Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you charge?
All of our fees are listed on our Fees page. Please note that we do not charge by the number of pages, documents, or the number of people signing. Rather, we charge by the number of times we Notarize, which means the number of times that we sign our signatures and apply our seals. The number of times we are required to sign is determined by you and the person or organization requesting your document, not by us.
Where are you located?
We have multiple locations. Please refer to our Locations page for more information.
What are your hours?
Each location has different hours. Click on a specific Location for more information.
Are you really a walk in or do I need an appointment?
In most cases, we are a walk in. We do not take appointments. However, in some special cases, in specific offices, we have from time to time required an appointment to prevent too many people from congregating in our lobby. For more information select the location you are interested in attending. Unless we say otherwise, it’s a walk-in.
How long does it take?
We are fast. The notarization process itself can take as little as five minutes. We have been notarizing documents for years, so we have a lot of practice and we know what we’re doing. What can slow us down is an unprepared client. If you want to prepare for this process and expedite it as much as possible we encourage you to read our Instructions page.
We understand that some of you may have an urgent matter and that you may be in a rush to be seen by a notary and have your document notarized. We ask that you wait in our lobby patiently. Most of our clients do not have to wait at all, or very long. However, because we are a walk-in it's possible that, by chance, several people could walk-in at the same time or just before you and that means that you may have to wait a few minutes. It’s also possible that one person could be ahead of you and that person might be unprepared or may have a large number of documents to notarize. We cannot predict who will walk-in and what will be expected of us on a daily basis. Therefore, we urge you to exercise patience.
Where can I find instructions on how to notarize my document?
Obtain instructions from the document recipient. If you want to understand more about our process and what our requirements are, please read our Instructions page.
Will my document be accepted?
We can guarantee that your document will be notarized in accordance with Ontario law, custom, and the Law Society of Ontario’s guidelines. If we fail to do this, we will refund your money and/or correct the issue at no charge. However, we cannot guarantee that a third party will accept your document. Different parties will have different requirements and varying degrees of discretion to reject or accept a document. Given that we do not liaison with third parties on your behalf, it is the client’s responsibility to ensure that the third party will accept a document notarized by an Ontario Notary.
What do I need to bring with me to have my document notarized?
In most cases, you will just need to bring the document(s) you need to have notarized and one piece of valid photo identification. However, some documents have specific requirements. Please review your document carefully before you come to the office to ensure you have everything with you that you need.
I am assisting someone who is house-bound, in the hospital or who otherwise cannot come to your office. What can I do to have their documents notarized?
In some cases, if the person is able to come by car but is not able to come into the office, we are able to meet them at the car to verify their identity and watch them sign. You would then have to come up to the office to complete payment and paperwork. Please call the individual location to see if this can be arranged.
In the event the person you are assisting cannot come to the office at all, we offer a mobile notary service where the notary will come to their house. There is an additional fee for this service, and it may be impacted by pandemic restrictions.
We also offer an online commissioning service for documents. Please email online@walkinnotary.com to inquire if this may meet your needs.
I am helping someone who doesn’t speak or understand English well or at all. Can they have their document notarized?
If you are assisting someone who cannot speak or understand English, you are welcome to come to Walk-In Notary with them to provide translation services. However, in order to notarize their document, we also require a translation declaration to be completed by you in regards to your proficiency in both languages and your acting as a translator for the person you are with. Please note that this declaration needs to be drafted and notarized, and will result in additional charges.