Death Certificate Apostille in California

When you need it

An apostilled death certificate is usually needed to claim an inheritance abroad, close bank accounts, or apply for a survivor's pension in another country.

The most common reason for rejection

California only apostilles the signatures of California officials whose signatures are on file with the Secretary of State. For vital records, that means a county clerk, a county recorder, or the State Registrar at the California Department of Public Health.

If your certificate was issued by a city or county office and signed by a local registrar, you may need an extra step, because the Secretary of State doesn't always accept those signatures. In that case, the certificate is first authenticated by the clerk of the county where it was issued, or you order a certified copy from the county recorder or the California Department of Public Health.

It's easy to check: the signature, name, and title are at the bottom of the certificate. Send us a scan, and we'll look at it before we start and tell you if the extra step is needed.

Price and turnaround

$120 per document, state fee included, 1-3 business days. We send the finished document to you or directly to your representative abroad.