A mail-in apostille from the California Secretary of State currently takes roughly five to eight weeks from the day Sacramento receives your package, plus shipping in both directions. A walk-in request at the Sacramento or Los Angeles counter is usually finished in about 30 minutes.1California Secretary of State. Current Processing Dates Which path you choose, and how carefully you prepare the submission, decides whether you wait half an hour or most of two months.
Mail-In Turnaround
Only the Sacramento office processes mail-in requests, and it works through them in the order received. The Secretary of State posts a “currently processing” date on its website showing which day’s mail is being handled right now. If the page reads “currently processing requests received 03/06/2026,” anything that arrived after that date is still waiting.1California Secretary of State. Current Processing Dates Check that date before you mail anything, because it tells you the real backlog on the day you’re sending.
Shipping sits on top of the office backlog. Standard USPS delivery to and from Sacramento adds several days each way. FedEx or UPS gets your package into the queue faster, but it does not move you ahead of anyone already in line.2California Secretary of State. Apostille Frequently Asked Questions During peak periods, door-to-door time can easily stretch past two months. If you want tracking on the return trip, include a pre-paid FedEx or UPS label with your self-addressed envelope; otherwise the office ships back by regular USPS with no tracking.3California Secretary of State. Request an Apostille
In-Person Turnaround
Walking into either the Sacramento or Los Angeles office is dramatically faster. In-person requests are typically finished within 30 minutes of submission, first come, first served, with no appointment required.1California Secretary of State. Current Processing Dates Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed on state holidays. Arrive by 4:30 p.m. to guarantee same-day service.4California Secretary of State. Los Angeles Office
Staff verify the public official’s or notary’s signature against their records, attach the apostille certificate, and hand the document back across the counter. One note on the Los Angeles office: it only handles apostilles and domestic partnership services, so if you need other Secretary of State business done at the same time, that still has to go through Sacramento.4California Secretary of State. Los Angeles Office
Pop-Up Events Outside Sacramento and Los Angeles
If neither office is within reach, the Secretary of State runs periodic Apostille Pop-Up Shops in partnership with county offices in cities including San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Ana, and San Jose. These events offer same-day apostille service in the same way the main counters do.3California Secretary of State. Request an Apostille Dates and locations rotate and fill up, so check the Secretary of State’s website early if a pop-up is scheduled near you.
How to Keep From Restarting the Clock
Every rejection sends your document back and puts you at the end of the queue when you resubmit, which is how a five-week wait turns into a three-month ordeal. A few problems come up again and again:
- Photocopies in place of originals. The office requires documents bearing original signatures or original certified copies.3California Secretary of State. Request an Apostille
- Payment for the wrong amount, made out to the wrong payee, or left out entirely. Mail-in payment must be a check or money order payable to “Secretary of State.”5California Secretary of State. Mail Apostille Cover Sheet
- No cover sheet or no destination country listed. Without the destination, the office cannot issue the apostille.
- No self-addressed return envelope in a mail-in package. The package is returned unprocessed.3California Secretary of State. Request an Apostille
- A document that was not signed by a California public official. Federal documents and documents notarized in another state cannot receive a California apostille.
If you’re unsure your document qualifies, call the Sacramento office before you mail anything. Five minutes on the phone can save weeks.
If Your Document Is Going to a Non-Hague Country
An apostille only works for countries that participate in the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.6Hague Conference on Private International Law. Apostille Section For a non-member country, you need authentication and legalization instead, which runs through the California Secretary of State, then the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and finally the destination country’s embassy or consulate.7USAGov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S. Each stage has its own fees and processing time, so plan on this chain taking considerably longer than a standard apostille.