Need to take an oath?

During COVID-19, when in person services are not available, Commissioning of documents is suspended.

Some legal documents require you to make a legal oath that what you are saying is true. The Township of Ramara has Commissioners who are authorized to administer your oath for certain documents and can sign documents that need the signature of a Commissioner of Oaths or Commissioner for Taking Affidavits.

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

Before you start

Please contact us in advance to confirm that your documents can be commissioned by the Township and to confirm that a Commissioner of Oaths is available to meet with you.

During COVID-19, when in person services are not available, Commissioning of documents is suspended.

You will need to bring valid photo identification. The identification should show your full name, signature, and address.

The document(s) must be completed in full.  We will not Commission a blank or incomplete form, however, the document(s) to be commissioned must be signed in the presence of a Commissioner of Oaths.

Fee

Please note that a commissioning fee of $20.00 will be applied, as outlined in Ramara's Fees and Charges Bylaw.

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

Our staff that have been designated to serve as Commissioners of Oaths can sign documents at their discretion, including but not limited to the following:

• Travel letters and permissions
• Proof of residency
• Transfer of vehicle ownership
• Pension plan and insurance claim documents
• Statutory declarations on government-related forms

It is at the exclusive discretion of the individual Commissioner of Oaths whether or not they choose to sign the document. The Commissioner of Oaths can certify the signature of an identifiable individual. Unfortunately, if a Commissioner of Oaths is unsure about the identity of the person or the content of the document for any reason, the Commissioner of Oaths may refuse to sign the document and the person will be referred to a lawyer.

Documents that cannot be signed

We do not provide the services of a Notary Public.

The Commissioner of Oaths will not sign documents related to:

• Wills, testaments, and estates
• Powers of Attorney
• Divorce, separation, and custody
• Real estate
• Court documents or any documents related to court proceedings
• Any other documents requiring a Notary Public

A Notary Public is a person authorized by the Notaries Act to commission documents, certify or notarize documents as true copies and to verify signatures. The requirements to become a Notary Public are stricter than for a commissioner.

A list of Notary Publics and lawyers, who can notarize documents, can be found by visiting yellowpages.ca