In-Person, Virtual & Mobile Notary Services Across Canada

In Ontario, remote commissioning—the process of administering oaths and affirmations via video conferencing—is permitted under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act, provided specific conditions are met. 
However, online notarization (i.e., a notary public notarizing documents without being in the physical presence of the signer) is not currently authorized under the Notaries Act.

While many institutions accept digitally commissioned documents, acceptance policies vary. It’s advisable to confirm with the receiving organization whether they accept electronically commissioned documents.

No. Remote commissioning allows you to swear or affirm documents over video, but it is not the same as notarization. Under Ontario’s Notaries Act, true online notarization is not currently permitted—a notary must witness your signature in person for it to be valid.

Sometimes. Many documents only require commissioning, which can be done remotely. If your document asks for a “commissioner” or “commissioner for oaths,” remote signing may be acceptable. If it requires a notary public, in-person signing is usually mandatory.

In many cases, yes. IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) and other institutions often accept digitally commissioned documents. However, you should always check with the receiving institution before proceeding.

Because the law still requires certain documents to be signed in person. We’d love to make everything easy and online, but we also have a duty to follow provincial legislation, especially when it comes to fraud prevention and identity verification.