When filing documents with the California Secretary of State, you can request both preclearance and expedite services, but these services can only be requested in person. Expedite and preclearance are not available to mailed filings, faxed filings or online processing.

Note: The preclearance and expedite services below are provided by the California Secretary of State and do not necessarily reflect the expedite options available through our services. Please read carefully to understand the services we offer. 

Preclearance

When you submit a document for preclearance to the Secretary of State’s office, the document will be reviewed to determine if the document conforms to California law. Submitting a document for preclearance is not the same as submitting it for actual processing.

Where to Submit for Preclearance

Preclearance filings must be submitted (in person) to the SOS Sacramento office (not the Los Angeles office) at 1500 11^th Street, Room 390.

Company Name

Preclearance does not guarantee that your proposed company name is actually available for use. You may submit a Name Reservation form with the preclearance application, which will hold an available name for up to 60 days.

Leaving Information Blank

You may leave blank any spaces for information that do not affect the determination of the Secretary of State as to whether the document conforms to the law. For example, you may leave blank the names of executing officers or required signatures.

Preclearance Timelines & Cost

The following preclearance timeframes are available:

• 24 Hour Preclearance: $500
• 72 Hour Preclearance: $400
• 5 Day Preclearance: $300
• 10 Day Preclearance: $250

Our Services:

We do not submit documents for preclearance.

Expedite Services

The Secretary of State offers three expedite options. Until recently, all filings submitted for expedite service had to be submitted in person. Now, expedited options are also available for online filings.

Where to Expedite

You can expedite online or in person at the Secretary of State’s Sacramento office: 1500 11^th Street, Room 390.

Eligibility

The Secretary of State offers 4-Hour Expedite Service for only those documents that have been submitted and cleared for preclearance.

Expedite Timelines & Cost

• 4-Hour Expedite: $500 (must have already passed preclearance)
• Same Day Expedite: $750
• 24-Hour Expedite: $350

What to Submit for Expedite Service

Documents submitted for expedite processing must include all of the following:

• The document you wish to have expedited
• For 4-Hour Expedite: copy of approved preclearance response
• Applicable filing fee
• Applicable expedite fee (if paying by check, this must be a separate check from filing fee)
• Instructions regarding the type of expedite service requested and preferred means of delivery of filing confirmation
• Name and telephone number of customer to whom any questions regarding the document may be directed

Our Expedite Options

When we can, we file online and offer 24-Hour Expedite for the state fee.