Online Notary Services in Canadian Provinces

Key Takeaways

• Online commissioning is legally recognized in most Canadian provinces, but the rules and requirements vary by jurisdiction.
• Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Québec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador all permit some form of remote commissioning or witnessing.
• Some provinces and territories continue to rely primarily on in-person processes or have limited authorization for remote services, making it important to verify local requirements before booking an appointment.
• Online appointments typically require real-time video communication, identity verification, and consent to complete documents remotely.
• Before using an online notary service, confirm that your province and the organization receiving your document accept remotely commissioned documents.

Online notary services are now a reality in Canada. These digital services simplify the commissioning of Affidavits and other documents without the need for in-person appointments or travel.

As more provinces and territories in Canada adopt remote commissioning laws, this guide will help you navigate each jurisdiction’s requirements. Understanding these regulations ensure your documents stay valid and compliant, wherever you are in Canada.

Online Notary Services in Canada

Notarization is the process by which a notary public verifies a signer’s identity and confirms a document’s authenticity. The notary may witness signatures, certify true copies, or administer oaths and declarations. These duties are similar to commissioning documents remotely, also known as online notary services. However, notarization occurs in person, while commissioning takes place through secure online platforms by authorized individuals.

Online notary services commonly handle Affidavits, Statutory Declarations, and more. They’re also ideal if you simply prefer the convenience of a flexible service. You can complete your online appointment wherever you are—at home, in the office, or even at the airport.

Are Online Notary Services Legal in Canada?

The process of online notary appointments is legally recognized in Canada under specific provincial laws. In Ontario, for example, O. Reg. 431/20 under the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act authorizes notaries to administer oaths and declarations remotely. 

Every Canadian province and territory also has unique regulations and requirements. With these differences, reviewing local rules or confirming with your notary helps ensure you remain fully compliant.

Responsibilities of a Commissioner of Oaths

A commissioner of oaths must perform duties that ensure the legal validity of documents and protect against fraud in legal paperwork. Their core responsibilities across Canada include:

• Administer oaths and solemn affirmations.
• Take Affidavits and Statutory Declarations.
• Confirm your identity using a valid government-issued photo identification shown on video.
• Ensure you understand your document and sign voluntarily, without duress.
• Confirm the truth and accuracy of your document’s contents.
• Witness your signature and, where applicable, your acknowledgement.
• Maintain records of your session, including date, participants, and identity verification steps.
• Capture and retain verification images or screenshots when required by local rules.
• Apply either signature, stamp, or seal to complete your process.

Requirements for Online Notary Appointment Across Canada

While each province follows its own remote commissioning regulations, this section highlights where they all meet — the national safeguards. Here’s what is required in each Canadian province:

• Real-Time Communication: Parties must see, hear, and communicate in real time via secure audiovisual technology.
• Consent: The signer must consent to using video conferencing or electronic communication.
• Document Review: Both parties must view and confirm the same document version during the session.
• Electronic or Ink Signatures: Documents may be signed electronically or by hand on camera, per provincial rules.
• Integrity and Confidentiality: Remote processes must protect the security and confidentiality of shared documents.

Provincial Online Notary Services Regulations

In addition to the above requirements, which apply to all notaries across Canada, see each province’s unique rules and regulations below.

Ontario

In Ontario, remote commissioning regulations permits the completion of Affidavits, oaths, and Statutory Declarations online under O. Reg. 431/20. Along with the nationwide standards, this regulation is recognized if additional conditions are met, including:

• A modified jurat or declaration must indicate it was done under this regulation and list both parties’ locations.
• If required, the commissioner’s stamp or seal must appear on the document being signed

British Columbia

Following the July 2024 amendment, you can now complete Affidavits and solemn declarations remotely in British Columbia using live video. However, the province adds its own procedural standards beyond the national safeguards:

• Your Affidavit and solemn declaration, which states that you and your commissioner met online, should appear at the end of the document body.
• It must include a paragraph acknowledging the solemnity of your declaration and the consequences of making a false statement.
• Both you and your commissioner must have the same document version open and verify that its language is identical.
• When completed, the commissioner affixes their signature and saves the signed version for secure filing or submission.

Alberta

Alberta authorizes the witnessing and commissioning of documents by real-time video under permanent legislative amendments. The Personal Directives Act, Powers of Attorney Act, and Wills and Succession Act now allow remote witnessing and execution through real-time video. These amendments were made permanent under Alberta’s Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2024.

Alberta expands their requirements and highlights added safeguards, such as:

• Request that all individuals present at the remote location introduce themselves before the meeting begins.
• Determine how documents will be shared, reviewed, and executed remotely before the session begins.
• Maintain detailed records, including date, time, communication method, participants, and essential discussion points for accountability.

Québec

Commissioners for oaths in Québec may administer oaths and sworn statements by videoconference. But Quebec’s framework includes additional measures for transparency and procedural integrity:

• The commissioner must see the document being sworn or affirmed during the session.
• The process must maintain the integrity and confidentiality of all shared documents.

Note: Remember to confirm that the receiving court or institution accepts electronically commissioned documents, as some still require in-person signatures or wet-ink originals.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan permanently permits real-time audiovisual witnessing and commissioning for Land Titles forms, Powers of Attorney, and wills under permanent regulations. It also follows the standard requirements for online notary services and has no additional province‑specific regulations for remote commissioning or witnessing.

Manitoba

In Manitoba, remote witnessing and commissioning are authorized under 2021 regulations for specific legal documents and statutes. It also includes process‑focused steps unique to its jurisdiction:

• A jurat, or certificate confirming an oath or declaration, must accompany every remotely commissioned document. The form also confirms the use of audiovisual technology and identifies the location of both the commissioner and the client.
• The commissioner must record the session details, including date, method, and identity verification step

You can also review the remote witnessing checklist for a detailed step-by-step guide and check off requirements as you proceed.

New Brunswick

Affidavits, Wills, and Enduring Powers of Attorney can be commissioned or witnessed remotely in New Brunswick. Remote commissioning of Affidavits is permitted under Practice Directive 2025-03. It was initially introduced as a temporary measure, but now functions as the general rule for Affidavits filed in provincial courts. 

Remote witnessing of Wills and Enduring Powers of Attorney also became permanent through amendments reflected in Law Reform Note 47 in 2022. These amendments removed expiry dates first introduced under Section 4.1 of the Wills Act and the Enduring Powers of Attorney Act.

New Brunswick sets out distinctive procedural and recordkeeping rules, including:

• The Affidavit must include a paragraph stating the deponent was linked via video technology and commissioned remotely under Practice Directive 2025‑03.
• The commissioner must take screenshots of both sides of the ID shown during the video call and securely retain them.
• Both the commissioner and the deponent must have a full copy of the Affidavit and its exhibits during the session.
• Both must review each page to verify that they are identical and initial the lower-right corner of every page.
• The jurat must state that the Affidavit was sworn or affirmed remotely, identify locations, and confirm identity verification and voluntary participation.
• If commissioned by a solicitor for the party, the solicitor files the version bearing their original signature and the deponent’s scan.
• If commissioned by a non‑solicitor, the Affidavit copies must be attached with a signed certificate confirming compliance with this Practice Directive.
• A will executed through electronic communication may be signed in counterpart, and all counterparts together form one valid will.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Remote witnessing and the commissioning of documents were legally recognized in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2023. This follows amendments to the Commissioners for Oaths Act, Notaries Public Act, Registration of Deeds Act, 2009, and Wills Act. 

These amendments extend to various legal instruments under the affected Acts, including Affidavits, declarations, oaths, wills, and land-related instruments. Here, ‘members’ refer to lawyers in good standing with the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In addition to the standard requirements, Newfoundland and Labrador establishes distinct professional standards under Rule XVIII, which include:

• Members must capture and retain a screen image showing the signatory’s face and identification together for verification records.
• Members must treat remote interactions as high risk, monitor closely, and record the date and details of identity confirmation.
• If the signatory lacks a valid ID but is personally known, the member must execute an Affidavit outlining identification details and reasons.
• Members must document how these risks were mitigated using Law Society Form 18 and attach all supporting records.
• For wills, members must compare received and sent versions line by line before witnessing and record the second witness’s name and relationship.
• The document’s date is the signatory’s signing date, not the member’s signing date.

Nova Scotia

In Nova Scotia, the province continues to rely on traditional, in-person procedures under the Notaries and Commissioners Act. While temporary accommodations were accepted during the pandemic, those measures have since expired in April 2022.

Prince Edward Island

There are no specific rules outlining how remote commissioning should be performed under current legislation in Prince Edward Island. Section 17(2) of the Notaries and Commissioners Act allows an oath, affirmation, or declaration without the signer’s physical presence. However, it does not mention or define the use of audio-visual technology explicitly.

As of 2025, commissioning in Prince Edward Island remains largely in-person.

Online Notary Service Regulations in Canadian Territories

As Canadian provinces have their own remote commissioning rules, each territory does too. Across the three territories of Canada, here’s how approaches vary:

Northwest Territories

Section 6 of the Information and Instruction Guide for Notaries Public in the Northwest Territories prohibits the remote execution of legal documents. It states that, “Under no circumstances may a document be sworn when the individual swearing it is not present. The Northwest Territories does not recognize remote execution of legal documents (i.e. over video teleconference) as valid.”

Yukon

Remote commissioning is not currently available in Yukon under any permanent law or regulation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Yukon government issued Ministerial Order 2020/39 to permit the remote execution of legal documents. 

However, a notice to the profession and the public formally ended the temporary remote commissioning allowance. 

Nunavut

Nunavut currently has no legislation or regulation that authorizes remote commissioning or witnessing of legal documents. In April 2020, the Law Society of Nunavut issued temporary guidance due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

But as of today, Nunavut law continues to require in-person administration of all oaths and Affidavits. Remote commissioning also remains unsupported by any territorial legislation or permanent rule.

Book an Online Notary Appointment in Canada

Online notary services provide convenience, security, and full legal validity under provincial and territorial regulations. NotaryPro offers compliant remote commissioning for eligible documents, and you can use our free templates to draft your documents. 

Whether for personal or professional use, you can now complete your documents online with confidence.

Book your online notary appointment anywhere in Canada and experience a secure, seamless commissioning process today.