In the Province of Ontario, a notary can take affidavits or declarations once you have sworn or affirmed the contents of the document are true or genuine and your signature has been witnessed. Notaries also have all the powers of a commissioner for taking affidavits.  Therefore, they have more of a comprehensive authority and can verify certified true copies of the original document as a true copy.  They are appointed by the Ministry of the Attorney General pursuant to the Notaries Act. As well, by virtue of office, Lawyers and Licensed Paralegals in the Province of Ontario can be appointed and registered (in a public registry) as notary publics.  

A Commissioner for taking oaths is someone who can administer oaths, declarations, and affirmations pursuant to the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act. Once you swear or affirm that the contents of the document are true, a Commissioner will sign and apply a stamp without a seal. They are limited to provincial authority and they cannot sign wills, financial or real estate documents, powers of attorney, dive or separation custody documents. 

People often get confused between the role of a Notary Public and a Commissioner for Oaths or the differences in having a document notarized versus having it commissioned. The rules governing Canadian notaries vary between provinces and territories. In the Province of Ontario, a notary public has all the powers of a commissioner for taking affidavits as answered in question #2 above  (What is a commissioner for taking oaths and affidavits).  

Nowadays, this is done virtually by electronically  signing (e-signature) the document, unless the document is printed and then physically signed with ink by a notary and subsequently scanned or mailed to the client once complete. 

Yes, this has become an increasingly common practice and there are now many tools and platforms accommodating the use of electronic signatures and virtual witnessing pursuant to legislative and regulatory requirements.  

If you are still un-sure on whether the recipient (organization, person, etc.) will accept your electronically singed document, please confirm with them first before scheduling your online appointment with us as to avoid any inconvenience or expense.  

You will need:

• A PDF or Word version of your document. Otherwise, if you only have a paper copy, you will need an electronic or soft copy by scanning it. 
• Access to a web camera  or videoconference , such as , Zoom via smartphone, tablet or computer. 
• One piece of valid government-issued photo ID or two pieces of valid government-issued non-photo ID's. 

You will not require to sign-up or download any special applications to use our online notary services.

You can book from the comfort of your own home by clicking our online scheduler, or if you need any assistance or special accommodations, feel free to get in touch with us. 

One (1) piece of valid government-issued ID with photo (e.g., driver's licence or passport) OR two (2) pieces of government-issued ID’s without a photo (e.g., social insurance card or birth certificate). 

A copy of your documents which you require to be notarized. Do not sign any documents until your appointment. 

Please note, if you require certified true copies of a document, it cannot be notarized online and you must attend in person with the original document and copies for them to be certified.

Our fees are $29.99 for the first notarization and $19.99 for each additional notarization. We charge per notarization or commission (signature), not per page. 

Example, if a document requires 2 signatures as in the case of Service Ontario document "Family gift vehicle transfer ",  two (2) people have to sign one page, and as a result, it will require two commissioner signatures.

The short answer is almost any document, including oaths, affidavits, statutory declarations and certified true copies.  Check out our Services page for more information.

• Letters and Statutory Declarations
• Travel Consent Letter for Children
• Letter of Invitation
• Passport and immigration documents

Yes, Notaries have all the powers of a commissioner for taking affidavits.  Therefore, our notaries can assist you with any documents which require a commissioner. 

We recommend taking extra precautions as there are instances where notarized documents must be authenticated and legalized before being accepted in a different county.  Although, we can notarize such documents that will be used in a different country, please confirm with your consulate or embassy in which the documents will be used for specific requirements.

Typically yes, pursuant to the Ontario Evidence Act which states as follows: “an affidavit sworn outside Ontario before a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario has the same effect as if the affidavit had been sworn in Ontario”.

Nonetheless, some jurisdictions, courts, and institutions may not accept a document that has been notarized virtually or if you are outside of Ontario. It is up to you to ensure, before booking an appointment with us,  that virtual notarizations or notarizations completed in the Province of Ontario meet your legal requirements and that the organization or agency you are submitting the document to will accept it.  

We are not responsible if your document is rejected because it was notarized virtually or out of Province. If you are outside of Ontario and need a document notarized, we strongly recommend that you contact the organization or agency to whom you will be submitting your document to see if they have any specific requirements for your document.