Question 1

What documents do I need to have ready?

Accepted Answer

Please have a valid government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, or Ontario photo card) and requested documents to be uploaded via our portal.

For mobile signing at your place, please have the original documents you need notarized ready for the visit. If you're signing on behalf of a company, have corporate documentation on hand as well.

Question 2

What ID do you accept for a notary appointment in Ontario?

Accepted Answer

Valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification: a driver’s licence, a passport, a permanent resident card, or an Ontario photo card are the ones we see most. The name on it has to match the name on the document, so bring supporting proof — a marriage certificate or a change-of-name certificate — if they differ. Every signer needs their own; one person’s ID never covers another’s. For an online appointment you also upload a clear image of the front when you book, and the back only if we ask for it. Expired ID, a photocopy, or a photo of someone else’s ID on a phone is not enough.

Question 3

What if I do not have photo ID?

Accepted Answer

Contact us before you book, on (613) 434-5555 or at info@minutenotary.ca, and tell us what identification you do have. A notary has to be satisfied of who you are, and photo ID is the ordinary way of getting there — but what can be accepted depends on the document, on the receiving organization’s own rules, and on what alternatives exist in your case. What will not happen is the notary proceeding unsatisfied: if identity cannot be verified the notary must decline, so paying for an appointment first would only cost you time.

Question 4

Can someone under 18 sign or take part in the appointment?

Accepted Answer

Contact us before booking if a signer is under 18. Children are welcome at an appointment — parents arranging a travel consent letter or a family document often bring them, and a minor sometimes needs to be present for identification — but a minor swearing or signing something themselves raises questions of capacity and of what the receiving organization will accept, so we work that out with you in advance rather than at the appointment. Most family documents are signed by the parents or guardians rather than the child.

Question 5

Should I sign my document before the appointment?

Accepted Answer

No — leave it unsigned unless the notary tells you otherwise. The point of the act is that the notary sees you sign, or hears you swear to what you have signed, so a document that arrives already signed usually has to be reprinted and signed again. Upload the unsigned version when you book. The common exception is a document being certified as a true copy of an original, which is not a signing at all: for that, bring the original itself.

Question 6

Do I need an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work by appointment so we can plan the online signing or come to you. Our online booking only takes a minute process; same-day slots are usually available most weekdays. We offer remote online signing as well as mobile in-person service across Ottawa, where the notary travels to your home or wherever you are. We do not offer signing at our office yet.

Question 7

Do I need to create an account to book?

Accepted Answer

No. The booking form is open: you fill it in, pay, and receive your confirmation and your finished documents by email without ever signing up. An account is optional and only adds convenience — appointments and payment receipts gather in one dashboard instead of an email thread, which people who book regularly tend to prefer. The notarization and the price are identical either way.

Question 8

Are you open on weekends?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We are open 7 days a week, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, including Saturday and Sunday. A weekend notary appointment costs the same flat $24.95 per stamp plus HST as a weekday one — there is no weekend surcharge and no after-hours fee. Saturday and Sunday slots cover all three ways of working with us: an online appointment for eligible affidavits and statutory declarations, an in-person appointment at the Orléans (Ottawa) office, or a mobile visit within the Ottawa coverage area. Evening slots run every day as well, which is what most clients use when they cannot take time off work. Weekend and evening times fill first, so book online to hold your slot rather than arriving unannounced.

Question 9

How long does the notarization process take?

Accepted Answer

An online appointment averages 3-4 minutes once the call starts — affidavits, statutory declarations and the other sworn forms commissioned over video under O. Reg. 431/20. In-person work runs longer because the notary has to inspect something physical: certified copies and signature witnessing typically take 10-15 minutes, and complex multi-party signings may take 30-45 minutes.

Question 10

Do you offer rush or same-hour service?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when our calendar allows. Simply book online to check the available time slots and grab a same-hour spot. Booking ahead — even a short way ahead — costs nothing extra: our flat $24.95-per-stamp rate applies regardless of urgency, on a weekend just as on a weekday, and any time slot that starts more than 20 minutes after checkout carries no rush surcharge. The one exception is a true instant booking: choosing a slot that begins within 20 minutes of checkout adds a flat $8 instant booking fee plus HST, shown clearly before you pay. Because we are open 7 days a week, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, a Saturday or Sunday deadline does not have to wait until Monday. For genuine emergencies (deadline today, document needs to be filed by close of business), we’ll always do our best to fit you in.

Question 11

What is the instant booking fee?

Accepted Answer

A flat $8 plus HST that applies only when you choose an online time slot starting within 20 minutes of checkout — the appointment begins almost immediately after you pay. The fee is shown right when you pick the time and itemized in your total before payment; if you would rather not pay it, pick any time more than 20 minutes out and no fee applies. It is charged once per booking, is not removed by a coupon, and follows the same 24-hour no-refund rule as every last-minute appointment.

Question 12

Can children be present during notarization?

Accepted Answer

Yes — parents arranging travel-consent letters or family-related documents are welcome to have children present during the visit. The minor doesn’t typically sign anything (consent letters are signed by the non-traveling parent) but may need to be present for ID verification depending on the document.

Question 13

Do you offer remote or virtual notarization?

Accepted Answer

Yes — remote (virtual) commissioning is allowed in Ontario for most documents, so we can often handle your signing entirely online. We also offer mobile in-person service: we come to your home (or wherever you are) across Ottawa for documents that still require a wet-ink seal or an in-person appearance, which some IRCC, court, and international agencies prefer. We do not offer signing at our office yet. Book online with your document and deadline and we’ll confirm whether remote online works or whether mobile in-person is the faster route.

Question 14

Can you notarize a document for a family member?

Accepted Answer

We avoid notarizing anything where the notary has a personal stake, but you’re welcome to bring family members as clients. The line we don’t cross is a conflict of interest: the notary can’t be a party to the document or benefit from it. Relatives signing their own paperwork is completely fine, and a family member can come along to interpret as long as they aren’t named on the document.

Question 15

Does the website chat assistant save my conversation?

Accepted Answer

The chat assistant is a convenience tool for general questions about our services. Your conversation stays in your browser for the current session only — it clears when you close the chat or the browser tab, and it is not a formal record of your appointment. Anything about pricing, eligibility, or your booking is confirmed in the secure booking flow, not the chat, and the assistant cannot make binding offers or confirmations. Please don’t share sensitive ID numbers (such as your SIN or full passport number) in the chat.

Question 16

What is a Notary Public?

Accepted Answer

A Notary Public is a public officer appointed by the provincial government to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of important documents. In Ontario, Notaries Public are appointed under the Notaries Act by the Attorney General.

Question 17

What kinds of documents can you notarize?

Accepted Answer

Most of the paperwork ordinary life produces. The booking catalogue is organised by category: vehicle and ServiceOntario or Ministry of Finance forms; vital statistics and family registry forms; family law and domestic agreements; immigration, travel and passport documents; education and student forms; business, commercial and municipal documents; general affidavits, declarations and attestations; certified true copies; documents requiring two witnesses, such as wills and powers of attorney; contracts and civil agreements; estate planning; and global or foreign matters. Each document shows its own route when you select it — completed online, started online and reviewed by the notary first, or booked as an in-person visit. If your form is not listed, choose “Other / Not sure” and describe it, or email info@minutenotary.ca and we will tell you before you pay.

Question 18

Can my IRCC document be rejected if it’s notarized incorrectly?

Accepted Answer

Yes — IRCC and other Canadian agencies will reject documents that aren’t properly certified. The notary seal must be applied correctly, the certification statement must match what the receiving agency requires, and the original document must be presented at the notarization. We notarize hundreds of IRCC documents each year and know what each application stream requires. If you’re unsure what your application needs, bring the IRCC instructions with you and we’ll match the certification to them.

Question 19

Do you provide certified translations for IRCC?

Accepted Answer

We don’t translate documents ourselves, but we do commission the translator’s affidavit (often called a “Statement of Translator”) that IRCC asks for when a translation was not done by a certified translator — a certified translator’s own translation needs no affidavit. You bring us the translated document plus the translator’s unsigned declaration; we verify the translator’s identity and commission their affidavit. The fee is the same flat rate as any notarization ($24.95 per stamp + HST).

Question 20

What's the difference between a notarized copy and an apostille?

Accepted Answer

A notarized copy is a certification by an Ontario Notary Public that a copy matches the original — accepted by IRCC, Canadian agencies, and many international institutions. An apostille (or, in Canada, "authentication and legalization") is an additional government-level certification required by some countries that have signed the Hague Convention. We can notarize the document, then advise you on whether an apostille is needed and how to obtain one through Global Affairs Canada.

Question 21

Can you notarize documents for use outside Canada?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we can notarize documents for international use. However, some countries may require additional authentication (apostille / Global Affairs Canada legalization). Please let us know the destination country so we can advise on any additional requirements before your appointment.

Question 22

What's the difference between a notary public and a commissioner of oaths?

Accepted Answer

Both can administer oaths and witness affidavits, but a Notary Public can do more. A commissioner of oaths is limited to taking affidavits and statutory declarations, while a Notary Public can also certify true copies of documents, witness signatures on contracts and deeds, and notarize paperwork meant for use outside Ontario. If you need a certified copy of a passport or a document headed overseas, you need a notary — and that’s exactly what we do here.

Question 23

Which documents can be completed online in Ontario?

Accepted Answer

Eligible affidavits, statutory declarations, and selected sworn Ontario, IRCC, and court forms can be commissioned online under O. Reg. 431/20. A travel consent letter is online-eligible when it is prepared as a statutory declaration. At Minute Notary, signature witnessing, certified true copies of paper or identity documents, wills, powers of attorney, trusts, negotiable instruments, documents of title, and documents that require a wet-ink original for apostille or legalization are handled in person. Contracts, custom forms, and documents for use abroad may require review, and the receiving organization must accept remote commissioning. Select your exact document when booking to see whether it is online-eligible, requires review, or must be completed in person.

Question 24

Can you refuse to notarize my document?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and sometimes we have to. We can’t proceed if we’re unable to verify your identity, if the document looks incomplete or altered, if you don’t appear to understand what you’re signing, or if it seems like you’re being pressured. It isn’t personal — that safeguard is what makes a notarization mean something. If we can’t go ahead, we’ll explain why and tell you what to fix so you can come back.

Question 25

Can you give me legal advice about my document?

Accepted Answer

No — and that’s true of every notary in Ontario. We verify your identity, witness your signature, and apply the seal, but we can’t tell you whether a document is right for your situation, draft it for you, or advise on legal strategy. For that you’ll want a lawyer, or for immigration matters a licensed RCIC. Once you know the document is the one you need, we’re glad to notarize it.

Question 26

What is the difference between notarizing and commissioning a document?

Accepted Answer

Commissioning is administering an oath, affirmation, or declaration — the step an affidavit or statutory declaration needs, performed by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits. Notarizing is the broader set of acts a Notary Public can perform: certifying that a copy matches the original shown, witnessing a signature, and notarizing a document that is going abroad so that Ontario’s Official Documents Services can apostille or authenticate it. Minute Notary acts in both capacities, and the distinction decides how your appointment happens: commissioning is what Ontario Regulation 431/20 allows to be done by video, while Notaries Act acts take place in person at the Ottawa office or on a mobile visit.

Question 27

Can you write the document or give me the form?

Accepted Answer

We do not draft documents or advise on wording — that is legal work, and for it you want a lawyer, or a licensed RCIC for immigration matters. What we do have is a free library of Ontario templates and samples at https://minutenotary.ca/legal-templates, covering common documents such as travel consent letters, invitation letters, and general affidavits, which you can complete yourself before your appointment. Bring the finished but unsigned document and we commission or notarize it at the usual flat rate.

Question 28

What happens if I lose my notarized document?

Accepted Answer

A notarization can’t simply be re-printed — the seal applies to that one signed original. If you lose it, bring a fresh copy of the document and we’ll notarize it again (our flat $24.95 per stamp + HST still applies). We keep a record of the notarial acts we perform, so we can confirm a notarization took place, but that record isn’t a replacement for the document itself. Our tip: scan or photograph notarized documents before you submit them.

Question 29

Does an Ontario notary need a seal or stamp?

Accepted Answer

Ontario doesn’t legally require an embossed seal for a notarization to be valid — under provincial rules the notary’s signature and details can be enough. In practice, though, most agencies, courts, and especially foreign and IRCC offices expect to see a stamp or seal, so we apply one as standard. If your receiving agency wants a specific format, bring their instructions and we’ll match them.

Question 30

Can you help with a letter of invitation for visitors to Canada?

Accepted Answer

Yes — we can witness your signature and notarize a letter of invitation for family or friends applying to visit Canada. We confirm your identity and witness the signing, but we can’t draft the letter or advise on the visa application itself; that’s for you or an immigration professional. Bring the finished letter and your photo ID and we’ll notarize it at the usual flat rate.

Question 31

My lawyer is in another province — can you witness my closing package here?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. When a lawyer in British Columbia, Alberta, or anywhere outside Ontario sends you a closing or refinancing package, what they usually need at this end is an Ontario notary public to verify your identity and witness your signature, and a commissioner to take the affidavits and statutory declarations inside the package. That is ordinary notarial work, done at the Ottawa office or on a mobile visit — land and mortgage documents are signed in wet ink, so they are not eligible for an online appointment. Print the package single-sided, sign nothing in advance, and bring two pieces of government photo ID. Each notarial seal is $24.95 plus HST, so a package with several sworn documents is several seals; a mobile visit adds the flat $60 travel fee once for the trip. Two things are worth settling with your lawyer before you book: whether any form in the package must be sworn before someone qualified in that province or in particular wording, and how the signed originals travel back — that courier arrangement is yours to make, not ours. We witness, commission, and certify copies; we do not advise on the transaction and we do not register anything on title.

Question 32

Can I give a vehicle to a family member in Ontario without paying tax?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if the recipient is on ServiceOntario's list of eligible family members and you file the Sworn Statement for a Family Gift of a Used Motor Vehicle (Form 1157E). A used vehicle bought privately in Ontario normally attracts 13% retail sales tax, calculated on the purchase price or the vehicle's Canadian Red Book wholesale value, whichever is greater — so a low figure on the bill of sale does not reduce it. The family gift exemption does, and the sworn statement is what claims it. Only one exempt transfer of the same vehicle between family members is allowed within a 12-month period. We commission the sworn statement; ServiceOntario decides eligibility and completes the registration in person at one of its centres.

Question 33

Which relatives qualify for the Ontario family gift vehicle exemption?

Accepted Answer

ServiceOntario lists the eligible relationships: spouse (including a common-law spouse), parent or step-parent, grandparent or step-grandparent, son or step-son, daughter or step-daughter, grandson or step-grandson, granddaughter or step-granddaughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sibling, half-sibling and adopted sibling. Aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins are not on the list, and neither are brothers-in-law or sisters-in-law — even though sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law are. A transfer to someone outside the list is treated as an ordinary private transfer and retail sales tax applies. Eligibility is set by ServiceOntario and the Ministry of Finance, not by the notary.

Question 34

Can you notarize the parental authorization for my child’s Brazilian visa?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When a Brazilian visa applicant is under 18, the file carries an authorization from the parents or legal guardians consenting to the visa being issued, together with a document proving the relationship to the child. We prepare that authorization as a statutory declaration and commission it, which makes it eligible for a secure video appointment under O. Reg. 431/20 — an authorization merely signed in front of a notary is a signature witnessing, and that has to happen in person. Bring the completed authorization unsigned, photo ID for each declaring parent, and the child’s long-form birth certificate (or a death certificate or sole-custody order where only one parent signs). Confirm with the consulate or the visa portal that they accept a remotely commissioned declaration for your file before booking.

Question 35

Do both parents have to sign the Brazilian visa authorization for a minor?

Accepted Answer

The Embassy of Brazil in Ottawa’s visitor-visa page asks for an authorization signed by both parents or legal guardians, plus a document proving the relationship to the child — one piece of ID from each parent with the child’s birth certificate, or a death certificate, or a judicial document attesting sole custody. Where only one parent signs, that supporting document normally travels with the file. The authorization itself takes one stamp at $24.95 plus HST, and the first parent is included; when both parents declare, the second parent is charged as an additional signer at $24.95, and any document attached as an exhibit is endorsed and sealed separately. The notary commissions each declaration; the consulate decides whose consent your file needs and whether your documents are enough.

Question 36

Is the Brazilian visa authorization the same as a travel consent letter?

Accepted Answer

No — and there are three documents people mix up. The authorization for issuance of a visa for a minor supports the VISA APPLICATION and is prepared before the trip. A travel consent letter is what a child carries while travelling without someone who has decision-making responsibility; the Government of Canada recommends it but does not require it. Brazil separately requires a travel authorization for Brazilian children LEAVING Brazil unaccompanied, with one parent, or with a third party, which is a Brazilian document about exit from Brazil. A family flying to Brazil may need the first two. Tell us which one the receiving consulate, airline or portal asked for and we prepare that one.

Question 37

Does a will have to be notarized in Ontario?

Accepted Answer

No. Under section 4 of Ontario's Succession Law Reform Act a will is valid when the person making it signs in the presence of two attesting witnesses who are there at the same time, and those witnesses then sign in that person's presence. Nothing in the Act asks for a notary's seal. A holograph will — one written entirely in the testator's own handwriting and signed by them — needs no witnesses at all under section 6. Where a notary genuinely helps is the practical side: two qualifying witnesses have to be found, a beneficiary must not be one of them, and the estate will later need a sworn affidavit of execution for probate. A will is signed in person with us — at the Ottawa office or on a mobile visit — and cannot be completed in an online appointment. We witness the signing, supply both witnesses, and take that affidavit at the same appointment: $115 for the will on its own, $200 with one power of attorney, or $240 with both, plus HST. We do not draft or review the will.

Question 38

Does a power of attorney need to be notarized in Ontario?

Accepted Answer

Not for it to be valid. The Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 requires a continuing power of attorney for property (s. 10) and a power of attorney for personal care (s. 48) to be signed in front of two witnesses who each sign as a witness — it does not require notarization. What sends most people looking for a notary is the receiving end. Banks, investment firms, land registry offices, and authorities in other countries routinely ask for a notarized power of attorney or a certified true copy before they will act on one, and a POA headed abroad usually has to be notarized before it can be authenticated or apostilled. Ask the institution what it will accept before booking, because the answer decides whether you need witnessing, notarization, a certified copy, or all three.

Question 39

Who can notarize a power of attorney in Ontario?

Accepted Answer

A Notary Public commissioned in Ontario — which in practice usually means a lawyer or paralegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario who also holds a notarial appointment. Quan Nguyen holds both the notary appointment and a commissioner for taking affidavits appointment. The distinction matters: a commissioner alone can administer oaths and take affidavits and statutory declarations, but cannot certify a true copy or notarize a document for use outside Ontario, and those are often exactly what a power of attorney is needed for. Separately from notarization, the two people who WITNESS the signing must qualify under s. 10(2) of the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992. The notary can act as one of those witnesses, and we supply the second.

Question 40

Who can witness a will or a power of attorney in Ontario?

Accepted Answer

Two people have to witness each of them, and the disqualifications are what usually derail a signing at home. For a will, section 12 of the Succession Law Reform Act voids any gift to a witness or to that witness's spouse — the will still stands, but the inheritance does not, so the adult children in the room must not sign. For a power of attorney, s. 10(2) of the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 rules out the attorney being appointed and that attorney's spouse or partner, the grantor's own spouse or partner, the grantor's child or anyone treated as their child, a person whose property is under guardianship or who has a guardian of the person, and anyone under 18. Between those two lists, most of the family is excluded. The notary acts as one witness and we bring a second, so you do not have to find neutral adults yourself.

Question 41

What is an affidavit of execution, and do I need one?

Accepted Answer

It is a sworn statement by one of the witnesses to a will, confirming they watched it being signed and that everyone signed in each other's presence. In Ontario it is Form 74D under the Rules of Civil Procedure, and the Superior Court of Justice generally wants it when an estate applies for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee — the step most people call probate. It is not needed for the will to be valid; the estate needs it afterwards. Sworn at the signing while everyone is still in the room it takes a few minutes and is included in the signing price, from $115 for one document. Sworn years later it means locating a witness who may have moved, lost capacity, or died, which is one of the most common delays in an Ontario probate file. On its own it is charged as an affidavit at $24.95 per seal plus HST.

Question 42

Can you make a notarized copy of a will or a power of attorney?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the correct name for it is a certified true copy, and it is a different act from witnessing a signing. The notary compares the physical original against the copy and certifies that the copy is a true one, at $24.95 per copy plus HST. Banks, insurers, investment firms, and land registry offices commonly ask for this so the original will or power of attorney can stay in safekeeping. Two practical limits: you must bring the physical original, because a certified true copy cannot be made from a scan or a photograph and cannot be done over video; and some estate and property matters call for the original document itself rather than a copy, so confirm which one the receiving organization requires before you book.

Question 43

Can you witness a will I made with an online will kit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The signing formalities in Ontario are the same whoever drafted the document, so a will prepared on a platform such as Willful, LawDepot, or Epilogue — we are not affiliated with any of them — is witnessed exactly like a lawyer-drafted one. Bring it printed and unsigned, follow the signing instructions that came with the kit, and sign in front of us: a will already signed at home cannot be repaired with a seal afterwards. We verify identity, act as one of the two attesting witnesses, supply the second qualifying witness, and take the affidavit of execution (Form 74D) at the same appointment, so the estate is not hunting for a witness years later at probate. A beneficiary, or the spouse of one, must not witness — under section 12 of the Succession Law Reform Act a gift to a witness is void. A will is signed in person, at the Ottawa office or on a mobile visit, and is never completed in an online appointment. The fee is $115 for the will on its own, $200 with one power of attorney, or $240 with both, plus HST; a mobile visit adds the flat $60 travel fee once per trip. We witness and commission; we do not draft the will, review its contents, or advise on who should inherit.

Question 44

Can ServiceOntario commission my affidavit or sworn statement?

Accepted Answer

ServiceOntario is the Ontario government's one-stop service counter. It processes the paperwork you bring in — a used vehicle transfer, a change of name application — and it expects any sworn statement to arrive already commissioned: the oath is administered by a commissioner of oaths or a notary public, who completes the jurat and applies the seal. Minute Notary commissions ServiceOntario paperwork online by secure video anywhere in Ontario, or in person in Ottawa, for $24.95 per seal plus HST. The used vehicle forms — the family gift statement (Form 1157E) and the transfer statement (Form 1155E) — are sworn by both parties, so they take two seals ($49.90 plus HST). Fill the form in but leave every signature blank, bring valid government photo ID, and take the sworn statement to ServiceOntario afterwards.

Question 45

How does an online notary appointment work in Ontario?

Accepted Answer

You book, upload, meet by video, and receive the sealed PDF by email — usually inside the same hour. On the booking page you choose your document, add every person who has to sign, upload the unsigned document and each signer’s photo ID, pick a time, review the total, and pay. At the appointment you join a secure video call from a phone, tablet, or computer, show the same ID on camera, and the notary administers the oath or affirmation and commissions the document under Ontario Regulation 431/20. The completed, sealed PDF and a completion certificate are emailed to you shortly afterwards. Signature witnessing, certified true copies, wills, and powers of attorney are not done this way — those are booked as an Ottawa office or mobile appointment.

Question 46

How do I book a notary appointment?

Accepted Answer

Online at https://minutenotary.ca/book, in six short steps: Service (which document), Details (you and any other signers), Upload (the unsigned document and photo ID), Schedule (pick a time from the live calendar), Review (your full total, including HST and any coupon), and Payment. You do not need an account, and the form takes about ten minutes. A mobile “we come to you” booking is the same flow without the calendar step — you choose a preferred time of day and the office confirms the exact time. If you would rather see each screen before you start, https://minutenotary.ca/how-to-book walks through all six with screenshots, and you can call (613) 434-5555 if anything is unclear.

Question 47

What do I need for an online notary appointment?

Accepted Answer

Four things: one valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s licence, passport, or permanent resident card; the unsigned document you need commissioned; a device with a working camera and microphone; and a stable internet connection in a quiet, well-lit space. Every person who swears or declares must attend and show their own valid photo ID — nobody can be sworn in their absence. Do not sign the document before the appointment unless the notary tells you otherwise, because the notary has to see it signed. If identity cannot be verified, or the document turns out not to be eligible for remote commissioning, we may have to decline.

Question 48

Do I have to print anything for an online appointment?

Accepted Answer

No. Nothing is printed for an online appointment: you upload the unsigned document, sign it electronically during the call, and the finished sealed PDF arrives by email with a completion certificate. Digital delivery is always included at no extra charge. If the organization receiving your document insists on paper, you can print the emailed PDF yourself, or add a printed copy at checkout under “Document delivery” and we mail it anywhere in Canada — $20.99 for Regular mail (8–10 business days) or $49.95 for Express mail, also called expedited (3–4 business days), postage included, plus HST.

Question 49

Can I book a notary appointment for someone else?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Parents book for adult children, assistants book for a manager, and staff book for a client every week: you can complete the whole form on someone else’s behalf and pay with your own card. What cannot be delegated is the appointment itself — every person who swears, declares, or signs must attend, show their own valid photo ID, and answer for their own document. Add each of them as a signer during the Details step so they receive the joining details, and remember that each signer beyond the first counts as one more seal at $24.95 plus HST.

Question 50

Can two signers join the appointment from different locations?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Signers do not have to be in the same room or the same city — each joins the same online appointment from their own device with their own photo ID. That is the usual arrangement for a statement two people must swear together, such as the Ontario family gift vehicle form. Each signer beyond the first is a separate notarial act, so the total rises by $24.95 plus HST per additional signer and is shown before you pay. Everyone does have to attend the same appointment; we cannot swear one person now and the other tomorrow under one booking.

Question 51

What happens if my internet drops during the appointment?

Accepted Answer

Rejoin with the same link. A dropped call voids nothing, because the commissioning is only complete once the notary has verified your identity, administered the oath, seen you sign, and applied the seal. If the connection cannot be restored well enough to do all of that, nothing is finalized — email info@minutenotary.ca or call (613) 434-5555 and we arrange another time. Two things help in practice: keep the browser in the foreground on a phone, and switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data if the video keeps freezing.

Question 52

What if I picked the wrong service or document when I booked?

Accepted Answer

Tell us before the appointment and we will sort it out. The notary reviews your uploaded document and ID before the call, so a mismatch is usually caught there — but the sooner you email info@minutenotary.ca with your booking details, the easier it is to change. If your document turns out to need a physical appearance — a certified true copy, a will, a power of attorney, or a signature the notary must witness — we will say so rather than proceed, because commissioning it over video would not give you the document you actually need.

Question 53

How do I sign the document during an online appointment?

Accepted Answer

In the signing workspace we open for you, on the same device you are calling from. After the notary has verified your ID and administered the oath or affirmation, you place your signature in the marked fields while the notary watches, and the notary then adds their own signature and seal. It is an electronic signature applied live during the appointment — not one you send in beforehand, and not one added after the fact. That is how affidavits, statutory declarations, and the other documents commissioned under O. Reg. 431/20 are handled. Documents that need a wet-ink signature witnessed by the notary are booked in person instead.

Question 54

What happens after I pay for my booking?

Accepted Answer

A confirmation email arrives straight away with the appointment time and how to join. Before the appointment the notary reviews the document and the ID you uploaded, so anything wrong surfaces early rather than on the call. At the appointment your identity is checked, the oath or affirmation is administered, you sign, and the seal is applied. Shortly afterwards the completed PDF and a completion certificate arrive by email; a mailed paper copy, if you added one at checkout, follows by post. Appointment times are always shown in Ottawa time (America/Toronto).

Question 55

Can I bring a friend or family member to translate during the appointment?

Accepted Answer

Yes — if you’re not comfortable in English, you’re welcome to bring an interpreter. The interpreter cannot be a party to the document being notarized, but a family member or friend who isn’t named on the document is fine. For sworn statements (affidavits, statutory declarations), the interpreter may need to also sign a translator’s declaration; we’ll handle that during the appointment.

Question 56

Do you have a notary who speaks Vietnamese?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Appointments can be conducted in Vietnamese as well as English, which matters when someone is swearing to the contents of a document and has to genuinely understand what they are swearing to. Vietnamese-language pages for our services are at https://minutenotary.ca/vi, and you can say which language you would prefer when you book or email info@minutenotary.ca. If you would rather bring your own interpreter, that is fine too, as long as they are not a party to the document.

Question 57

Can you notarize a document that is not in English?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes, with the right support. The notary has to be satisfied that the person signing understands what they are signing, so if the document is written in a language the notary does not read, bring an interpreter who is not named on the document; for sworn statements the interpreter may also need to sign a translator’s declaration, which we handle during the appointment. Separately, when an organization such as IRCC asks for a translation, we do not translate — but where the translator is not a certified translator, we commission the translator’s affidavit that IRCC’s rules call for, at the same flat $24.95 per seal plus HST.

Question 58

Do you offer mobile notary services?

Accepted Answer

Yes — mobile signing at your home is how we work right now. We come to you across Ottawa (homes, hospitals, retirement residences, real-estate closings, after-hours). We do not offer in-person signing at our office yet. The price is the same flat notary rate ($24.95 per stamp/seal) plus a flat $60 mobile fee, plus HST. The mobile fee is charged once per trip, no matter how many documents we sign while we are there. Book online or call — same-day mobile slots are sometimes available.

Question 59

Can the notary come to a hospital, retirement home, or my house?

Accepted Answer

Yes, anywhere inside the Ottawa coverage area — Ottawa, Orléans, Barrhaven, Kanata, and Nepean. Homes, workplaces, hospitals, long-term care and retirement residences are the ordinary mobile visits, and bedside signings for clients who cannot travel are a routine part of the work. Book a mobile visit, give the address, and choose a preferred time of day; the office confirms the exact time before the visit. The cost is the usual notarial fee — $24.95 per seal plus HST, or, for wills and powers of attorney, $115 for one document, $200 for any two, and $240 for a will plus both powers of attorney — plus the flat $60 travel fee charged once for the trip. Tell us in advance if a signer needs an accommodation or if the facility has visiting restrictions.

Question 60

How does a mobile visit get scheduled?

Accepted Answer

Differently from an online appointment, because the notary has to travel. A mobile booking skips the calendar grid: you choose the service and a preferred time of day — morning, midday, or afternoon — add your documents and ID, give the visit address, and pay. The office then confirms the exact date and time with you before the visit. That is also why a mobile visit is worth booking earlier in the day than an online one when your deadline is today. Everything else is the same, including the flat $24.95 per seal and the single $60 travel fee for the trip.

Question 61

What is a mobile notary?

Accepted Answer

A Notary Public who travels to you instead of asking you to come to an office. People describe the same visit in a dozen ways — a mobile notary, an at-home notary service, a notary that comes to you, a travelling notary, a notary on wheels — and they all mean this. We attend homes, workplaces, hospitals, hospices, and long-term care and retirement residences anywhere inside the Ottawa coverage area: Ottawa, Orléans, Barrhaven, Kanata, and Nepean. Everything else matches an office appointment: photo ID is verified, the oath or affirmation is administered, the signature is witnessed, and the official Ontario seal is applied, with identical legal weight. Pricing is the usual notarial fee — $24.95 per seal plus HST, or, for wills and powers of attorney, $115 for one document, $200 for any two, and $240 for a will plus both powers of attorney — plus a flat $60 travel fee charged once for the trip.

Question 62

Can a notary come to my home to witness a will?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons people book a mobile visit. A will must be signed in person before two attesting witnesses and cannot be completed in an online appointment, so when the person making the will is housebound, in hospital, in hospice, or living in a care residence, a visit is usually the only practical route. We travel anywhere in the Ottawa coverage area (Ottawa, Orléans, Barrhaven, Kanata, and Nepean), verify photo ID, confirm the testator understands the document and is signing free of anyone's pressure, bring the second qualifying witness, and swear the affidavit of execution before we leave. The cost is $115 for the will on its own, $200 with one power of attorney, or $240 with both, plus HST and the flat $60 travel fee for the trip. Tell us it is a will when you book so the second witness travels with the notary.

Question 63

Can I get a power of attorney notarized at home or in hospital?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A power of attorney must be signed in person before two qualifying witnesses and cannot be completed in an online appointment, so a mobile visit is the usual answer when the grantor is recovering at home, admitted to hospital, or living in a long-term care or retirement residence. We attend anywhere in the Ottawa coverage area (Ottawa, Orléans, Barrhaven, Kanata, and Nepean), check government photo ID at the bedside, confirm the grantor understands the document and is signing of their own free will, act as one witness, and bring the second. One power of attorney is $115, and a property power of attorney with a personal-care power of attorney signed at the same visit is $200, plus HST, with one $60 travel fee for the trip. The grantor must be mentally capable when they sign — a power of attorney cannot be created for someone who has already lost capacity.

Question 64

Can a mobile notary come the same day, in the evening, or on a weekend?

Accepted Answer

Mobile visits run 7 days a week, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, across Ottawa, Orléans, Barrhaven, Kanata, and Nepean, so evening, Saturday, and Sunday visits are all bookable and there is no weekend or after-hours surcharge. Same day is often possible but depends on where the notary already is, because a mobile booking is not picked from the calendar grid the way an online appointment is: you choose a morning, midday, or afternoon preference and the office confirms the exact time. That makes booking early in the day the difference between a visit today and a visit tomorrow. If your deadline is today, call (613) 434-5555 rather than booking blind and we will say straight away what is still open. We are not a 24-hour service, and overnight visits are not offered.

Ottawa notary, answered without the legalese.

Appointments and what to bring

The appointment, step by step

How quickly you can be notarized

Fees, HST, and how to pay

Notary work and certifications

Ottawa in person, Ontario online

Notary visits across Ottawa

Interpreters and language support

Who notarizes, and how your file is handled

A real office, right here in Orléans.

Can't find your question?

Ottawa notary, answered without the legalese.

Appointments and what to bring

01What documents do I need to have ready?

02What ID do you accept for a notary appointment in Ontario?

03What if I do not have photo ID?

04Can someone under 18 sign or take part in the appointment?

05Should I sign my document before the appointment?

06Do I need an appointment?

07Do I need to create an account to book?

08Are you open on weekends?

09How long does the notarization process take?

10Do you offer rush or same-hour service?

11What is the instant booking fee?

12Can children be present during notarization?

13Do you offer remote or virtual notarization?

14Can you notarize a document for a family member?

15Does the website chat assistant save my conversation?

The appointment, step by step

01How does an online notary appointment work in Ontario?

02How do I book a notary appointment?

03What do I need for an online notary appointment?

04Do I have to print anything for an online appointment?

05Can I book a notary appointment for someone else?

06Can two signers join the appointment from different locations?

07What happens if my internet drops during the appointment?

08What if I picked the wrong service or document when I booked?

09How do I sign the document during an online appointment?

10What happens after I pay for my booking?

How quickly you can be notarized

01How fast can I get a document notarized in Ottawa?

02Can I get a document notarized the same day in Ottawa?

03Is there a notary open right now, in the evening or at the weekend?

04How long does the whole process take, from booking to signed document?

05I have a deadline today — what is the quickest way to get this notarized?

06How far in advance should I book a notary?

Fees, HST, and how to pay

01How much do notary services cost?

02What is the cheapest way to get a document notarized in Ottawa?

03Are your notary fees cheap compared with other Ottawa notaries?

04Are there any hidden fees?

05Do you offer discounts or coupon codes?

06How much does it cost for several documents in one appointment?

07Can I get a document notarized for free?

08Do I pay before or after the appointment?

09Why is there a card processing fee when I pay online?

10What forms of payment do you accept?

11Does it cost more if more than one person signs?

12What does an in-person will or power of attorney cost?

13Q: How much does it cost to witness a Will or Power of Attorney at my home?

14Do both people have to swear Form 1157E, and what does that cost?

15How much does it cost to notarize a will in Ontario?

16How much does a power of attorney cost?

Notary work and certifications

01What is a Notary Public?

02What kinds of documents can you notarize?

03Can my IRCC document be rejected if it’s notarized incorrectly?

04Do you provide certified translations for IRCC?

05What's the difference between a notarized copy and an apostille?

06Can you notarize documents for use outside Canada?

07What's the difference between a notary public and a commissioner of oaths?

08Which documents can be completed online in Ontario?

09Can you refuse to notarize my document?

10Can you give me legal advice about my document?

11What is the difference between notarizing and commissioning a document?

12Can you write the document or give me the form?

13What happens if I lose my notarized document?

14Does an Ontario notary need a seal or stamp?

15Can you help with a letter of invitation for visitors to Canada?

16My lawyer is in another province — can you witness my closing package here?

17Can I give a vehicle to a family member in Ontario without paying tax?

18Which relatives qualify for the Ontario family gift vehicle exemption?

19Can you notarize the parental authorization for my child’s Brazilian visa?

20Do both parents have to sign the Brazilian visa authorization for a minor?

21Is the Brazilian visa authorization the same as a travel consent letter?

22Does a will have to be notarized in Ontario?

23Does a power of attorney need to be notarized in Ontario?

24Who can notarize a power of attorney in Ontario?

25Who can witness a will or a power of attorney in Ontario?

26What is an affidavit of execution, and do I need one?

27Can you make a notarized copy of a will or a power of attorney?