Notarization
Document Notarization by an Ontario Lawyer
What documents can you notarize?
Almost any document that requires a notarial signature and seal, including:
- Consent letters, authorization letters and permission forms
- Real estate documents for properties outside Ontario, including power of attorney packages sent by foreign lawyers
- Pension life certificates and proof-of-life forms for foreign governments
- OSAP, IRCC, WSIB and other government forms that ask for a notary
- Corporate resolutions, officer certificates and agreements
- Trademark, patent and other intellectual property declarations
- Insurance forms and lost-document declarations
- Letters of invitation, single status documents and name-change paperwork
I also handle plain document witnessing where a neutral witness signature is required without a seal. If a foreign recipient sent you specific notarial wording, bring it or email it ahead and I will follow it exactly.
How does notarization work?
Bring your document and ID
You bring the complete document, unsigned, together with valid government photo ID.
Sign, swear or copy, and go
I confirm your identity, make sure the document is filled in and matches your ID, watch you sign, then sign and seal it myself. Most single documents take ten minutes. Multi-document packages, like overseas property sales, take twenty to thirty.
Should I sign the document before I arrive?
No. Sign nothing in advance. For most notarizations I must watch you sign, and for sworn documents the signature made in front of me is the whole point. If you have already signed, bring the document anyway; depending on the wording I may be able to take an acknowledgment, or we simply print a fresh copy at the office.
What ID do you accept for notarization?
One piece of valid, unexpired government photo ID: passport, Ontario driveru’s licence, Ontario photo card, PR card or citizenship card with photo. Health cards are not accepted as primary ID. If the name on your document differs from your ID, for example a maiden name, bring supporting documents such as a marriage certificate and I will advise on the spot.
How much does notarization cost?
The first notarized signature or seal is $45 . Each additional seal in the same visit is $20 . Complex packages and bulk corporate signings are quoted flat in advance. Full details, including mobile travel zones, live on the Pricing page.
What is the difference between witnessing and notarizing?
Witnessing means a neutral adult watches you sign and adds their own signature as proof they saw it happen; many consents and internal forms need nothing more. Notarizing adds identity verification and my official signature and seal as a notary public, which is what banks, foreign authorities and government offices rely on. Forms usually say which they want. Bring yours and I will read the signature block; where plain witnessing genuinely suffices, I will say so, and it is billed as the simpler act.
Notarizing documents for use in another country
International paperwork has an extra layer: after notarization, the destination may require an apostille from Official Documents Services, or embassy legalization for non-Hague countries. The practical consequences are two. Everything in the chain must be original and wet ink, so these documents are always completed in person, and the notarial certificate wording must satisfy the destination, which is why I ask for the recipientu’s instructions or your overseas lawyeru’s draft before sealing. Handled in that order, the document has the strongest chance of being accepted without a second trip.