Open daily: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Online & virtual notary service
$24.95 + HST10-15 minutesOnline or by appointment
Need a commissioner of oaths in Ottawa? We commission affidavits and statutory declarations and administer oaths for documents used inside Ontario. Flat $24.95 per document, same-day appointments most weekdays, downtown office or mobile service.
Quick answer
Commissioner can be witnessed or commissioned online over a secure video appointment with an Ontario Notary Public under O. Reg. 431/20, or handled in person in Ottawa. The flat rate is $24.95 + HST and most appointments take 10-15 minutes.
A commissioner of oaths (formally, a commissioner for taking affidavits) is a person appointed under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act of Ontario who administers the oath or affirmation that turns a written statement into a sworn one. The commissioner verifies your identity, watches you sign, and completes the jurat — the sworn-before-me block at the bottom of the document. Once commissioned, your affidavit or statutory declaration is legally sworn and ready for Ontario courts, ServiceOntario, provincial ministries, and most Ontario institutions. There are three hard limits to know before you book: a commissioner cannot certify a true copy of a document, cannot apply a notarial seal, and cannot act for documents leaving Ontario — those all require a notary public. Every Ontario notary public is also a commissioner of oaths, so when you book with Minute Notary you get both roles in one appointment at the same flat $24.95, and you never have to rebook if the receiving body turns out to need more than commissioning.
Related services you may need: Certified True Copies, Notarizing Signatures, Statutory Declarations
Why it matters
Ontario institutions accept a sworn statement as evidence only after it has been commissioned — the oath, the witnessed signature, and the completed jurat are what give an affidavit or statutory declaration its legal force, with perjury consequences for false statements. Without commissioning, the document is just an unsigned claim: courts will not file it, ServiceOntario will not process it, and ministries will return it. The commissioner is the gatekeeper that converts your written words into sworn evidence.
Straightforward process. Most appointments completed in minutes once we're face to face.
The receiving body decides what you need. An Ontario court or ServiceOntario form is fine with commissioning; anything saying "certified copy" or leaving Ontario needs a notary. We confirm this before you pay.
Present your valid government-issued photo ID. The commissioner must confirm you are the person making the sworn statement.
Choose a religious oath or a secular affirmation — both carry identical legal weight in Ontario. You swear or affirm that the contents are true.
Sign the document in the commissioner's presence. Signing beforehand is one of the most common reasons documents are rejected.
The commissioner signs and dates the jurat: "Sworn (or affirmed) before me at the City of Ottawa... on this day". Your document is now sworn and ready to file.
What to bring
Please ensure you have the following items when you visit.
Quick tips to make your appointment go smoothly.
Every Ontario notary is also a commissioner, but not the reverse. If your form says "certified copy", "notarized", or is going outside Ontario, a commissioner cannot help you — book the notary appointment and both cases are covered.
The signature must happen in the commissioner's presence. A pre-signed affidavit has to be re-sworn, which means starting over.
Ontario lawyers, licensed paralegals, judges, justices of the peace, MPPs, and municipal clerks are commissioners ex officio. If you already have a lawyer on a related file, ask them first — but availability and fees vary.
Commissioning at the Ottawa courthouse depends on staff availability. A booked downtown appointment is usually faster and certain.
Is This For You?
This service is commonly needed by the following groups.
Family Court, Small Claims, and Superior Court affidavits must be sworn before a commissioner or notary before filing.
Sworn statements for family-gift vehicle transfers and name changes must be commissioned to be processed.
OSAP and provincial aid programs require sworn declarations of status and income.
If the receiving body is inside Ontario and asks for a commissioner of oaths, this is the service.
Transparent pricing
The price you see is what you pay at the counter. HST applies. If more than one person is signing, an additional signer fee also applies.
Booking online instead? Online appointments add HST plus a small card processing fee, shown in full before you pay.
Commissioning (affidavit or statutory declaration)
Flat per document, includes oath administration and jurat.
Oath or affirmation only
Same flat rate when no document is attached.
Mobile service (we come to you)
Ottawa and surrounding areas, by appointment.
Ready when you are. Same-day slots available most weekdays.
Minute Notary provides commissioning and notarization services only. We do not give legal advice, draft affidavits, or advise on litigation or immigration outcomes. For legal advice, consult an Ontario lawyer or licensed paralegal. A commissioner's authority is valid within Ontario; documents leaving the province require a notary public.
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.
Notary public vs commissioner of oaths Ontario explained for Ottawa clients — what each can do, who is automatically a commissioner, and which professional each document needs.
Understand the differences between affidavits and statutory declarations, when each is required, and how to get them properly notarized.
What 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.
Official certification that a copy matches the original document. Commonly needed for immigration, education, and employment purposes.
Witnessing and authenticating signatures on important documents such as contracts, agreements, and legal papers.
Swearing or affirming statements of fact for name changes, lost documents, relationship status, and more.
Book today
$24.95 + HST. 10-15 minutes. Book online, with same-day slots available most weekdays.
Commissioner
$24.95 + HST · 10-15 minutes