Can I Draft Legal Documents Without a Lawyer?

Key Takeaways

• In Ontario, you can draft your own legal documents without hiring a lawyer, as long as they meet the required standards.

• Many Canadians choose this route to save money, especially when using lawyer-vetted templates and notary support.

• Templates help ensure documents are valid, properly formatted, and include all required clauses, reducing the risk of mistakes.

• Commissioning your legal document online is simple, fast, and affordable, often costing far less than hiring a lawyer.

• Explore NotaryPro’s library of 80+ free, lawyer-vetted legal templates to easily draft reliable documents today.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can draft your own legal documents without a lawyer, the short answer is yes! Thousands of Canadians choose to prepare their own legal paperwork, especially with access to lawyer-drafted templates and the support of a notary. 

Whether you’re preparing a Will or an Affidavit, you can handle the entire drafting process yourself and save money doing it. 

That said, it’s essential to understand what is legally accepted, which documents you can draft, and how to ensure they’re valid. Let’s walk through what Ontario law says and how using legal templates and notary support can make the process simple and affordable.

Is It Legal to Draft Your Own Legal Documents in Ontario?

In Ontario, no law says you must hire a lawyer to draft legal documents. For most routine legal matters, you’re allowed to prepare the documents yourself, as long as they meet specific legal requirements.

For example, Ontario’s Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 allows individuals to create their own Powers of Attorney (POA) for Property or Personal Care. In fact, the Ontario government even provides downloadable POA templates for free with no legal fees required. This means with the right knowledge and format, you can confidently prepare your own legal forms.

Why Use Lawyer-Drafted Legal Document Templates?

While it’s entirely legal for you to draft documents on your own, the real challenge is in getting every detail right. Even minor errors in wording, structure, or formatting can weaken the legal enforceability of your document or, worse, render it invalid. Our templates simplify the process of drafting documents, and here are a few reasons clients trust them.

Trusted, Lawyer-Vetted Templates

With our lawyer-drafted legal templates, you can draft reliable, legally enforceable documents seamlessly. Each template includes all the essentials: clear statements of intent, all legally required clauses, witness sections, and signature blocks. Whether you’re preparing a Statutory Declaration or Power of Attorney, you can trust that our templates contain all the elements required.

User-Friendly, Fillable Process

We recognize that drafting legal documents can feel overwhelming, so we’ve designed our templates to be clear, simple, and stress-free. All you need to do is enter information into the required fields, and we’ll take care of the rest. All our templates are perfectly formatted, so your document will look polished and professional every time. 

No Software or Account Required

Best of all, there’s no software to install or account to create. Simply open a template in your browser, fill in your information, and let our system format everything correctly. Once you’re finished, you’ll get your completed document sent right to your email.

Free Document Templates

Our growing library of over 80 lawyer-vetted templates is free and fully accessible online. That’s right, you can use lawyer-approved templates at no cost to you. Simply choose a template, populate it with your information, and have a completed document ready for free. That said, you can meet with a notary online to have your document commissioned in 7 minutes for a small fee. 

How Much Can You Save by Drafting Legal Documents Without a Lawyer?

One of the biggest advantages of drafting your own legal documents is how much money you can save. For instance, according to research, hiring a lawyer to draft a simple document can cost between $300 and $1,200. These fees depend on the document’s complexity and whether you’re preparing multiple documents at once.

Many legal documents, such as affidavits, declarations, and statutory forms, must be commissioned to be legally valid. The good news is you don’t need a lawyer to commission them. Instead, you can meet with one of our notaries online for just $40.95! This flat rate includes one notary seal and signature, with transparent pricing and no hidden fees.

Using lawyer-drafted templates and meeting with a notary instead of a lawyer can significantly reduce your legal costs. Even better, with modern online notary services, you can complete the commissioning process from anywhere in just 7 minutes. No need for commuting, waiting in line, or interrupting your day. It’s fast, affordable, and legally valid for use with institutions, government agencies, and the courts.

Do You Need a Lawyer to Make a Document Legally Valid?

Once you’ve drafted your document, the next step is typically to have it notarized or commissioned. A notary public can handle all of your commissioning needs; you don’t need a lawyer for this process. So even if you have prepared a document yourself or used a customizable template, a notary’s signature will suffice.

In Ontario, notaries and commissioners are authorized to perform these duties under the Notaries Act and the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act.

Here’s what happens during a notary appointment:

• You will present valid government-issued identification for verification
• A notary will administer an oath or affirmation confirming the truthfulness of your statements
• You will confirm that you understand the contents of your Affidavit and are signing it voluntarily
• You will sign and date the Affidavit virtually, while a notary watches you sign
• A notary will complete their section by signing and applying their official seal

If you’re ready to make your document legally valid, you can book an online notary appointment with us. Meet one of our notaries instantly by attending an instant appointment or scheduling a future appointment at your convenience.

Which Legal Documents Can You Draft Without a Lawyer?

With the right tools, you can prepare a wide range of legal documents on your own, including but not limited to:

• Powers of Attorney (Property or Personal Care)
• Wills
• Affidavits and Statutory Declarations
• Invitation Letters for visa applications
• Travel Consent Letters
• Name Change Applications
• Business Agreements

However, you may benefit from consulting with a lawyer for some documents, like complex business contracts or Separation Agreements. For most routine matters, you’re more than equipped to handle the drafting yourself, especially with the help of lawyer-vetted templates.

If you need a place to start, explore our library of over 80 free legal document templates. 

Draft Legal Documents With Trusted Templates

You don’t need to hire a lawyer to prepare most legal documents in Ontario. As long as you follow legal requirements and use trusted templates, your documents can be commissioned or notarized with full validity.

We make drafting, completing, and commissioning documents simple, and you can complete the entire process from anywhere, on a tight deadline.

Are you ready to get started? Browse our free legal templates and make everything official by booking your online notary appointment today!