What You Can Notarize by Video in Canada: The 2026 Guide

Last updated: September 23, 2026

What You Can Notarize by Video in Canada: The 2026 Guide

Quick answer: An online (virtual) notary meets you over a secure video appointment instead of in person. You show valid government photo ID on camera, the notary verifies your identity, administers your oath or declaration while you sign, and applies their commission — no office visit, no printing. In Ontario this runs under O. Reg. 431/20, which covers oaths, affidavits, and statutory declarations; it costs a flat $24.95 per stamp plus HST and is available to clients from Toronto to Vancouver to St. John's. Witnessing an ordinary signature and certified copies of paper originals still need an in-person appointment — no regulation allows those acts remotely — and we sign wills, powers of attorney, and real-estate documents in person as our practice.

If you have searched for an "online notary" or "virtual notary near me," you are usually after one thing: get a document notarized without taking half a day off to find a notary's office. For most everyday documents in 2026, that is exactly what an online notary lets you do. You join a short video call, prove who you are, sign or swear in front of the notary, and walk away with a finished document.

This guide is the plain-English map of online notarization in Canada with Minute Notary: what a virtual notary can and cannot do, how the appointment works, where it is accepted, what to have ready, and how much it costs. If you already know what you need, you can book online or call (613) 434-5555.

Ready to book instead of read? The Online & Virtual Notary service page lists the eligible documents, the $24.95 price and same-day video appointments across Ontario.

Caption: A virtual notary appointment is a live, two-way video session — the notary verifies your ID, watches you sign, and applies their commission, the same checks as in person.

Key Takeaways

What an Online Notary Can and Cannot Do

What a notary can and cannot do: A notary public in Ontario witnesses signatures, administers oaths and affirmations, certifies true copies of original documents, and commissions affidavits and statutory declarations. Of those acts, only administering oaths and declarations may be done remotely (O. Reg. 431/20); witnessing and certifying require physical presence. A notary does not give legal advice, draft court documents, or advise on immigration outcomes. The anchor to remember: a notary can commission, witness, and certify, but a lawyer or paralegal advises on what the document should say.

Going online changes how the notarial act happens — by camera instead of across a desk — not what the act is. The notary still verifies your identity, confirms you understand what you are signing, watches you sign or swear, and applies their commission. They still cannot tell you whether your visa will be approved or whether your contract is a good deal. When the real question is "what should this say?" or "will this be accepted?", that is a lawyer, paralegal, or the receiving organization.

Minute Notary operates as an Ontario notary public (also a commissioner for taking affidavits), commissioning documents online under O. Reg. 431/20, made under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act.

The legal basis, and why it is permanent

Two pieces of Ontario law make video notarization possible, and neither is a temporary pandemic measure. O. Reg. 431/20, made under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act, permanently allows a commissioner or notary public to administer an oath, affirmation, or declaration by audio-visual communication technology. Paired with an electronic signature and a digital seal, an affidavit or statutory declaration can be commissioned fully online and returned as a PDF. Separately, Bill 245 (the Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021) made the virtual witnessing of wills and powers of attorney permanent under the Succession Law Reform Act and the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, on the condition that one witness is a licensed Ontario lawyer or paralegal. Minute Notary signs wills and powers of attorney in person before two witnesses as a matter of practice, so those two documents are booked as in-person appointments.

Can the finished document be signed electronically? For most documents, yes. Ontario's Electronic Commerce Act, 2000 gives an electronic signature the same legal effect as a handwritten one. Section 31 of that Act carves out wills and codicils, powers of attorney, documents that create or transfer an interest in land and need registration, and negotiable instruments; those still take wet ink. A certified true copy is excluded for a different reason: the notary must hold the paper original.

Two practical checks before you rely on an electronically signed affidavit. Ask the receiving body whether it accepts remote commissioning: Ontario courts, ServiceOntario, and IRCC do routinely, while a foreign embassy or a land registry office may not. And send the original PDF rather than a printout wherever an electronic copy is accepted, because the digital seal and the signing record travel with the file. The jurat on our documents records that the oath was taken by video under O. Reg. 431/20, so the reader can see how it was done.

What You Can Notarize Online — Service by Service

Most everyday notarial work can be done by video. Here is the full picture, with a link to the detailed guide for each service.

For certifying copies, the clearest dividing line is the original. Certifying a copy of a paper original — a passport or a paper diploma — stays in person, because the notary must inspect that paper directly.

How an Online Notary Appointment Works — Step by Step

A virtual appointment averages 3-4 minutes once you are on the call and your ID is ready, because the document is read before it starts. The steps mirror an in-person visit.

1. Book the service and a time. Choose your service when you book online. Appointments run on Ottawa time (America/Toronto), so note the conversion if you are in another time zone.
2. Share your document in advance. You upload it securely so the notary can review it. Keep it unsigned — you sign on the call.
3. Join the video call. Use a phone, tablet, or laptop with a working camera and microphone in a quiet, well-lit room. A laptop is easiest when you need to share your screen.
4. Verify your identity. Hold up your valid government photo ID so the notary can confirm it matches you and the document.
5. Swear or declare, and sign. The notary administers your oath, affirmation, or declaration live, and you sign as part of that act.
6. The notary completes the act. The notary applies their seal, signature, and the required certificate or jurat.
7. Pay and receive your document. The flat $24.95 per stamp plus HST and any small processing fee are shown first. Nothing is confirmed until payment succeeds.

How Identity Verification Works on the Call

Going online does not lower the identity bar — it is the same check as in person, done on camera. The notary will:

1. Ask you to hold your government photo ID to the camera so your name, photo, and signature are visible.
2. Confirm the name on your ID matches the document; if you have changed your name, bring supporting proof such as a marriage certificate.
3. Check the ID is valid and unexpired — expired ID is generally not accepted in Ontario.
4. Confirm you are acting freely and understand the document.

Accepted ID generally includes a Canadian passport, an Ontario (or other provincial) driver's licence, an Ontario Photo Card, a Permanent Resident card, or a foreign passport. A passport or licence usually carries all the details on one document; if your primary ID is missing one, have a second piece of government ID ready.

Available Online From Any Major City in Canada

Because the appointment is by video, you can join from anywhere in the country. Clients connect from every province and territory:

Where you join the call does not, by itself, decide acceptance — the body receiving your document does:

• Federal and IRCC documents are commonly accepted with an Ontario notary public's commission, from any city.
• Documents for use in Ontario are squarely within an Ontario notary's authority.
• Documents tied to another province's courts or registries may need a commissioner or notary in that province — confirm first.
• Quebec runs a civil-law system; documents bound for Quebec institutions often need a Quebec notaire, while federal documents are commonly accepted.

We confirm your document is a fit on the call before any fee applies, and nothing is charged until it is.

Online or In Person — How to Decide

Why Clients Choose an Online Notary

The online route wins on time and reach. There is no travel, no parking, and no waiting room — you join from home or the office on a laptop or phone. For anyone outside a major centre, or without a notary nearby, it removes the biggest barrier entirely. It is easy to coordinate when several people must sign, because each can join from a different city on the same call, and same-day slots are often available when a deadline is close.

The trade-offs are honest. You need a working camera, a quiet space, valid photo ID, and a document the law allows to be commissioned remotely. If the receiver insists on an in-person commissioner, or your document is a certified copy of a paper original, an in-person appointment is the right call instead. For the everyday document a bank, employer, court, or government office has asked you to notarize, the online appointment is usually the simplest path to a finished, sealed document.

What to Bring to Your Online Appointment

Booking note: The flat rate covers a standard notarization for one document and one signatory. Multiple signatures, exhibits, or unusual formatting can take longer — mention it when you book so the appointment is the right length. Call (613) 434-5555 if you are not sure which service applies.

When to Call a Lawyer or Paralegal Instead

• You need someone to draft the document or decide what it should say.
• The matter is contested in family court or civil litigation.
• An immigration file has a refusal, appeal, or misrepresentation issue.
• A real-estate transaction involves a title dispute, lien, or unusual financing.
• An estate involves a contested will, multiple jurisdictions, or trust planning.

A notary makes documents official; a lawyer advises on whether they do the job.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming everything can be done online. Paper-original certified copies and signature witnessing stay in person; we sign powers of attorney and real-estate documents in person as our practice; an apostille is a separate step at Ontario Official Documents Services after notarization.
• Pre-signing a document that needs a witness. Bring it unsigned.
• Letting ID expire. Valid government photo ID is required on camera.
• Forgetting the receiver's rules. Where you join the call does not decide acceptance — the organization receiving the document does.

Pricing and Booking

Note: the first signer is included; if more than one person signs, each additional signer is charged an additional-signer fee of $24.95, shown before you pay.

Online appointments add HST plus a small card processing fee, all shown in full before you pay — and nothing is confirmed until payment succeeds. To book, choose your service when you book online, or call (613) 434-5555 to confirm your document qualifies for an online appointment first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an online (virtual) notary?

An online or virtual notary is a notary public who meets you over a secure, real-time video appointment instead of in person. You show valid government photo ID on camera, the notary verifies your identity, watches you sign or swear, and applies their commission. In Ontario, oaths, affidavits, and statutory declarations can be commissioned remotely under O. Reg. 431/20, made under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act.

What can an online notary do in Canada?

An online notary can commission affidavits and statutory declarations and administer oaths and affirmations — including many IRCC and immigration declarations and ServiceOntario vehicle-transfer sworn statements. That is the scope of O. Reg. 431/20. Witnessing an ordinary signature and certifying a paper original stay in person: the Notaries Act allows remote work only where a regulation provides for it, and none exists for those acts. Wills and powers of attorney are signed in person before two witnesses as our practice, and real-estate and mortgage signings stay in person too. An apostille or authentication is a separate step you complete at Ontario Official Documents Services after notarization.

Is using an online notary legal in Canada?

For the documents it covers, yes. Ontario permits oaths, affidavits, and statutory declarations to be administered remotely by audio-visual technology under O. Reg. 431/20. The notary must verify your identity and keep a real-time two-way connection throughout. Some documents — certified copies of paper originals and certain land-registry instruments — are not covered and require an in-person appointment.

Can a notarized document be signed electronically in Ontario?

For most documents, yes. Ontario's Electronic Commerce Act, 2000 gives an electronic signature the same legal effect as a handwritten one, and O. Reg. 431/20 lets the commissioner take your oath by video, so an affidavit or statutory declaration can be signed on screen, sealed digitally, and returned as a PDF. Wills, powers of attorney, registrable land documents, and negotiable instruments are excluded by the Act and still take wet ink, and a certified copy needs the paper original in the notary's hands.

Can I use an online notary from anywhere in Canada?

You can join an online appointment by video from anywhere in Canada. What decides acceptance is not where you sit during the call but whether the body receiving your document accepts a document commissioned online by an Ontario notary public. Federal and IRCC documents are commonly accepted; documents tied to another province's courts or registries may need a local provider. We confirm your document is a fit before any fee applies.

How much does an online notary cost?

Minute Notary charges a flat $24.95 per stamp or seal plus HST, the same price online or in person, with no tiers. Online appointments add HST plus a small card processing fee, all shown before you pay, and nothing is confirmed until payment succeeds. If more than one person is signing, an additional signer fee also applies.

What do I need for an online notary appointment?

A device with a working camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, valid government photo ID, and the document — unsigned, because you sign on the call as the notary administers your oath or declaration. A quiet, well-lit room makes the identity check faster.

Is the online notary appointment secure and private?

The appointment runs over a secure video connection, and the notary keeps a record of the act as the regulation requires. Join from a private, quiet space, and share your screen and documents only with the notary.

Final Recommendation

If you are looking for an online or virtual notary in Canada, start with two questions: what kind of document is it, and who is going to receive it. If it is an affidavit, a statutory declaration, an oath, or an IRCC declaration — and it is headed to a federal body or used in Ontario — an online appointment is very likely the simplest route, at a flat $24.95 per stamp. If it needs a witnessed signature, is a paper original to be certified, a power of attorney, a real-estate signing, or an apostille document, plan for an in-person appointment instead — though many witness-only documents can be prepared as statutory declarations and commissioned online. When in doubt, ask before you book — confirming your document qualifies takes five minutes and saves a wasted appointment.

Book Your Appointment

Need an online notary in Canada? Minute Notary commissions affidavits, statutory declarations, oaths and affirmations, immigration declarations, and travel consent letters prepared as declarations by secure video — flat $24.95 per stamp plus HST.

• Book online: Request an appointment
• Call: (613) 434-5555
• Service page: Online & Virtual Notary
• Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time)

Sources

• O. Reg. 431/20: Administering Oath or Declaration Remotely (Ontario)
• Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act (Ontario)
• Notaries Act (Ontario)
• Guide for newly appointed commissioners for taking affidavits in Ontario
• IRCC — Certified true copies of documents