Commissioner of Oath

Commissioner of Oaths Services

A Commissioner of Oaths is a person authorized to take your oath or solemn affirmation when you sign an affidavit or a statutory declaration. The Municipality has three Commissioners of Oaths. 

If your documents require a Nortary Public, please contact a lawyer. We do not have a Notary Public in our office.

Please give us a call at 519-762-2204 to see if one of our Commissioners is available to help you.

What you need

You will need to bring valid photo identification to prove your identity and the affidavit or statutory declaration that must be signed in the presence of the Commissioner. Our Commissioners will not commission the document if it was not signed in their presence

Fee

We do not charge a fee to residents for this service.

What is a Commissioner of Oaths?

A Commissioner of Oaths is a person who is authorized by the Province of Ontario to take an oath when you sign an affidavit or statutory declaration.

They are given the authority by the Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act. The Commissioner is not responsible for the content of the affidavit.

The Commissioner of Oaths will not prepare or edit affidavits, nor provide legal advice. Any assistance required should be directed to the agency or party that has requested the form.

Your Responsibility

If you are signing a legal 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 ensure 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. 

Documents that Can be Signed

• Proof of Residency Documentation
• Vehicle Transfers
• Insurance Claims
• Change of Ownership
• Pension Plan Documents
• Certification of an Identifiable Individual's Signature
• Any Government-related Forms
• County of Elgin Forms (including Land Division)
• Consents to Travel

It is at the exclusive discretion of the individual Commissioner of Oaths whether or not they choose to sign the document. If a Commissioner of Oaths is unsure about the identity of the deponent or the content of the document for any reason, the Commissioner of Oaths may refuse to sign the document and will recommend that the deponent consult a lawyer.

Documents that Will Not be Signed

• Wills
• Living Wills
• Codicils to Wills
• Powers of Attorney
• Divorce, Separation or Custody Agreements
• Theft Related Documents
• Real Estate Related Documents
• Court Documents or Documents Related to a Court Proceeding
• Documents that Require the Signature of a Notary Public

True Certified Copies

Municipal Clerks and Deputy Clerks are authorized by the Municipal Act, 2001 to certify copies of municipal records as "true copies" of the original documents. Municipal Clerks and Deputy Clerks have no authority to "certify" any other documents as "true copies" of the originals.