How to notarize a statutory declaration online.

Declaration versus affidavit

Both are written statements of fact that you formally confirm before an authorized official, and in day-to-day use they look almost identical. The technical difference is the form of confirmation: an affidavit is sworn under oath or solemn affirmation and is the standard instrument for court proceedings, while a statutory declaration is declared to be true and is more common for administrative and institutional purposes.

Practically speaking, the deciding factor is what the recipient asked for. A court will typically want an affidavit; an insurer, pension administrator, or government program will often specify a statutory declaration. Making a false statement in either is a serious offence, so the reduced formality of a declaration does not mean reduced consequences.

When a statutory declaration is the right document

Declarations tend to appear when an institution needs your formal confirmation of something it cannot verify from its own records. Common examples include declaring that a document was lost or destroyed, confirming marital or common-law status for a benefits application, attesting to your identity where records are inconsistent, declaring income for a program that has no other proof, or supporting an insurance or pension claim.

Writing the declaration

Keep it factual and specific. State only things you know to be true of your own knowledge, use numbered paragraphs for separate facts, include dates and amounts precisely, and avoid opinion or argument. If you are unsure whether something belongs in the declaration, that uncertainty is a signal to get advice — a notary can witness your declaration but cannot tell you what it should say.

Some institutions supply their own declaration form. If yours did, use their form rather than drafting your own; a substituted document is a common reason for rejection.

The remote appointment

1. Upload the completed but unsigned declaration. The notary checks the declaration clause and signature block.
2. Verify identity. Show government-issued photo ID; the name must match the declaration.
3. Make the declaration. The notary asks you to confirm that the contents are true.
4. Sign on camera. You sign while the notary watches, then they sign and seal.
5. Receive it the same day by email, typically within minutes of the call.

Attachments and exhibits

If your declaration refers to supporting documents, those attachments usually need to be marked and initialled as exhibits during the same appointment. Label them in the body of the declaration and have each one ready to show on camera. As with affidavits, unmarked exhibits are the most common cause of a document coming back for correction.

What it costs

A single declaration with one signer is $49.99 CAD, with additional pages or exhibits at $26 CAD each in the same appointment. Full detail is on the pricing page.