The three things you're probably wondering
Can I come in today? Usually, yes. Walk-ins are welcome when a notary is available, and an appointment guarantees no waiting. If you're on a deadline, call ahead and we'll fit you in. If you're walking in, arrive at least 20 minutes before closing.
What do I bring? The document, unsigned (you sign in front of us), with every blank filled in except the signature. Plus at least one piece of valid, unexpired government photo ID: driver's licence, passport, BCID, or BC Services Card. SIN cards, credit cards, and work IDs don't qualify.
What does it cost? A flat fee per document, quoted when you call, with discounts when you have several notarized in one visit. Payment by cash, debit, or credit at time of service, and you leave with the completed document.
Documents we notarize every day
Affidavits for court and legal matters. Statutory declarations, including common-law status declarations for CRA and immigration. Travel consent letters for children travelling with one parent or without parents. Invitation letters for visitor visas. Proof of loss forms for insurance. Pension life certificates for foreign pension authorities. Consent and permission letters of all kinds. If a document needs a notary's seal and falls within a notary's scope, we almost certainly handle it, and if you're not sure, call and ask.
Certified true copies
When an institution wants a copy of your passport, diploma, birth certificate, or licence but you don't want to mail the original, a certified true copy solves it. Bring the original document to us. We make the copy, compare it against the original, and certify it with a signed statement and seal. One rule we can't bend: we must see the original. A photocopy of a photocopy, or a document printed at home, can't be certified as a true copy. For online-only documents like digital bank statements, we can often notarize your sworn declaration about the printout instead, which many institutions accept. Ask us which the recipient needs.
Documents going outside Canada
Documents headed abroad usually need an extra layer of certification (an apostille or authentication) confirming the notary's authority to foreign officials. We notarize your document correctly for international use, guide you through the certification step for your destination country, and can submit documents on your behalf where possible. Requirements and timelines vary by country, and certification can take weeks, so start early.
When we'll say no (and why that protects you)
We won't notarize documents we suspect are fraudulent, documents with blanks still in them, copies without seeing originals, or documents a signer doesn't understand or seems pressured to sign. We'll also refer you elsewhere for matters outside a notary's scope, like separation agreements needing independent legal advice. Those rules aren't red tape. They're the reason a Simpson seal means something to the institutions receiving your document.