Authentication of documents

So, we've completed the Authentication of our documents.

Points to note:
Grant deeds issued to you by the registrars/recorders office with the purple stamp don't need to be notarized.

The State Police Clearance letter - does not need to be notarized

The registrar/recorder issued birth certificates/marriage licenses don't need to be notarized (just make sure they have the appropriate signature stamps).

The federal document the i171h form needs to be copied, and a true copy statement attached...then this statement needs to be notarized.

Family pictures also need a true copy statement attached, then notarized.

Passport pictures didn't need to be notarized.


To get the Documents Authenticated
Per the Secretary of State website:

Documents can be hand delivered to any office location for over-the-counter processing between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) or mailed to the Sacramento office. Regional offices do not process mailed in documents. Office locations are as follows:

Sacramento Office (for hand delivery)
Notary Public Section1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-3595

Regional Offices (see website for addresses)
Fresno
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Francisco

When submitting documents to any of our offices for over-the-counter processing, no appointment is necessary. Customers are served on a “first come first serve” basis.

Documents submitted for over-the-counter processing are normally processed within an hour. The average processing time for documents submitted by mail is approximately two weeks.

There is a $20.00 processing fee (per signature authenticated) and a $6.00 special handling fee (per public official for documents submitted over the counter).Payments over-the-counter in Sacramento can be made by check, money order, cash, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard).