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Notarization made simple — online across Ontario, or at your door anywhere in the province.

Minute Notary is a technology-driven online notary platform co-founded by Quan Nguyen and Kai Mai. It operates with multiple licensed notaries across Canada, serving individuals and businesses. Oaths, affidavits and statutory declarations are sworn and commissioned virtually over secure video before a licensed Ontario notary, for clients anywhere in Ontario and Canada-wide for federal documents, from a head office in Ottawa.

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Home Services Pricing Legal Templates Blog About FAQ Contact How to book How to sign online For business Careers Become a notary Power of Attorney & Wills Mobile notary Notary in Ottawa

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info@minutenotary.ca

8056 Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard North
Ottawa, Ontario K1E 1W8

Open daily 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

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Online notary by city

Remote commissioning for clients anywhere in Ontario.

View all locations

Ottawa notary Toronto notary Mississauga notary Hamilton notary London notary Kingston notary Windsor notary Brampton notary Kitchener notary Greater Sudbury notary Markham notary Vaughan notary

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Scope of service

Minute Notary commissions oaths, affirmations, affidavits and statutory declarations over secure two-way video, the remote process Ontario law provides under Ontario Regulation 431/20 (made under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act). That regulation covers commissioning only. You can join from anywhere in Ontario, elsewhere in Canada or abroad. Where this site uses the informal terms “online notary” or “notarize online,” they mean this remote commissioning.

The Notaries Act requires the notary to be physically present to witness an ordinary signature or certify a true copy of a paper original, so those are done in person. So are wills, powers of attorney, and documents that need a wet-ink signature or an apostille: the notary comes to you anywhere in Ontario. If your document needs one of these, we tell you before the appointment and arrange a visit.

Minute Notary is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Before your appointment we check that your document can be commissioned remotely. The organization receiving it decides what it accepts; if it needs an original signature, we arrange an in-person visit instead. Questions? Call 613-434-5555 or email info@minutenotary.ca.

Now hiringLicensed paralegals & notaries public in Toronto & MississaugaApply

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Notary basics

Notary blog · Topic

Notary basics: roles, fees & how it works

The questions people ask before their first notary appointment: what a notary public in Ontario can and cannot do, how that differs from a lawyer, a commissioner of oaths or a justice of the peace, what notaries charge, and why a notary may refuse a document. These guides also explain which documents can be commissioned online by video and which still need you in the room, and how same-day booking works. Start with the basics here, then follow the guide for your own document.

Filed: 15 articles
Service: Online & Virtual Notary
Latest: October 14, 2026

Start here

Which guide do you need?

The cornerstone guides for this topic, in the order most readers need them. The full register of articles follows.

What a notary public does in OntarioThe role, how it differs from a commissioner of oaths, a lawyer and a justice of the peace, the ID accepted, and what the seal promises.
How to get a document notarizedAsk the receiver what it needs, choose the right service, bring unsigned papers and photo ID, then book online or in person.
Notary fees in OntarioOntario sets no standard fee: how posted rates compare, what is usually extra, and when a free commissioner is enough.
Notary vs. lawyerWho drafts, who witnesses, who advises and who certifies, document by document.

Service shortcut

Online & Virtual Notary

Online notary in Ontario: eligible affidavits and statutory declarations commissioned over a secure video appointment under O. Reg. 431/20.

See service details

01Guides · October 14, 2026 · 11 min readHow to Get a Document Commissioned Online From Your Phone: No Printer, No ScannerYou can have an affidavit or statutory declaration commissioned online using only your phone. Book, upload, join the video call, swear, sign with your finger and download the sealed PDF. Every step, and what to do if the camera does not work.
02Legal documents · October 14, 2026 · 11 min readNotary Fees in Ontario: What Notaries Charge and WhyOntario sets no standard notary fee. See how Minute Notary's flat $24.95 per seal, online or in person, compares with the posted rates of other Ontario notaries, what you get for it, what is usually extra, and when a free commissioner is enough.
03Guides · October 14, 2026 · 13 min readOnline Notary From Anywhere in Canada: What an Ontario Commissioner Can Do for Signers in BC, Alberta, Quebec or AbroadAn Ontario notary can commission your affidavit or statutory declaration by video while you sit in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal or overseas. Which documents that works for, when the receiving office decides, why Quebec is different, and the exceptions.
04Guides · October 14, 2026 · 12 min readSame-Day Online Notary in Canada: Commission an Affidavit or Declaration TodayNeed a sworn affidavit or statutory declaration commissioned today? How same-day online appointments work anywhere in Canada: the slot that starts within 20 minutes, what to have ready, and what cannot be done the same day.
05Legal documents · October 8, 2026 · 20 min readHow to Get a Document Notarized in Ontario (Online or In Person)How to get a document notarized in Ontario: ask the receiver what it needs, choose the right service, bring unsigned papers and photo ID, then book online or in person.
06Notary basics · September 5, 2026 · 10 min readAre Notarized Documents Legally Binding in Canada? What the Seal ProvesNotarization does not make a document legally binding. What the notary's seal actually proves, what it cannot fix, which documents must be sworn or notarized by law, and when a notarized paper can still be challenged.
07Guides · June 23, 2026 · 17 min readWhat You Can Notarize by Video in Canada: The Full GuideWhich documents an online notary can commission by video in Canada, which still need an in-person visit, how the appointment works, and what it costs.
08Legal documents · June 8, 2026 · 14 min readCan a Notary Notarize a Document for a Family Member in Ontario?Can a notary notarize for a family member in Ontario? Why impartiality matters, when a relative's signature is refused, and who can commission your document instead in Ottawa.
09Legal documents · June 8, 2026 · 17 min readWhy Would a Notary Refuse to Notarize My Document? (Ontario)Why a notary refuses to notarize a document in Ontario — the real reasons, from ID and pre-signed pages to incomplete forms — and how to prepare so it doesn't happen in Ottawa.
10Legal documents · May 8, 2026 · 11 min readOaths and Affirmations Online in Canada — Sworn by Video, Any CityTake an oath or affirmation online in Canada before a notary public by secure video. Oath vs. affirmation, when each is needed, what to bring, flat $24.95.
11Legal documents · March 5, 2026 · 14 min readNotary Public vs Justice of the Peace in Ontario: Which One Do You Need?Notary public vs justice of the peace Ontario explained for Ottawa clients — what each can do, when each is needed, and which professional handles your document.
12Notary basics · January 20, 2026 · 14 min readSame-Day Notary Ottawa: How Booking Actually WorksNeed a same-day notary Ottawa appointment? Here is how booking really works, what to send when you call, and the small mistakes that turn a 15-minute appointment into a 24-hour problem.
13Legal documents · January 10, 2026 · 18 min readNotary vs Lawyer Ontario: When Each Is RequiredNotary vs lawyer Ontario explained for Ottawa clients — who drafts, who witnesses, who advises, and who certifies, with a document-by-document decision matrix and pricing.
14Legal documents · January 5, 2026 · 14 min readNotary Public vs Commissioner of Oaths Ontario: Which One Do You Actually Need?Notary public vs commissioner of oaths in Ontario: what each can do, which acts can be done over video, who is automatically a commissioner, and which professional each document needs.
15Guides · January 15, 2025 · 12 min readWhat is a Notary Public in Ontario? Complete GuideWhat a notary public in Ontario actually does, how the role differs from a commissioner of oaths, a lawyer, and a justice of the peace, what ID is accepted, and what the seal really promises.

Other topics

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Topic clusters group guides across categories. Pick another, or browse the whole library.

Browse all notary articles

Apostille & document authentication9Everything Ottawa applicants need to know about the Hague apostille for Canadian documents — when it replaces embassy legalization, what a notary does first, and the Ontario / federal pathway.
Immigration & IRCC notarization24Certified copies, sponsorship declarations, and supporting affidavits for IRCC applications including PR, work permits, study permits, citizenship, and family sponsorship.
Travel consent & passport documents9Travel consent letters for minors, lost-passport statutory declarations, dual citizenship paperwork, and other travel-related notarial documents Canadian families need.
Wills, estates & power of attorney18Ontario wills, continuing power of attorney, affidavits of execution, and the witnessing rules estate documents require — explained for Ottawa families.
Real estate & contracts12Where a notary fits in an Ontario property deal, a business contract or a family agreement: gift-letter declarations, certified copies for the lender, powers of attorney witnessed for a closing, land transfer tax declarations, family transfers, landlord and tenant paperwork, cohabitation and separation agreements signed before a witness, and the corporate resolutions banks ask for. The closing itself stays with your lawyer. The sworn and certified paperwork around it is done here, online by video where the document allows it and in person where it does not.
Vehicle transfers & ServiceOntario7The sworn statements ServiceOntario asks for when a vehicle changes hands in Ontario — the family gift exemption on Form 1157E, the non-gift transfer on Form 1155E, corporate RIN letters, and affidavits for a lost or stolen ownership permit. Each one is commissioned online by video and returned as a PDF; the guides below take the forms in the order the counter asks for them, starting with the one question that decides everything: is this transfer a gift between eligible family members, or not?
Statutory declarations & affidavits70When you need a sworn affidavit versus a statutory declaration, what wording Ontario requires, and how Ottawa appointments handle the most common cases.
Professional licensing & corporate documents6Regulators and banks want the same two things from a notary: certified true copies of originals they will never see, and sworn declarations they can rely on. These guides cover the Ontario College of Teachers, the College of Nurses of Ontario and NCAS, Professional Engineers Ontario and inter-provincial P.Eng. mobility, academic credentials, and the corporate resolutions and certified articles a business needs for a bank or a foreign registration. Declarations are commissioned online by video; certified copies are made in person from the original.

Book today

Ready to get your documents notarized?

Book an appointment online or call to confirm same-day availability.

Book online in a minute Call Us

Notarization made simple — online across Ontario, or at your door anywhere in the province.

Minute Notary is a technology-driven online notary platform co-founded by Quan Nguyen and Kai Mai. It operates with multiple licensed notaries across Canada, serving individuals and businesses. Oaths, affidavits and statutory declarations are sworn and commissioned virtually over secure video before a licensed Ontario notary, for clients anywhere in Ontario and Canada-wide for federal documents, from a head office in Ottawa.

Googlereviews Trustpilotreviews

01

Quick Links

Home Services Pricing Legal Templates Blog About FAQ Contact How to book How to sign online For business Careers Become a notary Power of Attorney & Wills Mobile notary Notary in Ottawa

02

Contact Us

info@minutenotary.ca

8056 Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard North
Ottawa, Ontario K1E 1W8

Open daily 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

03

Online notary by city

Remote commissioning for clients anywhere in Ontario.

View all locations

Ottawa notary Toronto notary Mississauga notary Hamilton notary London notary Kingston notary Windsor notary Brampton notary Kitchener notary Greater Sudbury notary Markham notary Vaughan notary

04

Scope of service

Minute Notary commissions oaths, affirmations, affidavits and statutory declarations over secure two-way video, the remote process Ontario law provides under Ontario Regulation 431/20 (made under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act). That regulation covers commissioning only. You can join from anywhere in Ontario, elsewhere in Canada or abroad. Where this site uses the informal terms “online notary” or “notarize online,” they mean this remote commissioning.

The Notaries Act requires the notary to be physically present to witness an ordinary signature or certify a true copy of a paper original, so those are done in person. So are wills, powers of attorney, and documents that need a wet-ink signature or an apostille: the notary comes to you anywhere in Ontario. If your document needs one of these, we tell you before the appointment and arrange a visit.

Minute Notary is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Before your appointment we check that your document can be commissioned remotely. The organization receiving it decides what it accepts; if it needs an original signature, we arrange an in-person visit instead. Questions? Call 613-434-5555 or email info@minutenotary.ca.

Now hiringLicensed paralegals & notaries public in Toronto & MississaugaApply

© 2026 Minute Notary. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy Terms of Service Refunds Security Status Sitemap