Two routes to an apostille on an Ontario degree, diploma or transcript: the original, for credentials from an Ontario public college or university issued since January 1, 2019, or a notarial certified true copy for everything else. Fees, steps, and the documents Ontario will not authenticate.
Last updated: October 15, 2026
How to Apostille a Degree, Diploma or Transcript in Ontario
Quick answer: There are two routes. A degree, diploma or transcript issued by an Ontario public college or university on or after January 1, 2019 goes to Ontario's Official Documents Services (ODS) as the original, with no notary step, for $32. Everything else issued in Canada, including older credentials and private college diplomas, is apostilled as a notarial certified true copy: an Ontario notary compares the copy with your paper original in person, then ODS apostilles the notary's certification for $16. ODS does not authenticate electronic documents or documents issued outside Canada. With us, a certified copy is $24.95 per seal plus HST on a mobile visit, and we can file it with ODS for you.
A school abroad wants your apostilled degree. An employer overseas, often for a teaching or nursing job, wants an apostilled diploma and transcript. A foreign licensing board wants both. Since Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention on January 11, 2024, the answer for most countries is a single apostille from Ontario. The question is what the apostille goes on, the original credential or a certified copy, and that depends on who issued it and when.
This guide walks through both routes. For other documents, such as affidavits, powers of attorney or police checks, see our full guide to how to apostille a document in Ontario.
Key Takeaways
| Your credential | Route | ODS fee | Notary needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario public college or university, issued on or after Jan. 1, 2019 | Original | $32 | No |
| Ontario public college or university, issued before 2019 | Notarial certified true copy | $16 | Yes, in person |
| Private career college, or another Canadian province | Notarial certified true copy | $16 | Yes, in person |
| Issued outside Canada | Not authenticated by ODS | — | Ask the issuing country |
| Digital transcript or e-diploma only | Order a paper original first | — | Depends on the route |
Route 1: the original, for public college and university credentials issued since 2019
Ontario's authentication page lists degrees, diplomas and transcripts from Ontario public postsecondary institutions issued since January 1, 2019 among the documents it authenticates directly, at the same $32 it charges for an Ontario government document. Ontario's public colleges and universities are the publicly funded institutions; a private career college does not qualify.
How it works:
- Check the issue date printed on the document, not your graduation year. A transcript is issued when the school prints it, so a paper transcript ordered now may qualify even if you graduated before 2019; a degree parchment keeps the date it was conferred.
- Get a paper original. ODS does not authenticate electronic documents, so an e-transcript or a digital credential shared through a platform such as MyCreds will not do. Order an official paper transcript from the registrar.
- File it with ODS in person or by mail (see where and how below) and pay $32 per document.
The trade-off is that your original travels. The apostille is attached to the degree or transcript itself, and that is what goes abroad. If you need to keep the parchment at home, or the receiver will keep what you send, the copy route below may suit you better even when the original route is open.
A note on sealed transcripts. Some receivers want the transcript in the school's sealed envelope as well as apostilled. ODS has to see the document, so ask the receiver and the registrar how to handle both requirements before you open anything.
Route 2: a notarial certified true copy, for everything else issued in Canada
For a credential issued before 2019, a private college diploma, or a credential from another Canadian province, the apostille goes on a notarial certified true copy made by an Ontario notary public. ODS authenticates the notary's signature and seal, for $16 per notarized document.
How it works:
- Book an in-person appointment. A certified copy needs the original in front of the notary, so it is never done by video. With us it is a mobile visit anywhere in Ontario.
- Bring the paper original and government photo ID. The notary compares the copy with the original page by page and signs and seals a statement that it is a true copy.
- One seal per document. A two-page transcript is one document and one seal; a degree and a transcript are two.
- File the certified copy with ODS for $16 per document. ODS checks that the notary's name and seal match the specimen on file and that the signature and seal are on the same page. Our notary's specimen is on file.
The copy route has one advantage beyond eligibility: your original stays with you. Many people take it even when their credential would qualify for the original route.
A credential issued outside Canada is the exception. Ontario says ODS does not authenticate documents issued outside Canada, apart from signatures sworn or witnessed before an Ontario notary, so a certified copy of a foreign degree is not apostilled here. It goes through the competent authority of the country that issued it.
Where and how to file with ODS
- Start online. Submit the request on Ontario's document authentication portal to get a service request number. The paper document and the payment still go to ODS.
- In person: ServiceOntario College Park, 777 Bay Street, Lower Level, Toronto (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.); 161 Elgin Street, Fourth Floor, Ottawa (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.); or the counters in Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay, Monday to Friday. You can book an appointment; Ontario puts the usual wait at about 30 minutes when the file is complete.
- By mail: Official Documents Services, 777 Bay Street, Lower Level, Toronto, ON M7A 2J8, the only office that processes mail-in requests. Ontario says the apostille is issued within 15 business days after the documents arrive.
- Payment: cash, Visa, Mastercard, debit, certified cheque or money order in person; by mail, a certified cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance, or Visa or Mastercard.
- Destination outside the Convention? ODS issues a certificate of authentication instead, and the destination's embassy or consulate legalizes it. ODS cannot advise on embassy requirements.
If you would rather not go yourself, we pick the document up in Ottawa or Toronto, file it and bring it back.
What it costs
| Item | Fee | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Apostille on an eligible original credential | $32 per document | Ontario (ODS) |
| Apostille on a notarial certified true copy | $16 per document | Ontario (ODS) |
| Certified true copy, in person | $24.95 per seal | Minute Notary |
| Mobile visit travel fee | $60 once per trip | Minute Notary |
| Our pickup, filing and return, first document | $119 | Minute Notary |
| Each additional document in the same submission | $39 | Minute Notary |
| Handling fee, pickup and return in Ottawa | $60 once per booking | Minute Notary |
Note: our fees are before HST. The travel fee covers up to 30 km from our nearest office in Ottawa or Toronto; beyond that, an additional travel fee applies. Toronto and other filing locations, and return shipping, are quoted before we come. A new paper transcript from your school has its own fee. See our pricing page.
Example: a 2016 university degree and a 2014 college diploma, both certified on one mobile visit and filed by you: $24.95 × 2 seals + $60 travel = $109.90 plus HST, then $16 × 2 = $32 at ODS.
Common mistakes
- Sending a digital transcript. ODS authenticates paper only. Order the official paper version first.
- Assuming every Ontario school qualifies for the original route. It covers public colleges and universities, and only credentials issued since January 1, 2019.
- Signing or stamping anything before the appointment. For the copy route, bring the original untouched; the notary makes or checks the copy.
- Apostilling before the receiver confirms the format. Some want the original, some a certified copy, some a translation as well. Ask in writing first.
- Forgetting a name change. If the name on the diploma differs from your passport, the receiver may also want a one and the same person affidavit, which a notary commissions and ODS can apostille separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a university degree be apostilled in Ontario?
A university degree can be apostilled in Ontario in one of two ways. A degree, diploma or transcript issued by an Ontario public college or university on or after January 1, 2019 goes to Official Documents Services as the original, for $32. Any other credential issued in Canada is apostilled as a notarial certified true copy made by an Ontario notary, for $16 at ODS plus the notary's fee.
My degree was issued before 2019. Can it still be apostilled?
A degree issued before January 1, 2019 can still be apostilled in Ontario, but not as the original. A notary compares a photocopy with your original in person and certifies it as a true copy; Official Documents Services then apostilles the notary's certification for $16. Your original stays with you.
Can I apostille a diploma from a private college?
A diploma from a private career college is apostilled through the copy route, because Ontario's original route covers public colleges and universities only. An Ontario notary makes a certified true copy from the original in person, and Official Documents Services apostilles the notarized copy for $16.
Can a degree from another country be apostilled in Ontario?
A degree issued outside Canada cannot be apostilled by Ontario's Official Documents Services, even as a certified copy: Ontario says it does not authenticate documents issued outside Canada, apart from signatures sworn or witnessed before an Ontario notary. Ask the issuing country's competent authority, and check what the receiver accepts.
Can a digital transcript be apostilled?
A digital transcript or e-diploma cannot be apostilled as it is, because Ontario's Official Documents Services does not authenticate electronic documents. Order a paper official transcript or diploma from the school, then use the original route if it qualifies, or have a notary certify a copy of the paper original.
How much does it cost to apostille a degree in Ontario?
Apostilling a degree in Ontario costs $32 at Official Documents Services for an eligible original. The copy route costs $16 at ODS plus the notary's certified copy: with us, $24.95 per seal plus HST, done in person with a $60 travel fee within 30 km. If we also file it for you, our filing fee is $119 for the first document.
Final Recommendation
Look at two things on your credential: who issued it and the issue date. An Ontario public college or university credential dated January 1, 2019 or later can go to ODS as the original for $32. Everything else issued in Canada goes as a notarial certified true copy, which also keeps your original at home. Confirm the receiver's format in writing before you file, and order paper, not a PDF.
Book Your Appointment
Need a certified true copy of your degree or transcript for an apostille? We certify it on a mobile visit anywhere in Ontario for $24.95 per seal plus HST and the travel fee, and we can file it with Official Documents Services for you.
- Contact us: Ask a question or request an appointment
- Call: (613) 434-5555
- Service pages: Certified True Copies · Apostille & Authentication
- Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time)
Sources
- Ontario — Authenticate a document for use outside Canada (Official Documents Services)
- HCCH — Apostille Convention status table
- Notaries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. N.6 (Ontario)
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About the author
Kai Mai
Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer, Minute Notary
Kai Mai writes and edits the Minute Notary guides, working from the published federal and Ontario guidance each article links, and from what Ottawa clients actually run into with certified copies, affidavits, statutory declarations, travel consent letters, and immigration paperwork. These guides are general information written by our editorial team — not legal advice, and not a professional opinion on your document. The receiving authority always has the final say.