Notary Public and Commissioner:

Question:Do I need a notary public or a commissioner for taking affidavits for my Ontario affidavit or statutory declaration?

Answer:Caruso Legal Services can help you determine whether your document needs notarization (true signature, true copy, or other notary functions) or commissioning (administering and witnessing an oath or solemn declaration) in Ontario, so your affidavit or statutory declaration is handled with the right formalities for its purpose.   Caruso Legal Services in Niagara can also provide related notary public services like certified copies, identity and passport photo/document certifications, consent to travel letters, and statutory declarations, with competitively priced options and typical processing often taking about five (5) to ten (10) minutes per document.   To avoid unlawful “online notary” services, note Ontario rules require in-person notarization, since online notary services are forbidden and there is no regulation permitting them.   For guidance on what to bring and how to prepare, call (289) 271-0488.

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Caruso Legal Services provides Notary Public and Commissioning services.  Your documents will be lawfully notarized or commissioned with proper attention given to details as required for the specific nature and purpose of the respective documents.  This service is competitively priced, so you can trust that you are getting value for your money.

Note: Please contact Caruso Legal Services by phone at: (289) 271-0488 to discuss any specific questions that you may have.

Notary Public

A person granted Notary Public status is granted special powers by various governing authorities within a local jurisdiction that permits the person to verifying that signatures, marks, stamps, copies of documents, among other things, are true and authentic.

There are many official signed documents that must be notarized to become valid.  Examples include copies of certificates of birth, adoption, marriage, or divorce, as well as real estate transactions documents, government documents, and many more.  Notarizing a document is an organized and efficient service that typically requires only five (5) to ten (10) minutes per document.

Warning Regarding Purported Online Notary Services

In Ontario, there are notary services purporting to provide online notary services.  Online notary services are unlawful; and, recently the Law Society of Ontario issued a Notice to the Professions, meaning to lawyers and paralegals, as a reminder that online notary services are forbidden.  The perception that online notary services are permitted may arise whereas section 3(3) of the Notaries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.  N.6, states that notarization may be performed without in person requirements when permitted by a regulation to the Notaries Act; however, a review of the regulations will reveal that a permitting regulation is absent; and accordingly, online notary services are unlawful.

Commissioner for Taking Affidavits

Instead of notarizing a document as a true copy or as containing a true signature or marks, among other notary functions, many documents instead require commissioning.  A Commissioner for Taking Affidavits is empowered to administer an Oath and to witness the swearing or affirming of the Oaths of truth regarding statements made within an Affidavit or Declaration.  Of course, such is without saying that the Commissioner for Taking Affidavits confirms that what is stated within the document is true whereas the Commissioner for Taking Affidavits merely witnesses and confirms that the Deponent, being the person who swears or affirms the Oath, states that the contents of the document are true.

Pricing

Pricing for notarizing and commissioning services may vary subject to the nature of the particular requirements of the documents involved, the particular circumstances involved, and the expected time involved.