Terms & Conditions

1. Agreements to Terms

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern the courier services (the "Services") provided by Apostille Route/Kristin Hernandez ("Courier," "I," "me", or "my") to you, the client ("Client" or "you"). By engaging me for Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms.

2. Nature of Service

Apostille Route/Kristin Hernandez provides courier services only, which include the transport, submission to, and retrieval of documents from the California Secretary of State's office in Los Angeles. I act solely as a courier. I do not offer legal services, document preparation, review for accuracy/completeness, translation, or notarization. I am not responsible for determining a document's eligibility for an apostille or authentication. Nothing in these Terms shall be construed as legal advice. 

3. Client Responsibilities

You are solely and entirely responsible for:

• Ensuring all documents are complete, accurate, properly notarized, translated (if required), and eligible for submission.

• Including all required Apostille Request Cover Sheets, government fees (payable by check or money order to "California Secretary of State"), and supporting documents.

• Providing clear, legible, and complete instructions. You warrant that you are the rightful owner or authorized agent for the documents you submit.
  If your documents are rejected, delayed, or seized due to errors, missing information, incorrect forms, or unpaid fees, my courier fees remain due and are non-refundable. You and or your client are responsible for planning accordingly and should not make time-sensitive plans based on estimated processing times. I am not liable for missed deadlines, travel, appointments, or financial losses due to delays or rejections.

4. Courier Service Fees

Fees for my Services are listed on the Apostille Route website. The courier fee is a flat rate for the service of attempting submission and is not contingent upon a successful outcome. Courier fees are non-refundable once a run has been attempted (i.e., once I have traveled to or attempted to submit at the Secretary of State's office). Payment is required in full before service begins. All fees are subject to change without notice; however, fees for confirmed orders will be honored. 

5. Government Fees

All fees payable to the California Secretary of State (e.g., apostille, authentication, handling fees) are separate from my courier fees. These government fees are non-refundable once submitted and are the sole responsibility of the Client. 

6. Shipping & Document Handling

• Receipt: For mail-in orders, you must arrange secure, tracked shipping to me. I am not responsible for documents lost, delayed, or damaged in transit to me. Documents are considered in my care only upon my physical receipt of them at my designated address.

• Return Shipping: You are strongly encouraged to provide a prepaid, pre-addressed return shipping label for a carrier of your choice. If you do not provide a label, I will arrange return shipping at your cost, plus a $10 handling fee. I am not responsible  for documents lost, delayed, or damaged in transit by a third-party carrier (e.g., USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL) after I have submitted your package to them.

• Abandoned Documents: Documents unclaimed by the Client for more than 30 days after processing is complete may be considered abandoned and destroyed securely

7. Processing Times

I will make every reasonable effort to submit and retrieve documents promptly. However, all processing times are estimates and are determined solely by the California Secretary of State. I do not guarantee any specific processing timeframe, including same-day or next-day service, and am not liable for delays caused by government volume, closures, holidays, or any other factor outside my reasonable control. 

8. Errors & Corrections

If an error is made that is directly and solely attributable to me (e.g., I fail to submit documents that were complete, prepared correctly, and accompanied by the correct fees), my sole obligation and your exclusive remedy will be for me to complete a re-run at no additional courier charge. This does not apply to errors originating from the Client, the Secretary of State, or a third party. 

9. Refund Policy

My courier fees are for the service of couriering, not the outcome. Therefore, courier fees are non-refundable once a run has been attempted. Government fees and shipping costs are always non-refundable. If a package is lost by the carrier before it arrives to me, my courier fee will be refunded in full only if the order has been pre-paid.

10. Limitation of Liability

My total liability to you, for any reason and upon any cause of action, shall be strictly limited to the amount of courier fees you paid to me for the specific order in question. Under no circumstances shall I be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages (including, but not limited to, lost profits, lost revenue, or loss of business opportunity).
I am not responsible for:

• Secretary of State rejections, delays, errors, or losses.

• Client errors in document preparation, notarization, or translation.

• Delays, losses, or damages caused by carriers, postal services, or other third parties.

• Acts of God, natural disasters, fire, war, terrorism, government closures, strikes, or other force majeure events.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Apostille Route/Kristin Hernandez from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to your use of the Services, your breach of these Terms, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party. This includes, but is not limited to, claims related to errors in your documents.

12. Privacy & Confidentiality

I will handle your information and documents with care and use them only to provide the Services. I will not sell your data. Information may be shared only with third parties essential to completing the service (e.g., shipping providers, the Secretary of State) or as required by law. 

13. Amendments

I reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. The most current version will always be posted on my website. Your continued use of my Services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms. 

14. Governing Law & Severability 

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law principles. If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect. 

15. Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Apostille Route/Kristin Hernandez concerning the Services and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and representations.

Acknowledgment

By engaging Apostille Route/Kristin Hernandez for courier services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.