When a parent or spouse in a hospital, long-term care home or at home in Ottawa, Toronto or anywhere in Ontario has to sign, the notary comes to the room. What can be signed at the bedside, what can be done by video from the room, and what it costs.
Last updated: October 14, 2026
Mobile Notary at a Hospital, Long-Term Care Home or Private Home in Ontario
Quick answer: When someone cannot travel to sign, the notary travels to them. Minute Notary's mobile visits cover hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement residences and private homes anywhere in Ontario, with a $60 travel fee charged once per trip that covers up to 30 km from our nearest office in Ottawa or Toronto; beyond that, an additional travel fee applies. Most notarial acts are $24.95 per seal plus HST. Wills and powers of attorney are signed in person before two witnesses and priced as a bundle: $115 for one document, $200 for any two, $240 for a will plus both powers of attorney. An affidavit or statutory declaration can often be commissioned by video from the room on a family member's tablet, with no visit at all. At every signing the notary must be satisfied that the signer understands what they are signing; if not, nothing is signed that day.
The call usually comes from an adult child. A parent has been admitted, or has lived in long-term care for years, and a bank, a pension office or a lawyer now needs a signed document before anything else can move. A continuing power of attorney for property so someone can pay the bills. A power of attorney for personal care so a spouse can speak with the care team. A statutory declaration for a benefits claim. An affidavit for an estate. The family is stretched, the ward has its own rules, and the law does not hurry because the hospital does.
This guide is for that family, anywhere in Ontario. It explains what a mobile notary can do at a bedside and what they cannot, which documents can be handled by video from the room instead, what the notary checks before anyone signs, what to have ready, and what the visit costs in Ottawa, Toronto and everywhere between. For a hospital-by-hospital guide to Ottawa, see our bedside notary guide for Ottawa. If you are unsure where to start, contact us or call (613) 434-5555.
Key Takeaways
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where does the notary go? | Hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement residences and private homes anywhere in Ontario |
| What is signed there? | Powers of attorney, wills, affidavits, statutory declarations, bank and pension forms, certified true copies, consent letters |
| What can be done by video instead? | Affidavits and statutory declarations, from the room, on a tablet or phone, when the receiving organization accepts a remotely commissioned Ontario document |
| What must be in person? | Wills, powers of attorney, certified true copies, witnessed signatures |
| What does the notary check? | Valid photo ID, that the signer understands the document and is signing freely, and that the formalities (witnesses, exhibits) are met |
| Travel fee | $60 once per trip, up to 30 km from our nearest office in Ottawa or Toronto; beyond that, an additional travel fee applies |
| Price of the documents | $24.95 per seal plus HST; wills and powers of attorney $115 for one, $200 for any two, $240 for all three |
| When to call a lawyer first | If the document is not drafted yet, capacity is in doubt, or the family disagrees |
Will a notary travel to a hospital or care home in Ontario?
Yes, and it is one of the most common mobile visits we do. Minute Notary does not hold appointments at its head office; every in-person signing is a mobile visit, which means the notary travels to the client. A hospital ward, a long-term care suite, a retirement residence, a palliative unit or a living room are all ordinary destinations.
The notary carries a document folder, pens, ID and the embosser, signs in at the front desk like any visitor, and checks with the nursing station before entering the room. Masking, hand hygiene and screening rules are followed as posted. What the notary cannot do is override an institution's visiting rules: if a unit says no visitors during a procedure or a meal service, the visit waits. When you book, tell us what the unit has already said about visiting windows so the appointment lands in one.
The travel fee is $60, charged once per trip, however many documents are signed while the notary is there. It covers up to 30 km from our nearest office in Ottawa or Toronto; beyond that, an additional travel fee applies, which the office confirms with you before the visit. You choose a morning, midday or afternoon preference when you book, and the office confirms the exact date and time.
What documents are usually signed at the bedside?
The list is short and predictable. In each case the notary does what they would do at any appointment: confirm identity, take the oath or witness the signature, apply the seal. Only the location changes.
| Document | What the notary does | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing power of attorney for property | Witnesses the signing before two witnesses, takes the affidavit of execution | Estate bundle: $115 for one document, $200 for any two, $240 for all three |
| Power of attorney for personal care | Same as above | Estate bundle |
| Will | Same as above | Estate bundle |
| Affidavit for an estate, court or benefits file | Administers the oath, watches the signature, completes the jurat | $24.95 per seal |
| Statutory declaration | Takes the solemn declaration, completes the jurat | $24.95 per seal |
| Bank, insurance or pension form needing a notarized signature | Witnesses the signature on the institution's own form and seals it | $24.95 per seal |
| Certified true copy of a passport or certificate | Compares the copy with the paper original in the room and certifies it | $24.95 per seal |
| Consent letter (travel or medical) | Witnesses the signature, or commissions it as a statutory declaration | $24.95 per seal |
Two documents dominate. The continuing power of attorney for property lets an adult child or spouse manage banking and bills. The power of attorney for personal care names who speaks for the person on health and living decisions. Both are usually signed at the same visit, and the pair is $200 plus HST and the one travel fee. We handle wills and powers of attorney in person; that is our practice for these documents.
Which documents can be done by video from the room, and which need the visit?
Not every bedside document needs a visit. Ontario allows an oath or declaration to be administered by video under O. Reg. 431/20, when the notary and the signer can see, hear and communicate with each other in real time throughout, the notary confirms identity, the jurat records both locations, and the notary makes sure the signer understands what is being signed.
| Document | By video from the room? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Affidavit | Yes, if the recipient accepts it | Commissioning may be done remotely under O. Reg. 431/20 |
| Statutory declaration | Yes, if the recipient accepts it | Same |
| Consent letter prepared as a declaration | Yes | The parent declares the consent and the notary commissions it |
| Will or power of attorney | No | We handle wills and powers of attorney in person, before two witnesses |
| Certified true copy | No | The notary must inspect the paper original |
| Notary-witnessed signature on a bank form | No | Signature witnessing is an in-person act |
For the video route the signer needs valid photo ID in the room, the ability to see and hear the notary and answer, and a hand steady enough to sign on the screen through the secure link, with a finger. A family member can hold the tablet or phone and open the link, then step out of the frame while the notary speaks with the signer. The price is the flat $24.95 per seal plus HST and the card processing fee, with no travel fee. Our guide to commissioning a document from a phone walks through the steps.
Confirm with the receiving organization first. A bank, a pension administrator or an out-of-province court may want the signature witnessed in person or may not accept a remotely commissioned document; when they do not, the mobile visit is the answer.
What does the notary check before anyone signs?
Three things, in this order.
Identity. The notary needs to see valid, unexpired government photo ID, physically in the room: a passport, driver's licence, Ontario photo card, PR card or citizenship card. An Ontario health card is not accepted as identification. ID that is in a drawer at home, or expired last month, stops the appointment, so check it the night before.
Understanding and free will. At every signing, in a hospital room or anywhere else, the notary must be satisfied that the signer understands what they are signing and is signing of their own free will. In practice the notary asks the family to step out for a few minutes and talks with the signer: what is this document, who does it name, what will it let them do. A signer who can answer in their own words, however slowly, is signing with the understanding the law expects. A signer who cannot, or who only repeats what they were told, is not, and the appointment ends without a signature. The notary says so plainly. The notary is not a capacity assessor and does not produce a capacity report; if capacity is genuinely in question, that conversation belongs with the drafting lawyer before a notary is booked.
Formalities. A power of attorney and a will are each signed before two witnesses. The notary is one; bring a qualified second witness or ask us to bring one, and an additional charge applies for an additional witness. For a power of attorney, the attorney being appointed, the attorney's spouse or partner, the grantor's spouse or partner, the grantor's child, and anyone under 18 cannot witness. Affidavits with exhibits need each exhibit in the room so it can be marked.
Two practical notes. A signature does not have to be fluent; a shaky line or a mark made by the signer, who understands what they are doing, is a signature, and the notary records that the signer made their mark. And the conversation that confirms understanding has to happen in a shared language: appointments are conducted in English or Vietnamese, so for another language arrange a neutral interpreter who has no stake in the document.
What to have ready before the notary arrives
| Have ready | Why |
|---|---|
| The document, final and unsigned | The notary witnesses or commissions what exists; the notary does not draft, edit or fill blanks |
| The signer's photo ID, in the room | No ID, no signing. Health cards do not count |
| A qualified second witness, if required | Powers of attorney and wills need two; the notary is one |
| Glasses, hearing aids, dentures | The signer has to read, hear and speak |
| A clear, stable surface | An over-bed table cleared of cups is enough |
| A quiet 15 to 30 minutes at the bedside | Not during a procedure, a meal or a specialist's visit |
| The unit's visiting rules | Tell us what the nursing station has said so the visit is timed to a window they will admit |
| Paper copies, or a request to print | Bring the documents printed; optional black-and-white printing on request is $0.40 per page, settled with the notary |
If anything is missing on the day, the visit is paused and rescheduled rather than forced. A message before the notary sets out is better than a wasted trip.
How much does a bedside visit cost in Ontario?
| Service at the bedside | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Will or power of attorney | From $115 + HST | $115 for one document, $200 for any two, $240 for a will plus both powers of attorney; each includes its affidavit of execution |
| Any other notarial act, first seal | $24.95 + HST | Affidavits, statutory declarations, witnessed signatures, certified copies |
| Each additional seal | $24.95 + HST | Same rate; each signer beyond the first adds one seal per document |
| Travel fee | $60 + HST | Once per trip, anywhere in Ontario; covers up to 30 km from our nearest office in Ottawa or Toronto; beyond that, an additional travel fee applies |
| Additional witness we provide | An additional charge applies | Settled with the notary, never at checkout |
| Printing on request | $0.40 per page | Black and white, only when asked; settled with the notary |
| Card processing fee | 2.9% + $0.30 | Shown at checkout before you pay |
Note: prices are before HST. Couple signing discount for a couple signing wills and powers of attorney together: please email us for a rate. Example: a parent signs both powers of attorney in a long-term care home 12 km from our Toronto office: $200 bundle + $60 travel = $260 plus HST and the card fee, with one trip and both documents done.
How booking works in Ottawa, Toronto and the rest of Ontario
Booking starts online or by phone. We ask for the name of the hospital or home, the unit and room number, the signer's name as it appears on their ID, the documents in plain words, whether a second witness is needed, the timing, and anything the unit has said about visiting. You pick a morning, midday or afternoon preference and pay by card; the office then confirms the exact date and time, and confirms any additional travel fee first if the location is beyond 30 km from our nearest office in Ottawa or Toronto.
Ottawa. The Ottawa office covers the city's hospitals and long-term care homes and the surrounding communities. Our Ottawa bedside guide has practical notes on each campus.
Toronto and the GTA. The Toronto office covers Toronto's hospitals and care homes and the nearby cities. Distances across the region add up quickly, so the 30 km rule matters here: a home in Scarborough or Etobicoke is usually inside it, a home in Oshawa or Hamilton usually is not, and the office tells you before you commit.
Elsewhere in Ontario. Kingston, London, Windsor, Sudbury, Barrie and every other community are served; the additional travel fee for the longer trip is confirmed with you before the visit. For an affidavit or statutory declaration in those communities, the video route from the room often avoids the trip entirely.
Same-day is sometimes possible and never promised. It depends on the day's route and the unit's windows; a request that comes in late afternoon is often a next-morning visit.
When to call a lawyer first
What a notary can and cannot do: At the bedside the notary confirms identity, administers the oath or affirmation, witnesses the signature, certifies a true copy and applies the seal. The notary does not draft the power of attorney or will, give legal advice about what it should say, assess capacity in the formal sense, authorize medical treatment, or override hospital rules. Those belong to a lawyer, a designated capacity assessor and the care team.
Call a lawyer before a notary when the document does not exist yet, when a will is being written or changed late in life, when the family disagrees about the plan, when the signer owns property in another province or country, or when anyone doubts that the signer understands. The cleanest order is the usual one: the lawyer drafts and advises, the notary witnesses and seals. See notary vs lawyer in Ontario for the boundary in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a notary travel to a hospital or long-term care home in Ontario?
Yes. Minute Notary's mobile visits cover hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement residences and private homes anywhere in Ontario. A $60 travel fee is charged once per trip and covers up to 30 km from our nearest office in Ottawa or Toronto; beyond that, an additional travel fee applies. You pick a morning, midday or afternoon preference and the office confirms the exact date and time. The institution's visiting rules always apply; the notary cannot override them.
What documents are usually signed at the bedside?
A continuing power of attorney for property, a power of attorney for personal care, a will, an affidavit for an estate or benefits file, a statutory declaration, a bank or pension form that asks for a notarized signature, a certified true copy of a passport or other original, and a consent letter. The notary witnesses, commissions or certifies; the document itself comes from a lawyer, the institution or the client.
Can anything be done by video from the hospital room instead of a visit?
An affidavit or a statutory declaration can, when the organization receiving it accepts a remotely commissioned Ontario document. The signer joins the video call on a family member's tablet or phone, holds up valid photo ID, speaks the oath or affirmation and signs on the screen through a secure link. Wills, powers of attorney, certified true copies and witnessed signatures need the in-person visit.
Does the signer have to understand the document?
Yes. At every signing, in a hospital room or anywhere else, the notary must be satisfied that the signer understands what they are signing and is signing of their own free will. The notary speaks with the signer privately for a few minutes to confirm that. If the notary is not satisfied, nothing is signed that day, and the family is told plainly. The notary is not a capacity assessor; if capacity is genuinely in question, speak with the drafting lawyer first.
How much does a bedside visit cost in Ontario?
Most notarial acts are $24.95 per stamp or seal plus HST. Wills and powers of attorney are priced as an in-person bundle: $115 for one document, $200 for any two, and $240 for a will plus both powers of attorney, each including its affidavit of execution. Every visit adds the $60 travel fee once per trip, plus HST and a card processing fee at checkout. An additional charge applies for an additional witness.
Who provides the second witness for a power of attorney or will?
A power of attorney and a will are each signed before two witnesses. The notary is one. Bring a qualified second witness, or ask us to bring one; an additional charge applies for an additional witness. The attorney being appointed, the attorney's spouse or partner, the grantor's spouse or partner, the grantor's child, and anyone under 18 cannot witness a power of attorney.
Can the notary come the same day?
Sometimes. It depends on the day's route, how far the hospital or home is from our nearest office, and the unit's visiting rules. Same-day is sometimes possible and never promised; the honest answer comes when you contact us with the location, the document and the timing.
What ID does a patient need?
Valid, unexpired government photo ID, physically in the room on the day: a passport, driver's licence, Ontario photo card, PR card or citizenship card. An Ontario health card is not accepted as identification. If the ID has gone home in a family member's bag, retrieve it before the visit.
Final Recommendation
If a parent or spouse in a hospital or care home anywhere in Ontario has to sign, check four things before you book: the document exists in its final drafted form, the signer's photo ID will be in the room, a second witness is arranged if the document needs one, and the signer is having the kind of day on which they can explain what they are signing. If the document is an affidavit or a statutory declaration and the recipient accepts a remote commission, a tablet at the bedside may do the job without a visit. If it is a power of attorney, a will, a certified copy or a witnessed signature, book the mobile visit, tell us the unit and the room, and let the office confirm the time and the travel fee. If the document is not drafted or capacity is in doubt, call the lawyer first; the signing will still be there when the file is ready.
Book Your Appointment
Need a notary at a hospital, long-term care home or private home in Ontario? Minute Notary comes to you anywhere in Ontario: $24.95 per seal plus HST for most documents, $115 to $240 for wills and powers of attorney, plus a $60 travel fee once per trip.
- Contact us: Ask a question or request a visit
- Call: (613) 434-5555
- Service page: Mobile and In-Home Notary
- Related guide: Bedside Notary Ottawa: Hospital and Long-Term Care Visits
- Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time)
Sources
- Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c. 30 (Ontario)
- Succession Law Reform Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.26 (Ontario)
- Notaries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. N.6 (Ontario)
- Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.17 (Ontario)
- O. Reg. 431/20: Administering Oath or Declaration Remotely (Ontario)
- Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (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.