FAQ
What is commissioning?
Commissioning is when a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits administers an oath or affirmation and witnesses you signing a document. You swear or affirm that the contents of the document are true, sign it in front of the commissioner, and the commissioner completes the document.
What is notarizing, and how is it different from commissioning?
Notarizing is a separate service performed by a Notary Public. It covers things like certifying true copies of original documents, witnessing signatures, and placing a notarial seal on a document. The two services are often confused because both involve a licensed professional and a signed document, but they are different powers under different Ontario laws — and a document that needs one does not always need the other.
Which service does my document need?
It depends on what the document is and who is asking for it. As a general guide: Commissioned by video call: affidavits, statutory declarations, oaths and affirmations, and exhibits to affidavits. Notary services: certified true copies of original documents, notarized signatures and documents, powers of attorney, travel consent letters for children, and documents requiring a notarial seal or authentication (apostille). If you are not sure which one your document needs, contact me and tell me what you have — I will confirm which service fits before we book anything.
Can my affidavit be commissioned by video call?
Yes. Ontario permits remote commissioning under Ontario Regulation 431/20, as long as the whole transaction happens over a live, real-time audio-video connection. That is the service this site is built around: have your affidavit or statutory declaration commissioned by secure video call, from wherever you are.
How does a video commissioning appointment work?
Step 1 Book your video call. Contact me by phone or email and I will book a video call at a time that works for you. Same-day appointments are often available. Step 2 Meet on video. On the call, you will show me your ID and your document, swear or affirm to its contents, and sign it in front of me. Once we are on the call, it usually takes just a few minutes. Step 3 Send it in, get it back. After the call, email me a scan of your signed document and your ID in one email, and send your e-transfer payment. I will complete the commissioning and email your finished documents back to you, with a receipt.
What do I need to have ready for the call?
Your document, unsigned — you sign it live on the call, not before — and two pieces of ID to show on camera, at least one an unexpired government-issued photo ID (for example, a passport, a driver's licence, an Ontario Photo Card, and many others). That is all. I will confirm the timing and the total cost with you before we book.
How long does the whole thing take?
Same-day appointments are often available, and once we are on the call, it usually takes just a few minutes. I will confirm the timing with you before we book, so there are no surprises.
How much does it cost?
Simple, affordable pricing: $30 for each document to be commissioned or notarized, plus $10 for each related exhibit — every exhibit is stamped and marked to the document it belongs to. The total is confirmed before we start, so there are no surprises.
Will my commissioned document be accepted?
Remotely commissioned affidavits are accepted by Ontario courts. That said, no receiving office is obliged to accept a remotely commissioned document, and some institutions have their own requirements — so if you are unsure about the office asking for your document, check with them first and let me know what they say.
How do I book, or ask a question?
Questions, or ready to book? Contact me by phone or email. 289-221-1812 · dominik.roter@gmail.com. Dominik Roter is a licensed member of the Law Society of Ontario, with over a decade of experience in Ontario Small Claims Courts, and an appointed Notary Public and Commissioner for Taking Affidavits in Ontario.