from your existing records—we obtain the California Secretary of State apostille and generally ship it the same or next business day. If the certificate will be presented in a country that requires additional authentication/legalization, we also coordinate the required embassy or consulate process and provide you with an estimated timeline for completion.

Step 4: We Scan and Ship the Completed Documents

We send you a scan of the completed document on request and ship the original using:

• FedEx Priority Overnight for U.S. destinations

• FedEx International Priority for most overseas destinations

Frequently Asked Birth Certificate Apostille Questions

Can you retrieve my California birth certificate if I live overseas?

In many cases, yes. If you are eligible to receive an authorized certified copy and the issuing county accepts retrieval by an agent, you may authorize us using a notarized limited power of attorney. Depending on the county, the document may be notarized remotely through a U.S. remote online notary service accepted by the issuing county.

Los Angeles County applies a stricter policy: the limited power of attorney must be signed by the person named on the birth certificate. A spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, or child cannot sign our limited power of attorney to authorize retrieval of their relative’s Los Angeles County birth certificate. If the person named on the certificate is too young to participate in the notarization, an eligible person should order directly from Los Angeles County or VitalChek or pick up the certificate in person.

Can the county or VitalChek mail the certificate directly to you?

Yes, when the county or VitalChek allows you to provide a separate delivery address. Contact us before placing the order so we know it is coming and can process it promptly.

Can a photocopy of a birth certificate be apostilled?

No. The California Secretary of State requires an eligible certified copy issued by an authorized county or state agency.

Can an informational birth certificate be apostilled?

An informational copy of a birth record is not apostille-eligible in California.

Can you help with birth certificates issued outside California?

Possibly. Birth certificates must generally be apostilled in the state that issued them. Email us with a scan and identify the destination country so we can determine whether we can assist.

How do I obtain a birth certificate apostille/legalization?

Follow the four-step process above or email us with the California county of birth, destination country, deadline, and current location or ordering status of the certificate. If you already have the certificate, attach a clear scan for review.

How can I tell if my birth certificate is eligible for an apostille?

Properly certified birth certificates issued in any of California’s 58 counties may be eligible for a California Secretary of State apostille. Eligibility depends on the type of copy, the issuing agency, and the signature of the certifying public official.

An eligible certificate should be an authorized certified copy bearing the name, title, and signature of an eligible county or state official. Informational copies and ordinary, self-certified, or notarized photocopies cannot receive a California apostille.

Although older certified copies may remain eligible, the receiving authority overseas may require a recently issued birth certificate. We recommend obtaining a new authorized certified copy whenever possible.

Email a clear scan to info@sfnotary.com before shipping the original. We will review it for common apostille-eligibility issues.

Where should I ship my birth certificate once you have reviewed and approved it?

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.

Request a California Birth Certificate Apostille Quote
Email info@sfnotary.com with a scan of your birth certificate, if available. If you need us to retrieve a new certified copy, provide the California county where the birth occurred. Please also include the destination country, your deadline, the certificate’s current location or ordering status, and the recipient’s complete shipping details.

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.