California Diploma & Transcript Apostille Guide

An apostille on an educational document authenticates a signature and seal — nothing more. Usually that is the signature of an in-state notary who attests that your copy is a true copy, or the school registrar's signature where the state keeps it on file. It does not certify your grades, the validity of your degree, or your school's accreditation. The two documents people apostille are the diploma (the degree certificate itself) and the transcript (the registrar's record of coursework and grades). Which one you need is decided by the institution or employer abroad who is receiving it, not by California — so confirm whether they want the diploma, the transcript, or both before you start.

Start by obtaining the official copy from your school or registrar — an official diploma copy, or a registrar-sealed transcript. What you need is:

• Sealed official copy: an official diploma or a registrar-sealed transcript, kept in the school's sealed envelope where required.
• A signature to authenticate: an apostille authenticates a signature/seal — usually the in-state notary who attests the copy, or the school registrar's signature where the state keeps it on file.
• Accredited institution: issued by an accredited school, college, or university.

Where a transcript is supplied in the school's sealed envelope, keep it sealed — opening it can void it. A document from an unaccredited institution or diploma mill will not be accepted, so confirm your school is accredited before ordering.

Once you have the official copy, there are two routes to a signature the state can authenticate. Confirm which one your state and school support before you pay.

Route A — Notarized true copy (most common): an in-state notary attests a true copy of the diploma/transcript (or the school official signs before a notary); the state then apostilles the notary's signature. This is the usual path for a diploma, since the registrar's signature is rarely on file with the state.

Route B — Registrar-certified copy: some states authenticate the school registrar's signature directly when it is on file — no notary needed. Where this is available, the registrar's certified copy goes straight to the apostille step.

The diploma or transcript itself is never changed by either route — all that is added is a signature for the state to authenticate.

California authenticates the signatures of public officials whose commissions or signatures it has on file. For the notarized-copy route above, that means the apostille is issued against the notary's commission — confirm the notary is California-commissioned before you submit. In some situations a document carries a local official's signature that the Secretary of State cannot authenticate directly; in those cases a county clerk certification or a certified copy from the county recorder may be required first. For a notarized diploma or transcript copy, a current in-state notary commission is normally all that is needed.

Submit your notarized (or registrar-certified) copy to the state apostille authority:

1. 1.
   The document

   the original sealed/certified report or copy — not a plain photocopy

2. 2.
   Request form

   Required form(s) (download: https://notary.cdn.sos.ca.gov/forms/apostille-request-form.pdf), stating the destination country

3. 3.
   Payment

   for the apostille fee (see Fees below)

4. 4.
   Return envelope

   self-addressed; add a prepaid tracked label for return

As of 2026-02-24, the Secretary of State reported: "Our Sacramento office is currently processing Apostille requests received: 1. Through the mail on 02/06/2026 2. In person on the 3rd floor on 02/23/2026" and "Our Los Angeles office is currently processing Apostille requests received: 1. In person on the 2nd floor on 02/23/2026" (Last updated on page: February 23, 2026). Getting the sealed copy from your school and having it notarized adds its own time. Queue times drift, so check the official processing-times page before you mail.

Many destinations require a certified translation of your diploma or transcript along with its apostille, and some also require a credential evaluation that maps your degree to local equivalents. The receiving country or institution sets these requirements — not California — so confirm exactly what they want before you submit, and have any translation or evaluation prepared to their standard.