Authenticate a document for use outside Canada
If you are working, studying, or doing business abroad, you may need proof of authentication for public documents issued in Ontario. Official Documents Services (ODS) is the authority that issues certificates of authentications and apostilles in Ontario.
Overview
Notice: Effective January 11, 2024, Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention.
Learn more about upcoming changes to document authentication.
When working, studying, or travelling abroad, end destination recipients may ask for certificates of authentication or apostilles to ensure that public documents (e.g., birth certificates, corporate powers of attorney, diplomas, etc.) are valid.
Official Documents Services (ODS) verifies the validity of documents by checking if the signatures and seals on the documents match their records. If the signatures and seals match, ODS will authenticate documents by issuing certificates of authentication or apostilles.
A certificate of authentication is an authentication of public documents utilized by countries that are not signatories of the Hague Apostille Convention, Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation of Foreign Public Documents (Hague Apostille Convention).
An apostille is an authentication of public documents utilized by countries that are signatories of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Clients are responsible for contacting the relevant consulate, embassy, or end destination recipient prior to requesting document authentication services to understand requirements.
Changes to document authentication
As of January 11, 2024, Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Hague Apostille Convention), a multilateral treaty, the main purpose of which is to facilitate the circulation of public documents (e.g., birth certificates, corporate powers of attorney, diplomas etc.) issued by one country to be used in another country.
If you are travelling to a Hague signatory country, your authenticated documents will be issued apostilles which may not require further legalization at consulates or embassies. Please check with the relevant consulate, embassy, and end destination recipient for their document requirements.
Joining the Hague Apostille Convention has resulted in the following changes to document authentication services in Ontario:
- Documents in languages other than English and French must be:
- Issued within Canada
- Notarized by an Ontario notary public
Accompanied by a translation
- Translation Option 1: Issued by a Certified Canadian Translator. A certified translation is certified by a member of a recognized provincial translation association. A list of recognized provincial translation associations can be found at the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council.
OR
- Translation Option 2: Attestation of a translation by an Ontario notary public, who speaks English or French and the language in which the document was written.
You must ensure if using an Ontario notary public for translation they add the following statement to their declaration:
- They attest to speaking English or French, and the language in which the document was written.
- They certify the accuracy of the translation.
- New public documents are eligible for direct authentication which will no longer require notarization prior to authentication, including:
- Ontario public post-secondary diplomas, degrees, and transcripts issued as of January 2019.
- Court-issued documents from the Superior Court of Justice or the Ontario Court of Justice issued as of July 10, 2023. Please note:
- It may take up to 10-business days to process court-issued documents for in-person authentication requests. If your request is urgent, you may wish to notarize your documents prior to authentication.
- For Certificates of Divorce issued prior to July 10, 2023, you may either notarize the document or have it reissued in one of two ways: online or at the court where the original was filed. A newly reissued Certificate of Divorce will be eligible for authentication without notarization.
- All other court-issued documents issued prior to July 10, 2023, will continue to require notarization.
- Authenticated documents destined for Hague signatory countries may no longer require legalization at consulates or embassies. Please continue to verify document requirements with your consulate, embassy, and/or end destination recipient.
- Documents issued outside of Canada are not eligible for authentication and must be authenticated by the jurisdiction where the document was issued (for example foreign identification). Review a list of other documents not eligible for authentication.
- Exception to foreign-issued documents: ODS will only authenticate the notarization of signatures on foreign-issued documents that are sworn/witnessed by an Ontario notary public.
- To authenticate a signature on a foreign-issued document, witnessed by an Ontario notary public, you must:
- Present the document, with the Ontario notary public's seal and signature, attesting to witnessing a signature.
- If applicable, provide a translation of the document in English or French, if the document is not in one of Canada’s official languages. Please review document translation requirements
- Documents destined for Hague signatory countries will receive apostille certificates. See a list of Hague signatory countries.
Documents destined for non-Hague signatory countries will continue to receive certificates of authentication. If your documents fall within the new public document categories (for example Ontario court-issued and postsecondary education documents), which are eligible for direct authentication, your documents may not require notarization (further details below).
Use the document authentication portal to see if your document is eligible for authentication at Official Documents Services.
Documents eligible for authentication
New categories of Ontario-issued documents are now eligible for authentication without notarization. Please see the list of eligible documents below.
- Vital statistics documents, including polymer birth certificates.
- Business registry documents issued as of 1991, by the Business and Personal Property Branch or the Ontario Business Registry.
- Court-issued documents from the Superior Court of Justice or the Ontario Court of Justice issued as of July 10, 2023. Please note:
- It may take up to 10-business days to process court-issued documents for in-person authentication requests. If your request is urgent, you may wish to notarize your documents prior to authentication.
- For Certificates of Divorce issued prior to July 10, 2023, you may either notarize the document or have it reissued either online or at the court where the original was filed. A newly reissued Certificate of Divorce will be eligible for authentication without notarization.
- All other court-issued documents issued prior to July 10, 2023, will continue to require notarization.
- Ontario-issued public postsecondary degrees, diplomas and transcripts issued since January 1, 2019.
Notarized documents issued by an Ontario notary public continue to be eligible for authentication.
Documents in languages other than English and French must be:
- Issued within Canada;
- Notarized by an Ontario notary public
Accompanied by a translation
- Translation Option 1: issued by a Certified Canadian Translator. A certified translation is certified by a member of a recognized. A list of recognized provincial translation associations can be found at the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council.
OR
- Translation Option 2: Attestation of a translation by an Ontario notary public, who speaks English or French and the language in which the document was written. If this is the case, ensure that the notary public adds to their declaration, the following statement:
You must ensure if using an Ontario notary public for translation they add the following statement to their declaration:
- They attest to speaking English or French, and the language in which the document was written.
- They certify the accuracy of the translation.
Some documents cannot be authenticated even if they are notarized.
Examples of documents that cannot be authenticated include:
- Documents commissioned by a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits;
- Documents issued outside of Canada, unless signatures are sworn/witnessed before an Ontario notary public;
- Religious documents (baptismal certificate, etc.);
- Legalized documents (previously authenticated document already legalized by a consulate or embassy); and
- Pseudo legal documents (legal-sounding documents stating false rules that claim to be law).
Please use the document authentication portal to see if your document is eligible for authentication and whether it requires a notarization. Once document eligibility is confirmed, a service request may also be submitted online through the portal.
How we authenticate a document
ODS authenticates your document by comparing the signature and seal or stamp on the document against the information on file from the notary public or the signing authority.
ODS does not validate the contents of documents.
Authentication will only proceed if:
- All parts of the signature and seal of the notary public or signing authority, are clearly displayed on the same page of the document — if not, the document has to be re-notarized or re-issued;
- The name and seal are identical to those on file at Official Documents Services; and
- A hard copy of the document is provided. Note: Soft copy (electronic) documents will not be authenticated.
You will be issued a certificate of authentication or an apostille for each document request.
If the service request form is not complete, payment is missing, or a signature and/or seal cannot be verified, documents cannot be authenticated.
ODS reserves the right not to authenticate your documents if they are considered fraudulent or suspicious.
ODS will not keep copies of your documents or translations. All documents are returned to clients after authentication.
Submit a request for authentication
Step 1: Verify your requirements
Contact the relevant consulate, embassy or end destination recipient to verify their requirements. The consulate or embassy of your document destination may require additional legalization and may not accept all public documents.
ODS is unable to provide information about consulate or embassy requirements.
Step 2: Check your eligibility
Determine the eligibility of your document(s) on the document authentication portal. Through the document authentication portal, you will also be able to submit an authentication request after eligibility has been confirmed.
Step 3: Find a notary public, if required
If required, have your document notarized by an Ontario notary public. ODS does not have an in-house notary public. Please look online or consult your local Yellow Pages for a notary public in your area.
The following Ontario-issued documents may not require notarization:
- Vital statistics documents, including polymer birth certificates.
- Business registry documents issued as of 1991, by the Business and Personal Property Branch or the Ontario Business Registry.
- Court-issued documents from the Superior Court of Justice or the Ontario Court of Justice issued as of July 10, 2023. Please note:
- It may take up to 10-business days to process court-issued documents for in-person authentication requests. If your request is urgent, you may wish to notarize your documents prior to authentication.
- For Certificates of Divorce issued prior to July 10, 2023, you may either notarize the document or have it reissued either online or at the court where the original was filed. A newly reissued Certificate of Divorce will be eligible for authentication without notarization.
- All other court-issued documents issued prior to July 10, 2023, will continue to require notarization.
- Ontario-issued public postsecondary degrees, diplomas and transcripts issued since January 1, 2019.
Step 4: Prepare your documents
For documents more than one-quarter inch (or 7 mm) thick, have 2 holes punched in the upper-left-hand corner, where the authentication certificate can be attached.
Step 5: Submit your service request
You can submit a service request either online through the document authentication portal or by completing a service request form for mail-in or in-person submission.
If you submit the service request online, you will receive an email confirmation of submission with a service request number. To complete your service request, you are still required to submit the authentication service request number, along with your documents and form of payment to ODS by mail, or in-person at ODS (in Toronto) or one of the select ServiceOntario locations (in Ottawa, Sault St. Marie, Windsor and Thunder Bay). Addresses are located below.
Mail your service request
You can mail a printed copy of your online service request number or completed request form, documents and payment to the following address:
Official Documents Services
777 Bay Street, Lower Level
Toronto, ON M7A 2J8
Once ODS receives your document, they will verify the signatures and seals and issue a certificate of authentication or an apostille within 15 business days. ODS is the only location that will process mail-in applications.
All mail-in authentications will be returned via regular mail. You can send your documents with a prepaid return envelope or computer-generated return waybill for your mail to be returned with a tracking number.
Submit your service request in-person
You can submit your service request number or form, documents and payment method in-person to the ODS office or one of the select ServiceOntario locations.
Book an authentication appointment
Effective November 1, 2023, you may book an in-person authentication service appointment before visiting one of our authentication service locations. If you are unable to book an appointment online or require assistance, please call
Locations
Office hours for all locations are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for statutory holidays:
Official Documents Services
ServiceOntario - Toronto College Park
777 Bay Street, Lower Level
Toronto, ON M7A 2J8
ServiceOntario - Ottawa City Hall
110 Laurier Avenue West,
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1J1
(Ottawa City Hall)
ServiceOntario - Sault St. Marie
101-420 Queen Street East,
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6A 1Z7
ServiceOntario - Windsor City Hall
205-400 City Hall Square East,
Windsor, Ontario N9A 7K6
(Windsor City Hall)
ServiceOntario - Thunder Bay
113-435 James Street South,
Thunder Bay, Ontario P7E 6T1
The standard wait time is about 30 minutes if your documentation is complete. If you have more than one item for authentication, you may be required to wait longer.
Cost and payment
Authentication cost
| Document type | Fees payable in Canadian dollars only (all taxes exempted) |
|---|---|
| Notarized legal document | $16 |
| Ontario government official document | $32 |
| Ontario court-issued document | $32 |
| Ontario public postsecondary degree, diploma or transcript | $32 |
| Filing with a Foreign Consulate/Embassy | $32 |
| A status of good standing for a notary public | $16 |
Fees apply to each document authenticated. For example, if you have two notarized documents that need to be authenticated, the fee is $32 ($16 x 2)
Payment methods
In person
Cash, Visa, Mastercard, debit, certified cheque or money order.
By mail
Certified cheque or money order, Visa or Mastercard.
Cheques and money orders are to be made payable to: The Minister of Finance. To pay with Visa or MasterCard, complete the mail-in service request form and submit it with your documents.
Verify an Ontario-issued Apostille
Apostilles issued in Ontario can be verified here. You will need the Apostille number and the issuance date.
Contact us
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If you have any questions, please contact us at:
Official Documents Services
777 Bay Street, Lower Level
Toronto Ontario M7A 2J8
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except statutory holidays.