NOTARY AND COMMISSIONER OF OATHS

The Notarizing Experts You Can Trust

Notarizing and Commissioning are two legal terms that are used interchangeably, but it is crucial for one to know its difference as not doing so can result in unnecessary costs and delays. 

Taking oaths or declarations from someone who signs an affidavit or statutory declaration is referred to as Commissioning a document. The Province of Ontario only permits specific people to perform the duties of commissioners of oaths, also known as "commissioners for taking affidavits," either by virtue of their position or upon application.

A lawyer must first confirm the deponent's identification in order to be confident that the deponent's signature is authentic before commissioning an oath or affidavit. The lawyer will ask the deponent if he or she would prefer to swear or affirm the contents of the affidavit or declaration once the deponent has read and comprehend its text. Once this is done, the attorney asks the deponent to raise their right hand or swear, or solemnly affirm and declare that the information in the document is true. The affidavit is then signed by the deponent in front of the commissioner.

Notarizing a document, which verifies that it is an exact replica of the original, does not call for the client's presence, in contrast to commissioning. A notary public seals their signature next to their completed and signed notarial certificate, which is attached to the front of the copy of the original document.

We will provide you with both notarizing and commissioning services at a reasonable cost.