Commissioning an affidavit or a declaration is a legal act, and only someone who holds the authority to do it can do it. On eNotaryPublic.ca, sessions are held by commissioners for taking affidavits, notaries public, lawyers and licensed paralegals. This article explains how someone becomes one of those professionals on our platform, and what's checked before they can take your session.
Step 1: Application
A professional starts by applying with their name and contact details, their credential type (commissioner, notary public, lawyer or licensed paralegal), the provinces they're authorized in, the services they offer and the languages they work in.
At this point their profile is an applicant. Applicants can't be assigned to customers, and their profile isn't shown publicly.
Step 2: Credentials and consent
Next, the professional records each credential they rely on: the type, the appointment or licence number, the province, the issuing body, and the expiry date where there is one. They can upload evidence — a PDF or photo of their appointment certificate or licence — which is stored encrypted, like every other document on the platform.
They must also consent to us verifying their credential and standing. Without that consent the application can't continue. Once a credential is submitted, the profile moves to verifying and our team is notified.
Step 3: Agreements
Before working on the platform, professionals accept our Professional Services Agreement, our Code of Conduct and Service Standards, and a Consent to Credential and Standing Verification.
Among other things, the agreement requires professionals to keep every appointment and licence they rely on in good standing, to act only within the scope of their authority in each province, and to tell us promptly if their authority is suspended, restricted or expires. The agreements are versioned: when one changes, professionals are asked to accept the new version.
Step 4: Our review
A member of our team reviews the credential and its standing with the body that issued it, and records the date it was verified. The platform enforces this step: a profile can't be moved to verified or active unless at least one of its credentials carries a verified date. Only verified or active professionals can take sessions.
We also record when a professional's standing expires. Upcoming expiries are flagged to our team 30 days ahead, so standing can be re-checked before it lapses.
Checks every time a session is assigned
Being approved once isn't the end of it. Each time a professional accepts a request from the live queue or opens a session, the platform checks that:
- their profile is verified or active — not an applicant, and not suspended;
- they're authorized in the province of your request;
- the service is on their approved list;
- they work in the language you asked for, if you asked for one other than English;
- their credential type fits the document — some documents need a notary or a lawyer rather than a commissioner.
If any check fails, the assignment is refused with the reason, and your request stays in the queue for a professional who qualifies.
What you'll see
Your professional's name and credential are shown to you for your session. Where a professional has chosen to have a public profile, it appears on our About page, including the date their standing was verified.
The jurat — the statement at the end of your affidavit or declaration recording where and when it was sworn or declared — is completed with your professional's name and title, and with their commission or licence number and appointment expiry where those apply.
What verification doesn't mean
Verification confirms that a professional holds the authority they claim. It doesn't mean every professional can do every task. A commissioner for taking affidavits, for example, can't perform notarial acts such as certifying true copies, and wills and powers of attorney follow their own rules. When a request needs a different kind of professional, it's routed to one — or, if it can't be done online, you're shown the in-person option.
As with any commissioned document, whether a particular organization accepts it is that organization's decision. If you're unsure, check with them before your session.
Questions or concerns
If you have a concern about a professional you met through our platform, you can raise it through our complaints process. If you're a commissioner, notary, lawyer or paralegal interested in working with us, see Join as a professional.