Open daily: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Notary service by appointment
$19.90 + HST15-25 minutesBy appointment
Sending documents abroad? We provide the in-person, wet-ink notarization that foreign authorities require, and we guide you through the Apostille and Global Affairs Canada authentication steps that follow.
In-person appointment only.This document can't be notarized over an online appointment. Call us to book an in-person visit.
Documents used in another country usually have to pass through a chain: first a notarization by an Ontario Notary Public, then authentication by a competent authority (in Canada this is Global Affairs Canada or a provincial Official Document Services office), and — for countries that joined the Hague Apostille Convention, which Canada implemented on January 11, 2024 — an Apostille certificate. We handle the first link in that chain: verifying your identity, witnessing your signature or certifying the document, and applying a wet-ink notarial seal that foreign embassies and authorities will accept. Because foreign authorities and the authentication process are built around original physical seals, this work is done in person at our Ottawa office, not over video. We also explain what your destination country requires so you submit to the right authority in the right order and avoid a rejected package.
Related services you may need: Certified True Copies, Digital Certified Copies, Notarizing Signatures
Why it matters
A notarial seal on its own is recognized in Canada, but foreign governments cannot verify an individual Canadian notary. The authentication chain solves that: the notary's seal is confirmed by a competent authority, and then either an Apostille certificate (for the 120-plus Hague Convention countries, including Canada since January 11, 2024) or embassy legalization makes the document acceptable abroad. If any link is missing or done out of order, the receiving authority will reject the document — a costly delay when it is tied to a visa, a marriage, a property purchase, or a job overseas. Getting the notarization right, with a proper wet-ink seal, and submitting to the correct authority is what keeps an international document moving.
Straightforward process. Most appointments completed in minutes once we're face to face.
Call to book an in-person appointment and tell us which country the document is for. That determines whether you need an Apostille or authentication and legalization.
Present your valid government-issued photo ID. The notary verifies your identity before any document is signed or certified.
The notary witnesses your signature or certifies the document and applies an original wet-ink seal and signature that foreign authorities will accept.
We explain the next step — an Apostille for Hague Convention countries, or authentication by Global Affairs Canada plus embassy legalization for others — and which authority to submit to.
You submit the notarized document to the appropriate authority for the Apostille or authentication. We can point you to the correct office and current process.
What to bring
Please ensure you have the following items when you visit.
Quick tips to make your appointment go smoothly.
Hague Convention countries take an Apostille; others need authentication plus embassy legalization. The destination country decides the path — tell us before your appointment.
Foreign authorities sometimes have specific wording or format requirements. Confirm what they need before you book so the notarization matches.
If you need a certified copy headed overseas, bring the original document so the notary can compare and certify it in person.
Authentication and Apostille processing takes time at the government level. Start early — the notarization is fast, but the steps after it are not instant.
Is This For You?
This service is commonly needed by the following groups.
Single status declarations and supporting documents usually need notarization plus an Apostille or authentication before a foreign registry will accept them.
Diplomas, transcripts, and police checks used for jobs or study abroad require a notarized, then authenticated or apostilled, copy.
Powers of attorney and declarations for property purchased in another country must be notarized and authenticated for foreign use.
Corporate documents for foreign registration or contracts often need a notarial seal followed by authentication or an Apostille.
Inheritance, pension, and civil-status documents destined for another country routinely need this notarization-and-authentication chain.
Transparent pricing
The price you see is what you pay at the counter. HST applies.
First stamp / seal
Per document
Each additional stamp / seal
Each additional stamp
Ready when you are. Same-day slots available most weekdays.
We provide the notarization step. The Apostille certificate and authentication/legalization are issued by Global Affairs Canada or the relevant provincial Official Document Services office, and any embassy legalization is handled by that country’s consulate — those government fees and processing times are separate from our flat per-seal rate. We can guide you on the process but do not issue Apostilles ourselves.
FAQs
If your question is not here, .
Practical guides written for the same kinds of clients we see in person. Free to read, no signup.
Apostille Canada documents 2026 — what changed when Canada joined the Hague Convention, where to get an apostille, what a notary does first, and how Ottawa applicants step through.
Understand the difference between apostille and notarization for international documents. Learn which one you need and how to get documents authenticated for use abroad.
Complete guide to preparing documents for international use. Learn about authentication, apostille, and country-specific requirements.
Official certification that a copy matches the original document. Commonly needed for immigration, education, and employment purposes.
Certify documents that were issued electronically — online bank statements, CRA notices, eCOPR, and digital transcripts — over a secure video appointment.
Witnessing and authenticating signatures on important documents such as contracts, agreements, and legal papers.
Book today
$19.90 + HST. 15-25 minutes. In-person appointment required. Call to book a time.
Apostille & Authentication
$19.90 + HST · 15-25 minutes