CCDC 9B Statutory Declaration: Commission Online in Ontario (Subcontractor)

Last updated: October 15, 2026

CCDC 9B Statutory Declaration: Commission Online in Ontario (Subcontractor)

Quick answer: CCDC 9B is the construction-industry Statutory Declaration of Progress Payment Distribution by Subcontractor — the "stat dec 9B". An authorized signing officer, partner or sole proprietor of the subcontractor declares that everyone the subcontractor owes for the work — sub-subcontractors, suppliers and labour — has been paid up to the latest progress payment received, other than holdback, payments deferred by agreement, and disputed amounts. It goes to the contractor, not the owner; that is the difference from CCDC 9A. Download the official CCDC 9B – 2018 free from ccdc.org, complete it, add the CCDC copyright seal, and declare it before an Ontario notary public online, by secure video, for a flat $24.95 per stamp plus HST.

On most CCDC-based projects the contractor cannot draw its own progress payment without a commissioned CCDC 9A, and the contractor will not release the subcontractor's draw without a commissioned CCDC 9B. So the request usually arrives the same way every time: the site or head office needs the declaration signed today, the draw closes tomorrow, and the only officer with signing authority is on a different site. For Ontario subcontractors that officer can declare it online over video in a short video appointment — online appointments average 3–4 minutes.

This guide explains what CCDC 9B declares, how it differs from CCDC 9A, who signs it, how to do it online, and what to have ready. If the form is complete, you can book online or call (613) 434-5555. For the contractor's side of the same draw, see our guide to the CCDC 9A progress payment declaration, and for the wider picture, the statutory declaration guide.

Caption: CCDC 9B is the subcontractor's sworn statement that its own trades and suppliers have been paid — sworn online before the notary, who commissions it.

Key Takeaways

Where to Get the CCDC 9B Form (2018 Edition)

The official form is free. The Canadian Construction Documents Committee publishes CCDC 9B – 2018 as a free electronic download on ccdc.org, with no registration number needed; you can fill it in on screen in Adobe Acrobat before printing. We do not supply or re-create the form: CCDC holds the copyright, and the contractor expects the unamended version.

Before a commissioner can sign it, CCDC asks for three things:

1. Every field completed accurately — project, subcontract date, contractor, subcontractor, the application number, and the date of the last application you were paid on. A commissioner may not sign a form that is blank, partly completed, or has spelling or typing errors.
2. The "Declared before me" lines left blank. The commissioner completes them at the appointment.
3. The CCDC copyright seal affixed in the box in the lower right corner, before the commissioner signs. The seals are sold only through authorized CCDC document outlets, usually a local construction association.

The CCDC seal is not the notary's seal: the CCDC seal shows the form is an authentic, unamended copy, and the notary's seal is applied when the declaration is commissioned.

What a Notary Can and Cannot Do

What a notary can and cannot do: A notary public confirms the identity of the officer declaring, takes the solemn declaration on camera, and commissions it. A notary does not verify that sub-subcontractors or suppliers were paid, confirm the officer's authority to bind the company, or advise on holdback, liens or the Construction Act payment timelines. The truth of the declaration is the subcontractor's responsibility; for payment or lien disputes, consult a construction lawyer.

Minute Notary commissions declarations as an Ontario notary public, including online by video under O. Reg. 431/20.

What CCDC 9B Declares

CCDC 9B – 2018 is the subcontractor's counterpart to the contractor's CCDC 9A. At the top of the form the subcontractor ticks what it is for: the second and subsequent progress payments, or the release of holdback. The subcontractor's authorized signing officer, partner or sole proprietor then declares that all accounts for labour, sub-subcontracts, products, services, and construction machinery and equipment incurred directly by the subcontractor on the work — and for which the contractor might be held responsible — have been paid in full up to and including the latest progress payment received, except for holdback monies properly retained, payments deferred by agreement, and payment withheld because of a legitimate dispute that has been identified to the party not paid.

The form exists because payment on a construction project runs down a chain. The owner pays the contractor; the contractor pays its subcontractors; each subcontractor pays its own trades and suppliers. Anyone unpaid at any level can register a lien against the owner's land under Ontario's Construction Act. The sworn declarations at each level are how the people releasing money satisfy themselves that the level below has been paid before the next draw goes out. The Act sets the payment clock — the prompt payment rules and the holdback — while the declaration is a contract requirement that most CCDC-based subcontracts flow down from the prime contract.

CCDC 9A or CCDC 9B: Which One Do You Sign?

The two forms are almost word-for-word the same declaration; what changes is who makes it and who relies on it.

If you hold the prime contract with the owner, you sign 9A. If you hold a subcontract with the contractor, you sign 9B. If you are a sub-subcontractor, the subcontractor above you may ask for a declaration on the same terms; the CCDC form for that level is still 9B, adapted to name the parties. For the other sworn forms on a project, including an owner's own declaration, see our guide to construction statutory declarations and CCDC forms.

How to Swear CCDC 9B Online — Step by Step

1. Download CCDC 9B – 2018 and complete every field, unsigned, with the project, the subcontract, the application number, and the date of the last application paid. Leave the "Declared before me" lines blank.
2. Affix the CCDC copyright seal in the box in the lower right corner.
3. Confirm the right person will swear it — an authorized signing officer, partner or sole proprietor with authority to bind the subcontractor and knowledge of the payments.
4. Book the service and a time. Choose statutory declarations when you book online. Slots run on Ottawa time (America/Toronto).
5. Join the video call and verify identity with valid government photo ID.
6. Swear or affirm, then sign the declaration while the notary watches.
7. The notary commissions it and applies the seal.
8. Submit it to the contractor with the application for payment or holdback release.

What to Bring to Your Online Appointment

Booking note: Subcontractors who need CCDC 9B every draw can book a recurring online appointment. Call (613) 434-5555 to arrange a regular slot, or see volume pricing and monthly invoicing for businesses.

Online or In Person — How to Decide

Why Swear It Online

A subcontractor with several active jobs may need a 9B for each one, each month. Sending the one officer with signing authority to a notary's office for every draw is the sort of overhead that quietly eats a margin. A short video appointment — online appointments average 3–4 minutes — from the site trailer, the truck, or the head office does the same job, and same-day slots are often available when a draw deadline is close. The trade-offs are the usual ones: a working camera, a quiet spot, valid photo ID, and a complete form.

A Quick Scenario

A mechanical subcontractor in Ottawa has three commercial jobs on the go, each on a CCDC 2 prime contract with the requirement flowed down into the subcontract. Every month the accountant prepares three CCDC 9B forms. The company's president, who is the only authorized officer, joins one video appointment from the truck, shows photo ID, swears all three declarations, and signs each while the notary watches. The notary commissions them; the accountant sends each to the relevant general contractor with that job's application for payment. Three stamps, one call, no drive across town.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Signing the contractor's form. 9A is for the party holding the prime contract. A subcontractor signs 9B.
• The wrong person swearing. It must be an authorized signing officer, partner or sole proprietor with knowledge of the payments, not whoever is free.
• Blank fields or typos. A commissioner may not sign a form that is blank or partly completed. Fill in every field first.
• A missing CCDC copyright seal. CCDC requires it on the form before the commissioner signs.
• Signing before the appointment. Swear and sign in front of the notary; a pre-signed form has to be redone.
• Treating holdback as unpaid. Holdback properly retained is an exception on the form, not a breach of it.
• Assuming the notary checks the payments. That is the subcontractor's responsibility, and the declaration is sworn.
• Expired ID. Valid government photo ID is required on camera.

Where Subcontractors Book From Across Ontario

Because the appointment is by video, the officer can swear the declaration from any site or office in Ontario. Subcontractors book from across the province:

• Greater Toronto Area — Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Oshawa, Pickering
• Eastern Ontario — Ottawa, Kingston, Cornwall, Belleville, Brockville, Pembroke
• Central Ontario — Barrie, Peterborough, Orillia, Newmarket
• Southwestern Ontario — Hamilton, London, Kitchener–Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Windsor, Brantford, St. Catharines
• Northern Ontario — Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Timmins

Pricing and Booking

Note: pricing is per seal. Three declarations for three jobs are three seals; the first signer on each is included, and a second officer signing the same declaration is charged an additional-signer fee of $24.95.

Online appointments add HST plus a small card processing fee, shown in full before you pay. To book, choose statutory declarations when you book online, or call (613) 434-5555.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CCDC 9B statutory declaration (stat dec 9B)?

CCDC 9B is the Canadian Construction Documents Committee form titled Statutory Declaration of Progress Payment Distribution by Subcontractor, often called a stat dec 9B. In it, the subcontractor's authorized signing officer, partner or sole proprietor declares that sub-subcontractors, suppliers and labour have been paid up to the latest progress payment received. The exceptions are holdback properly retained, deferred payments and amounts in a legitimate dispute. It goes to the contractor.

What is a stat dec in construction?

A stat dec in construction is a statutory declaration of progress payment distribution: a sworn statement that the people one level down the payment chain have been paid before the next draw is released. For a subcontractor that is CCDC 9B, handed to the contractor; the contractor's own declaration to the owner is CCDC 9A. Anyone unpaid at any level can register a lien under Ontario's Construction Act.

Where do I get the CCDC 9B 2018 form, and is it free?

The CCDC 9B – 2018 form is free: the Canadian Construction Documents Committee publishes it as an electronic download on ccdc.org, with no registration number needed. Fill in every field before the appointment, because CCDC notes that a commissioner may not sign a form that is blank, partly completed or has typing errors. Leave the signature and the "Declared before me" lines blank.

Does a CCDC 9B need a CCDC copyright seal?

A CCDC 9B – 2018 needs CCDC's copyright validation sticker in the box in the lower right corner, affixed before the commissioner signs. CCDC sells the seals only through authorized CCDC document outlets, usually a local construction association. The CCDC seal is not the notary's seal: it shows the form is an authentic, unamended copy, and the notary's seal is applied when the declaration is commissioned.

When is a CCDC 9B required?

A CCDC 9B is made as a condition of either the second and subsequent progress payments or the release of holdback, and the subcontractor ticks which one at the top of the form. The subcontract, which usually flows the requirement down from the prime contract, says which draws need one. That is often monthly, through the whole subcontract.

What is the difference between CCDC 9A and CCDC 9B?

The difference between CCDC 9A and CCDC 9B is who swears the declaration and who receives it: the contractor swears 9A for the owner or payment certifier, and a subcontractor swears 9B for the contractor. Both declare that the people one level down the payment chain have been paid. A subcontractor with its own sub-trades signs 9B and may collect declarations from them.

Who signs the CCDC 9B?

The CCDC 9B is signed by an authorized signing officer, partner or sole proprietor of the subcontractor, someone with authority to bind the company and personal knowledge of what has been paid. CCDC notes the declaration cannot be delegated to an employee who is not an authorized signing officer, so a project manager or bookkeeper without signing authority should not swear it.

Can I have a CCDC 9B commissioned online?

A CCDC 9B can be commissioned online by video before an Ontario notary public, under O. Reg. 431/20. The subcontractor's authorized officer shows valid government photo ID, swears or affirms on camera and signs while the notary watches, from a site trailer, a truck or the head office. The contractor receiving it decides whether it accepts a declaration commissioned by video and how the CCDC seal is shown on it.

How much does a CCDC 9B stat dec cost?

A CCDC 9B stat dec costs a flat $24.95 plus HST to commission at Minute Notary, online or in person, because one declaration sworn by one officer takes one stamp. Three declarations for three jobs are three stamps, and all three can be sworn on one call. A second officer signing the same declaration adds $24.95 plus HST. Online card payment adds a small processing fee, shown before you pay.

Does the notary check that my suppliers were paid?

A notary commissioning a CCDC 9B does not check that suppliers, sub-subcontractors or labour were paid; the notary administers the oath, confirms who is swearing and completes the jurat. The truth of the declaration is the subcontractor's responsibility. Knowingly making a false statutory declaration is perjury under section 131 of the Criminal Code, punishable by up to 14 years under section 132.

Final Recommendation

If a contractor has asked you for a CCDC 9B, have your authorized officer swear it online in a short video appointment, with valid photo ID and the form complete. It keeps the draw moving without pulling the one person who can sign off a site. If you were handed a 9A instead, check the contract: 9A belongs to the party that holds the prime contract with the owner. The notary makes the declaration official; the truth of the payments is yours, and for lien or payment disputes, consult a construction lawyer.

Book Your Appointment

Need a CCDC 9B statutory declaration commissioned? Minute Notary commissions it by secure video — flat $24.95 per stamp plus HST.

• Book online: Request an appointment
• Call: (613) 434-5555
• Service page: Statutory Declarations
• Contractor's form: CCDC 9A progress payment declaration
• Related guide: Statutory declaration online in Canada
• Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time)

Sources

• CCDC 9B – 2018, Statutory Declaration of Progress Payment Distribution by Subcontractor (Canadian Construction Documents Committee)
• CCDC 9A – 2018, Statutory Declaration of Progress Payment Distribution by Contractor (Canadian Construction Documents Committee)
• CCDC Bulletin 21: Statutory Declarations — Purpose and Practical Application (Canadian Construction Documents Committee)
• Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act (Ontario)
• O. Reg. 431/20: Administering Oath or Declaration Remotely (Ontario)
• Notaries Act (Ontario)
• Construction Act (Ontario)