Form 14A is the everyday affidavit of an Ontario family case. When you need one, how to write the numbered paragraphs, the page limits and exhibit rules, and how to have it commissioned by video.
Last updated: October 13, 2026
Form 14A Affidavit (General) in Ontario: How to Write It and Swear It Online
Quick answer: Form 14A, Affidavit (General), is the everyday affidavit of an Ontario family case. It is how you put facts before the court under oath, most often for a motion: Rule 14(9) of the Family Law Rules says a motion needs a notice of motion and a Form 14A. You write the facts in numbered paragraphs, attach documents as exhibits, keep to your court's page limits, and swear or affirm it before a commissioner for taking affidavits. Minute Notary commissions it online by video under O. Reg. 431/20 for $24.95 per seal plus HST, with each exhibit as one more stamp. We do not write it or advise on what it should say.
If you are bringing a motion in a family case, answering one, or updating your financial disclosure, you will meet Form 14A. The form itself is only two pages: a header, a line that says "I swear/affirm that the following is true", space for your numbered paragraphs, and the jurat. What makes it work, or fail, is how you write those paragraphs and what you attach.
This guide explains when you need a Form 14A, how to write it, the length and exhibit rules, the deadlines for a motion, and how to have it commissioned online. If you have a question about your appointment, contact us or call (613) 434-5555. We commission the affidavit; we do not advise on its content or on your case.
Key Takeaways
| Question | Answer | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| What is Form 14A? | The general affidavit for Ontario family cases | Family Law Rules, Form 14A (FLR 14A) |
| When is it required? | With every motion that uses a notice of motion, and in other steps the rules name | r. 14(9); r. 13(12.1); r. 23(22); r. 35.1 |
| How is it written? | Numbered paragraphs, one fact each where possible, from your own knowledge | Form 14A instructions; r. 14(18) |
| Facts learned from someone else? | Allowed if you name the source and say you believe it is true | r. 14(19) |
| How long can it be? | Superior Court motions: 12 pages of narrative (20 for a long motion), reply 5, exhibits 10 | SCJ family practice direction, Part D |
| When do I serve it? | For a motion: serve 6 days and file 4 days before the motion date (weekends excluded) | r. 14(11); r. 3(2) |
| Can it be sworn by video? | Yes, if the conditions of the regulation are met, with a modified jurat | O. Reg. 431/20, s. 1 |
| What does commissioning cost? | $24.95 per seal online, plus HST; each exhibit is one more stamp, reduced from the 6th exhibit | Our posted rate |
What Form 14A Is
Form 14A is titled Affidavit (General). The current version is FLR 14A, dated September 1, 2005, and you can download it from Ontario Court Forms as a PDF or a Word file. If you would rather fill it in on screen, our free Form 14A template lays it out and gives you a ready-to-sign PDF.
The form has four parts:
- The header: the name and address of the court, the court file number, and the full legal names, addresses and lawyers (if any) of the applicant and the respondent.
- The opening: "My name is …", "I live in …" and "I swear/affirm that the following is true:".
- Your numbered paragraphs: as many as you need, continued on extra pages.
- The jurat: "Sworn/Affirmed before me at" a municipality, in a province, state or country, on a date, signed by the commissioner. The form notes that it "is to be signed in front of a lawyer, justice of the peace, notary public or commissioner for taking affidavits."
Because it is sworn, everything in it is evidence. A judge deciding a motion usually reads the affidavits rather than hearing witnesses; the Ministry of the Attorney General's guide notes that "there are usually no witnesses at a motion." Your Form 14A is often the only way your side of the facts reaches the judge.
When You Need a Form 14A
| Situation | What the rules say | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bringing a motion for a temporary order | The motion requires a notice of motion (Form 14) and an affidavit (Form 14A) | r. 14(9) |
| A procedural, uncomplicated or unopposed motion | You may use a motion form (Form 14B) instead; the Ministry's guide still lists a Form 14A for evidence | r. 14(10) |
| Responding to a motion | Your response is served and filed no later than four days before the motion date | r. 14(11.3) |
| Replying to new matters in the response | A reply is allowed for a Form 14 motion, by 2 p.m. three days before the motion date | r. 14(11.5), r. 14(20) |
| Updating a financial statement with minor changes, or none | An affidavit with the details, or saying nothing changed; the financial statement forms name Form 14A | r. 13(12.1) |
| An uncontested trial | Evidence may be given by affidavit in Form 14A or Form 23C | r. 23(22) |
| Correcting a minor point in a Form 35.1 parenting affidavit | A Form 14A describing the change and its effect on your parenting plan | r. 35.1(7)(b) |
| A binding judicial dispute resolution hearing (Superior Court) | An affidavit in Form 43B or 14A, no longer than 12 pages excluding exhibits | r. 43(13) |
For the financial statement itself, see our guide to the Form 13.1 financial statement. A divorce application has its own affidavit, Form 36.
Timing of a motion. In most cases you must attend a case conference on the main issues before you can bring a motion for a temporary order (r. 14(4)), unless there is urgency or hardship (r. 14(4.2)). Once a motion is scheduled, Rule 14(11) requires you to serve your documents on every other party no later than six days before the motion date and file them no later than four days before. Because these periods are under seven days, Saturdays, Sundays and days the court offices are closed do not count (r. 3(2)). Build in time for the commissioning before the service deadline.
How to Write a Form 14A
The form gives the core instruction itself: "Set out the statements of fact in consecutively numbered paragraphs. Where possible, each numbered paragraph should consist of one complete sentence and be limited to a particular statement of fact. If you learned a fact from someone else, you must give that person's name and state that you believe that fact to be true."
Rule 14 adds the rest for motions:
- Your own knowledge first. An affidavit for a motion "shall, as much as possible, contain only information within the personal knowledge of the person signing the affidavit" (r. 14(18)).
- Information from others, named. You can include what someone told you only if you identify the source by name and state that you believe it is true (r. 14(19)(a)). On a contempt motion, that information must also be unlikely to be disputed (r. 14(19)(b)).
- All your evidence at once. The person making the motion serves all their evidence with the notice of motion, the other party serves all theirs in response, and a reply may deal only with new matters raised in the response. No other evidence may be used unless the court orders otherwise (r. 14(20)).
A few practical points:
- Facts, not argument. "On March 3, I picked up the children from school at 3:30 p.m." is a fact. "The respondent is an unfit parent" is an opinion. According to the Ministry's guide, the rules and laws you rely on go in a factum or summary of argument, which the Superior Court may require.
- Dates and specifics. Say when, where and who. A judge reads many affidavits; precise ones are easier to rely on.
- Cross out blank space. Page 2 of the form says: "Put a line through any blank space left on this page."
- Do not sign it in advance. You sign in front of the commissioner, after the oath or affirmation.
What a notary can and cannot do: A notary public confirms your identity, administers the oath or affirmation, watches you sign, commissions the affidavit and marks and endorses each exhibit. A notary does not write your affidavit, decide what facts to include, check it against the rules or page limits, or advise on your motion. For help with the content, a Family Law Information Centre at the courthouse offers free information, Legal Aid Ontario duty counsel can help if you qualify, and a family lawyer can advise on your case.
Page Limits: Keep It Short
Judges have limited time for each motion, and courts now enforce limits on length. Rule 1(7.2)(b) lets the court limit the number of affidavits a party may file and their length, excluding exhibits.
In the Superior Court of Justice, the Consolidated Provincial Practice Direction for Family Proceedings (Part D, Motions) sets these limits:
| Rule for motion material | Limit |
|---|---|
| Format | At least 12-point font, double spaced |
| Primary affidavit, per party | One affidavit: 12 pages of narrative (short or regular motion), 20 pages (long motion) |
| An affidavit you filed earlier | Counts toward the same limit if you rely on it |
| Reply and third-party affidavits | No more than 5 pages each |
| Financial statement update affidavits | Not counted in the limit (r. 13(12)(b)) |
| Exhibits | Only necessary and relevant evidence; should not exceed 10 pages |
| Longer material | Needs the court's permission, granted only in exceptional circumstances |
The practice direction says non-compliant documents "will not be accepted for filing", will not be reviewed by the judge, and may lead to an adjournment. It also lists attachments that do not count toward the page limit, such as relevant excerpts of proof of income, domestic contracts and parenting assessments, and previous orders in the case.
Regional practice directions add more, and the Ontario Court of Justice has its own practice directions. Check the ones for your court before you finalize the affidavit.
Exhibits: What to Attach and How
An exhibit is a document you refer to in the affidavit and attach to it, such as a text message, an agreed parenting schedule, a school report or a pay stub.
The Ministry's guide to bringing a motion says to identify each exhibit in alphabetical order, for example: "Attached as 'Exhibit A' is a copy of an access schedule, agreed upon by me and the respondent". Then Exhibit B, Exhibit C and so on.
- Refer to every exhibit in a numbered paragraph. The paragraph says what the document is and why it matters.
- Attach excerpts, not archives. The Superior Court's practice direction says not to include "voluminous texts, emails or social media postings", only the relevant and necessary excerpts.
- Each exhibit is endorsed. At the appointment, the commissioner marks each exhibit as the exhibit referred to in your affidavit and signs and seals it. That is one more stamp per exhibit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Arguing instead of stating facts. Opinions and legal argument weaken an affidavit.
- Hearsay without a source. A fact you learned from someone else needs their name and your statement that you believe it (r. 14(19)).
- Going over the page limit. In the Superior Court, an over-length affidavit may not be accepted for filing.
- Attaching everything. Hundreds of pages of texts work against you. Pick the excerpts that matter.
- Holding evidence back for later. Under r. 14(20), the moving party serves all its evidence with the notice of motion. A reply is for new matters only.
- Signing before the appointment. The oath or affirmation comes first, then your signature.
- Missing the service deadline. Book the commissioning early enough to serve six days before the motion.
After you serve, you prove service with an affidavit of service, which can also be commissioned online; see our guide to Form 6B and Form 26B, sworn online.
How the Signing Works with Minute Notary
Why it can be done by video. The Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act requires an oath to be taken in the commissioner's physical presence unless the regulations provide otherwise (s. 9(1) and (2)). O. Reg. 431/20 provides otherwise: you can swear or affirm by video if you and the notary can see, hear and talk to each other in real time for the whole appointment, the notary confirms your identity, and the notary makes sure you understand what you are signing. The notary keeps a record of the appointment (s. 2).
The jurat. Form 14A's printed jurat has no wording for a remote oath. On a video appointment, the regulation requires a modified jurat stating that the oath was administered under O. Reg. 431/20 and where the notary and you each were.
- Finish the affidavit first. Write every paragraph, mark your exhibits in order, and leave it unsigned. Have your court file number and the full legal names of the parties ready.
- Book the appointment. Book online and choose General affidavit - Family Law Form 14A, or contact us or call (613) 434-5555. When the booking asks about exhibits, give the number you are attaching. Appointments run every day, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time).
- Upload the unsigned affidavit, your exhibits and your photo ID when you book, so everything is ready on the call.
- On the call: show valid government photo ID, swear or affirm out loud that the contents are true, and sign while the notary watches.
- The notary completes the jurat for a remote oath, signs and applies the seal, and endorses each exhibit. You receive the commissioned affidavit as a PDF.
- You serve and file it. Ontario's online filing page asks for documents "completed, signed, dated, commissioned as required and saved as individual PDFs". You can also file at the courthouse.
Online or at the courthouse? The Ministry's guide says there are commissioners at all family court offices who will commission the form for free, which is a good option if you are going to the courthouse anyway. A video appointment with us suits you if you would rather not travel, need an evening or weekend time close to a deadline, or want the PDF ready for online filing. If you are unsure whether your court office takes a remotely commissioned affidavit, ask the court office before you file.
Pricing
| Service | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Commissioning Form 14A online (video appointment) | $24.95 per seal | One seal for the person who swears it |
| Exhibits, online: 1st to 5th | $24.95 each | Each exhibit is marked, endorsed and sealed |
| Exhibits, online: 6th to 10th | $20 each | Exhibit volume pricing |
| Exhibits, online: 11th onward | $15 each | Exhibit volume pricing |
| Mobile visit (in person, anywhere in Ontario) | $24.95 per seal + $60 travel fee | Travel fee covers up to 30 km; beyond that, an additional travel fee applies. Exhibits $24.95 each |
| Card processing fee (online payments) | 2.9% + $0.30 | Shown as its own line before you pay |
Note: prices are before HST. Example: a Form 14A with three exhibits, commissioned online, is 4 stamps, $99.80 plus HST. We commission the affidavit; we do not write it, check it or give legal advice.
See every posted rate on our pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Form 14A affidavit?
Form 14A, Affidavit (General), is the standard affidavit under Ontario's Family Law Rules. You use it to put facts before the family court under oath or affirmation, most often as the evidence for a motion or a response to one. It is two pages long, and you add as many numbered paragraphs as you need.
When do I need a Form 14A?
Most often for a motion: Rule 14(9) says a motion needs a notice of motion (Form 14) and an affidavit (Form 14A). The person responding to a motion usually files one too. It is also used to update a financial statement with minor changes, as evidence at an uncontested trial, and in other steps where a rule asks for an affidavit in Form 14A.
How do I write the paragraphs in Form 14A?
The form says to set out the facts in consecutively numbered paragraphs, each one, where possible, a single complete sentence about one fact. Write what you know yourself. If you learned a fact from someone else, name that person and say you believe the fact is true (Rule 14(19)). Leave argument and legal points out of the affidavit.
How long can a Form 14A affidavit be?
For a motion in the Superior Court of Justice, the provincial practice direction allows each party one primary affidavit of up to 12 pages of narrative for a short or regular motion, or 20 pages for a long motion, in at least 12-point font, double spaced. Reply affidavits are limited to 5 pages and exhibits should not exceed 10 pages. Other courts and regions can set their own limits, so check the practice direction for your court.
How do I attach exhibits to Form 14A?
Refer to each document in a paragraph and mark it in alphabetical order, for example "Attached as Exhibit A is a copy of the parenting schedule we agreed on." The commissioner marks and endorses each exhibit at the appointment. Attach only the relevant pages: the Superior Court's practice direction says not to attach voluminous texts, emails or social media posts.
Can I swear Form 14A online?
Yes. The Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act allows an oath or affirmation by video under O. Reg. 431/20 when you and the commissioner can see, hear and talk to each other the whole time, your identity is confirmed, and the jurat is modified to say the oath was taken under the regulation and where each of you was. If you are unsure about your court's practice, ask the court office before you file.
Can the notary write or check my Form 14A?
No. The notary confirms your identity, administers the oath or affirmation, watches you sign, and marks and endorses your exhibits. We do not write the affidavit, choose what goes in it, check it against the rules or give legal advice. A Family Law Information Centre, Legal Aid Ontario duty counsel or a family lawyer can help with the content.
How much does it cost to have Form 14A commissioned online?
$24.95 per seal, plus HST. The affidavit is one seal for the person who swears it, and each exhibit is one more stamp. Online, exhibits 1 to 5 are $24.95 each, exhibits 6 to 10 are $20 each, and exhibits from the 11th on are $15 each. Online payments also carry a card processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30.
Final Recommendation
Treat your Form 14A as the evidence the judge will actually read. Write short, numbered, factual paragraphs from your own knowledge, name the source of anything you heard from someone else, attach only the excerpts that prove your points, and check your court's page limits before you finalize it. If you are unsure what belongs in it, ask a Family Law Information Centre, duty counsel or a family lawyer. When it is final, swear or affirm it before a commissioner: free at the court office, or online with us if a video appointment fits your deadline better. Then serve it at least six days before the motion and file it at least four days before.
Book Your Appointment
Need your Form 14A affidavit commissioned? Minute Notary commissions it by secure video for $24.95 per seal plus HST, with each exhibit endorsed at the same appointment.
- Contact us: Ask a question or request an appointment
- Call: (613) 434-5555
- Service page: Affidavits
- Free template: Form 14A, Affidavit (General)
- Related guide: Form 13.1 financial statement, sworn online
- Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time)
Sources
- Family Law Rules, O. Reg. 114/99 (Ontario), r. 1(7.2), r. 3(2), r. 13(12.1), r. 14, r. 23(22), r. 35.1(7) and r. 43(13)
- Ontario Court Forms — Form 14A: Affidavit (General), FLR 14A (September 1, 2005) (PDF)
- Ontario Court Forms — Family Law Rules forms
- Superior Court of Justice — Consolidated Provincial Practice Direction for Family Proceedings, Part D: Motions
- Ministry of the Attorney General — Guide to procedures in family court: Steps to bringing a motion in family court
- Ministry of the Attorney General — Guide to procedures in family court: Steps to respond to a motion in family court
- Ontario — Family Law Information Centres
- Ontario — File family court documents online
- Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.17 (Ontario), s. 9
- O. Reg. 431/20: Administering Oath or Declaration Remotely (Ontario)
This article was written using AI.
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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.