Ontario does not currently permit remote or virtual notarization under the Notaries Act, so there is no RON application, registration, sample document, vendor filing, or remote notarization submission process. Remote commissioning of affidavits and declarations is different: eligible commissioners may commission remotely when they follow Ontario Regulation 431/20, but those compliance steps are kept in the commissioner's file rather than filed with the government.
This page is a practical compliance overview, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with Ontario statutes, regulations, Official Documents Services, and Law Society of Ontario guidance before offering services.
Submission artifacts
| Artifact | Required? | Where submitted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote notarization authorization | Not applicable | Not available | Remote or virtual notarization is not currently permitted in Ontario, so no application or filing exists. |
| Remote commissioning registration | No | Not submitted | Lawyers and paralegals who are commissioners by virtue of licence do not file a separate remote commissioning registration. They must comply with Ontario Regulation 431/20 when commissioning remotely. |
| Remote commissioning jurat wording | Required for the commissioned document | Kept with the affidavit or declaration | The jurat should show the remote administration details and locations. It is part of the commissioned document, not a government filing. |
| Identity verification record | Compliance record | Kept by the commissioner | Verify identity during remote commissioning and document the steps in the file; no government upload is required. |
| Audio/video or transaction record | Compliance record | Kept by the commissioner | Remote commissioning requires a record of the transaction. This record is retained by the commissioner, not submitted to an Ontario authority. |
| Notary public appointment | Only for regular in-person notary public status | Official Documents Services | This is the standard in-person notary public appointment process and is not a RON authorization. |
| Notarial seal specimen | Only for notary public appointment | Official Documents Services | A notary public seal/signature specimen relates to the regular in-person notary appointment process, not remote notarization approval. |
Remote notarization vs. remote commissioning
| Activity | Is it available remotely? | Filing required? | Practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notarizing documents as a notary public | No | No RON filing exists | Notarial acts must be performed in person unless Ontario regulations authorize remote notarization. No such remote notarization process is currently available. |
| Commissioning affidavits or declarations | Yes, if conditions are met | No government filing | Follow Ontario Regulation 431/20 conditions such as live audio-video communication, identity verification, modified jurat wording, and recordkeeping. |
Items not submitted to Ontario authorities
These items may matter for remote commissioning risk management or normal notary practice, but they are not Ontario RON or remote commissioning submission artifacts:
- A RON application or remote notarization authorization form.
- A sample notarized document.
- A RON vendor contract or technology provider notice.
- A digital certificate or electronic seal file for remote notarization.
- Audio/video recordings filed with the government.
- Identity-proofing vendor reports filed with the government.
- A remote commissioning registration fee.
- A RON training or exam certificate.
Before offering remote services
Make sure you can answer "yes" to each item below:
- You understand that remote or virtual notarization is not currently permitted in Ontario.
- You are not advertising remote notarization as if it were authorized under the Notaries Act.
- If you are commissioning remotely, you are authorized to act as a commissioner for taking affidavits.
- You can comply with Ontario Regulation 431/20 for remote commissioning.
- Your remote commissioning jurat identifies the remote process and relevant locations.
- You can verify identity and retain the required transaction record in your file.
- You understand that remote commissioning compliance records are retained internally, not submitted to a government portal.