Learn about the process to apply for, renew, change or cancel an appointment.
Completed applications and requests are usually processed within four to six weeks of receipt. Complex applications and requests may require more time to process.
Starting January 24, 2024 you can submit new applications for new appointments as a commissioner, student-at-law/law student commissioner or non-lawyer/non-paralegal notary public by email. You do not need to submit a payment along with your application by email. If the ministry intends to grant you an appointment, you will receive an email with instructions to submit your payment for processing.
Starting January 24, 2024 new applications must also be submitted with a security check consent statement form.
Please contact appointments@ontario.ca if you have any questions.
A commissioner for taking affidavits can take affidavits and administer oaths, affirmations or declarations. Commissioners are governed by the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act, 1990 .
Certain professions (for example, lawyers, paralegals and municipal clerks) are automatically commissioners and don’t need to apply. You can find a complete list of these professions here.
A notary public has all the powers of a commissioner for taking affidavits, and can also verify that signatures, marks and copies of documents are true or genuine. Notaries are governed by the Notaries Act, 1990 .
If you are a lawyer or paralegal, there is a separate process to apply. Learn how to become a notary public if you are an Ontario lawyer or paralegal.
An appointment for a commissioner or non-lawyer/non-paralegal notary public lasts for a three-year term and can be renewed for additional terms of three years.
Applications are reviewed on an individual and case-by-case basis. Completed applications are typically processed within four to six weeks of receipt.
Please note that if you are appointed as a commissioner or non-lawyer / non-paralegal notary public by the Ministry of the Attorney General through the application process outlined on this webpage, it is not considered a profession, a new business, or a new employment or volunteer opportunity.
Instead, this appointment is meant to provide additional powers needed or required to be performed as part of someone’s existing job duties/responsibilities and/or regular business transactions.
To apply, you must:
Starting January 24, 2024 you can submit a new application for a new appointment as a commissioner over email.
You do not need to submit a payment along with your application by email.
If the ministry intends to grant you an appointment, you will receive an email with instructions to submit payment for processing.
Fill out and print one of the forms below:
You must also fill out the:
A letter of authorization is a letter from your employer nominating you as a commissioner, stating your full legal name, job title, describing the work you do (the rationale for the appointment) and the type/estimated number of documents you’d be commissioning. Self-employed individuals may write their own letter of authorization.
For more details regarding letters of authorization and their requirements, please consult page 1 of the application form.
You may submit your application and consent statement form by email to appointments@ontario.ca.
Before submitting, either digitally sign, or print, sign, and scan your application form and consent statement and save them as password-protected PDF files.
When submitting, send all documents in one email with attachments, and the password to open the attachments sent in a separate email.
You don’t need to submit a payment along with your application by email. If the ministry intends to grant you an appointment, you will receive an email with instructions to submit payment for processing.
The appointment fee will be $75.00.
Please note that electronic communication is not always secure. By emailing the completed application and consent statement form to the ministry, you are doing so at your own risk.
Alternatively, you can also submit your application form, consent statement form, letter of authorization and payment by mail to:
Ministry of the Attorney General
Legal Appointments Office
77 Wellesley Street West, Box 720
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1N3
No hand deliveries please.
If you are submitting an application by mail, you must include payment with your application. Please include a cheque or money order for the appointment fee of $75.00 payable to “Minister of Finance.” HST is not applicable. Do not send cash or credit card information.
If you are an employee of the federal, provincial or municipal government, or a First Nations band, or a Children’s Aid Society, you do not need to pay a fee. Please refer to the fees regulation for more information.
To apply you must:
Notary appointments are not granted to people who only require the powers of a commissioner. Notary appointments are also not granted to allow applicants to enter a new line of business or employment and/or expand services currently available to clients.
Starting January 24, 2024 you can submit a new application for a new appointment as a notary over email.
You don’t need to submit a payment along with your application by email. If the ministry intends to grant you an appointment, you will receive an email with instructions to submit payment for processing.
Fill out and print the:
A letter of authorization is a letter from your employer nominating you as a notary public, stating your full legal name, job title, describing the work you do (the rationale for the appointment) and the type/estimated number of documents you’d be notarizing. Self-employed individuals may write their own letter of authorization.
For more details regarding letters of authorization and their requirements, please consult page 1 of the application form.
You may submit your application and consent statement form by email to appointments@ontario.ca.
Before submitting, either digitally sign, or print, sign, and scan your application form and consent statement and save them as password-protected PDF files. When submitting, send all documents in one email with attachments, and the password to open the attachments sent in a separate email.
You don’t need to submit a payment along with your application by email. If the ministry intends to grant you an appointment, you will an email with instructions to submit payment for processing.
The appointment fee will be $110.00.
Please note that electronic communication is not always secure. By emailing the completed application and consent statement form to the ministry, you are doing so at your own risk.
Alternatively, you can also submit your application form, consent statement form, letter of authorization and payment by mail to:
Ministry of the Attorney General
Legal Appointments Office
77 Wellesley Street West, Box 720
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1N3
No hand deliveries please.
If you are submitting an application by mail, you must include payment. Please include a cheque or money order for the appointment fee of $110.00 payable to “Minister of Finance.” HST is not applicable. Do not send cash or credit card information.
If you are an employee of the federal, provincial or municipal government, or a First Nations band, you do not need to pay a fee. Please refer to the fees regulation for more information.
Please send your renewal/reappointment request at least two months before your appointment expires, but no earlier than six months before expiry. This will allow the ministry sufficient time to process your renewal/reappointment before your expiry.
Submitting your renewal/reappointment too close to your expiry date may result in your appointment expiring and having you to incur additional fees (listed below). Please note that change requests are subject to ministry approval.
If your appointment as a commissioner or notary public expires in less than six months and you still work for the same organization:
On your business or organization’s letterhead, write a letter to request a renewal/reappointment or change to your appointment.
Make sure to include your:
Make an imprint of your current stamp on the letter. Note any changes needed to the wording on it.
View the fees to renew or change an appointment in the table below.
You can pay by cheque or money order, payable to the "Minister of Finance."
| Renewal type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Renew a commissioner appointment that has not yet expired | $50 |
| Renew an expired commissioner appointment (if expired within six months of expiry) | $75 |
| Change the wording of your commissioner stamp (if your appointment expires in over a year) or to replace a certificate (for example, if it has been damaged or lost) | $17 |
| Change the wording of your commissioner stamp and receive a renewal (if your appointment expires in less than a year) | $75 |
The fee is waived for certain individuals. For more information, please review the Fees Regulation.
| Reappointment type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Reappoint a notary appointment that has not yet expired | $75 |
| Reappoint an expired notary appointment (if expired within six months of expiry) | $110 |
| Change the wording of your notary stamp (if your appointment expires in over a year) or replace a certificate (for example, if it has been damaged or lost) | $17 |
| Change the wording of your notary stamp andreceive a reappointment (if your appointment expires in less than a year) | $110 |
The fee is waived for certain individuals. For more information, please review the Fees Regulation.
Email your renewal/reappointment request to appointments@ontario.ca if you are an employee of:
Sign, scan and save your renewal or reappointment request as a password-protected PDF and send it as an email attachment. Please send the password in a separate email.
For all other applicants, mail your letter, stamp imprint and applicable application fee to:
Ministry of the Attorney General
Legal Appointments Office
77 Wellesley Street West, Box 720
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1N3
No hand deliveries please.
Whether you are a commissioner or notary public, you need to submit a new application to renew or make changes to your appointment if your:
To cancel your appointment as a commissioner for taking affidavits or notary public, send an email to appointments@ontario.ca that includes:
There is no fee to cancel your appointment.
If you have questions about your appointment or the application process, email the Ministry of the Attorney General at appointments@ontario.ca
Please note that the Ministry of the Attorney General cannot advise you on the appropriate application to submit, cannot pre-screen your application and is not authorized to comment on specific commissioning or notarizing needs as it may constitute legal advice. You may wish to consult with a lawyer if you have specific commissioning or notarizing inquiries.