Commissioner of Oaths

A Commissioner of Oaths is a person authorized by the Province of Ontario to administer oaths. They are given this authority through the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act. The Commissioner is not responsible for the contents of the Form or Affidavit. 

A Commissioner of Oaths is different from a Notary Public, as a Notary Public has much broader authority. Trent Lakes does not provide Notary Public services. If your document requires the signature of a Notary Public, or you require certified true copies of a document, you will need to contact a lawyer or Notary Public. 

It is recommended that you contact the Clerk's Office to set up an appointment for commissioning services and to confirm that your document can be commissioned by Municipal Commissioners. Please note that we do not remotely commission documents and all documents must be commissioned in person. 

Requirements 

The Municipality has Commissioners of Oaths who are authorized to administer your oath for certain documents that require you to take a legal oath that what you are saying is true. If you have a document or affidavit to be signed by a Commissioner of Oaths, please ensure: 

• You have not signed the document. The document must be signed by the same individual(s) who will be taking the oath in the presence of the Commissioner. If the document requires two individuals to take the oath, both parties must be present; 
• You show an original piece of government-issued photo ID such as a driver's licence or passport (copies will not be accepted) to confirm the identity of the individual(s) taking the oath; 
• The document does not require a Notary Public; 
• You have completed the document prior to signing. No information can be added after the Commissioner of Oaths has signed and stamped the documents; 
• All required exhibits or appendices are brought with you and attached to the document;
• You have read and understand the contents of the document prior to your declaration; 
• The document is written in English. 

Your responsibility 

If you are signing a document that requires your oath, the content of that document is your sole responsibility. When you are making an oath, you are known as the "deponent" - the person whose signature is being commissioned to ensue the content of the affidavit. 

As a deponent, you must understand the details in the document to which you are attesting and you must understand that by swearing an oath, you are attesting that those details are correct. The document cannot be altered after the Commissioner of Oaths has signed and stamped the documents. 

The organization or body receiving the commissioned document has the discretion to determine if the contents are sufficient to accept. 

Fees

There is a $20.00 fee for each document being commissioned. You can pay by cash, debit, or cheque at the Municipal Office. 

What can and cannot be signed 

The list of documents below are not exhaustive. We cannot always guarantee that we can commission documents until we see them. The Commissioner of Oaths may refuse to sign any document for any reason that may include if they are unsure about the identity of the deponent or the content of the document.  

Documents that can be signed 

• change or proof of vehicle ownership
• vehicle transfers 
• pension plan documents 
• consents to travel 
• municipally generated documents i.e. Planning Applications 
• name change applications 
• immunization exemption documents 
• statutory declarations on government-related forms  

Documents that cannot be signed 

• wills, living wills, codicils to wills or estate settlement documents 
• power of attorney 
• divorce, separation, marriage, or cohabitation documents 
• custody documents 
• land transfer or real estate documents 
• court, legal, or civil issued related documents 
• certified true copies 
• documents that require a witness to personally know the person for a certain length of time i.e. passport guarantor