Commissioner of Oaths

A Commissioner of Oath is a person authorized by the Province of Ontario to take oaths or declarations when you sign an affidavit or statutory declaration. A Commissioner of Oath does not certify that the statements being made in the affidavit or statutory declaration are true, but only certifies that an oath or solemn affirmation has been administered properly.

Complete your document but do not sign it

Please bring in your completed document to be commissioned but do not sign it until the Commissioner is able to witness your signature. Everyone required to sign the document must be present and provide valid photo identification.

Commissioning Fee

There is a commissioning fee of $18.75 charged per document, which you can pay by cash or debit. Please see our Fees & Charges By-law for more information.

Documents a Commissioner of Oaths can sign
 The following is a small listing of forms a Commissioner of Oaths can sign:
  • Declaration Affirming Parentage
  • Election to Change Name of Child under age of 12 (service Ontario)
  • Statutory Declaration by an Applicant to Correct an Error in Registration
  • Legal Name Change Application
  • Blank Statutory Declaration, i.e. sing/double status declarations
  • Insurance Claims
  • Vehicle Ownership Transfers - sworn statement for a transfer of a used vehicle in the province of Ontario
  • Special Invitation to Family members overseas (Visitor's VISA)
  • Statutory Declarations in Lieu of a Guarantor - Passport applications and Permanent Residency Cards (we must also sign their pictures)
  • Pension Purposes - attestations of a recipient being alive and confirming their residency
  • Federal Government Permanent Residency Card applications (only this form) - we must also sign their pictures
  • Delayed birth registrations
  • Application to amend birth registrations
  • Lost passport
  • Consent letter to travel with a child (travel document)
  • Affidavit waiving vaccinations based on religious grounds
  • Town of New Tecumseth Planning and Heritage applications
  • Bank related documents

We reserve the right to refuse commissioning services of any document.

Documents a Commissioner of Oaths cannot sign

 A Commissioner of Oaths cannot sign:

  • Documents that are not in English
  • Documents that need to be certified
  • Age of Majority/Bring Your Identification (BYID) card application
  • Any court related documents
  • Custody documents
  • Divorce, separation, marriage or cohabitation documents or agreements
  • Documents requiring the signature of a notary public
  • Documents related to Registrant Identification Numbers through Service Ontario as these documents require the signature of a notary public
  • Documents relating to debt
  • International educational institution or association documents, including photographs
  • Letters of invitation
  • Ministry of Community and Social Services Family Responsibility Office forms
  • Powers of attorney
  • Real estate related documents, statements, transfer of land
  • Wills, living wills, codicil to a will

We reserve the right to refuse commissioning services of any document.

 Notary Public

Please note that a Commissioner of Oath is not the same as a Notary Public.  A Notary Public in Ontario holds the same powers as a Commissioner of Oath except, they can also certify and attest to the execution of a document and to true copies of an original document. Notary Publics can also verify that signatures and marks of a document are genuine.  The requirements to become a Notary Public are more stringent than for a Commissioner and most are lawyers or judicial officers. If you require a document to be “notarized” as opposed to “commissioned”, the person administering the oath or affidavit generally is a lawyer.

Certified True Copies

The Town Clerk or Deputy Clerk may authorize certified true copies of documents, however other Town commissioners are not able to. Please call 705-435-3900 or send us an email to book an appointment with the Clerk or Deputy Clerk to have a true copy certified. 

Appointments for Commissioning Services

The Clerk's Office at 10 Wellington Street East, Alliston provides commissioning services.

We are open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. We are closed weekends and Statutory Holidays.

We recommend that you call us at 705-435-3900 or 905-729-0057 to ensure there is a Commissioner of Oaths available. We will also determine if they are able to sign your document(s). You must provide valid photo identification.

Please note that appointments are required for non-residents.