Commissioner of Oaths Ottawa

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. Most affidavits and statutory declarations can also be commissioned over secure video under O. Reg. 431/20, although some receiving bodies still ask for a wet-ink original — we confirm the receiving body's requirement before you book. 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-per-seal rate, and you never have to rebook if the receiving body turns out to need more than commissioning.