Now open: notary appointments in Durham, on evenings and weekends

Most people need a document notarized at the worst possible moment. The travel consent letter is due before a Friday flight. The bank wants a certified copy of a passport by Monday. A parent's power of attorney needs signing, and the only time the whole family can gather is Sunday afternoon.

And almost every notary office in Durham Region is open exactly when you are at work.

That is the gap Durham Mobile Notary was built to close. We are now taking appointments across Whitby, Oshawa, Ajax, Pickering, Clarington and the rest of the Region — weekday evenings from 6:30 to 9:00 pm, and weekends from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

What a notary actually does

A notary public is authorized to witness signatures, administer oaths and declarations, and certify that a copy of a document is a true copy of the original. In practice, that means one of two things:

• Commissioning — you swear or affirm that what a document says is true. This applies to affidavits, statutory declarations, and most government forms.
• Notarizing — the notary's seal is added, confirming your identity and signature. This is what is required for certified true copies, and for nearly anything travelling to another country.

If you are not sure which one your document needs, you are in good company — the distinction confuses almost everyone. Tell us where the document is going, and we will apply the right one.

What we handle most often

Durham families tend to need the same handful of documents:

• Consent to travel letters — when a child travels with one parent, a grandparent, or a school group.
• Letters of invitation — supporting a visitor visa application for family abroad.
• Certified true copies — passports, diplomas, professional credentials, permanent resident cards.
• Affidavits and statutory declarations — OSAP, name changes, single-status declarations, insurance claims, MTO vehicle transfers and family-gift statements.
• Powers of attorney and estate documents — witnessing the execution of documents you have already had prepared.
• Documents going abroad — we handle the notarization step only, so your document is eligible for an apostille. In Ontario, only Official Documents Services can issue the apostille itself; you file with them directly.

Three ways to meet

You choose the venue when you book:

• Our Whitby home office — quiet, by appointment, easy parking, near Rossland & Garden. The full address is confirmed when you book.
• A public place near you — a library, community or recreation centre, a coffee shop, or a mall seating area. Anywhere with a table and reasonable light works.
• Your home or workplace — the usual choice for families with small children, for seniors, and for signings where several witnesses need to be in one room.

What it costs

A $10 booking fee is paid online when you reserve your slot, and it is credited against your total. The call-out fee is flat — $35 whether you are five minutes away in Whitby or across the Region in Bowmanville.

How to make it a single trip

Nothing is more frustrating than arriving and discovering the appointment cannot proceed. Three things prevent it:

• Do not sign anything in advance. Complete every other field, but leave the signature blank — a notary must witness the signing itself.
• Bring valid government photo identification. A passport, driver's licence, or permanent resident card.
• Bring the instructions. If the bank, school, consulate or government office sent wording they require, bring it. Receiving institutions can be particular, and it is far easier to meet their requirements the first time.

If anyone else must sign or witness, tell us when you book so we can allow enough time.

Booking

Appointments are booked online and usually available within 48 hours. If something is urgent, send a text to (289) 278-8969 — evening slots often have same-week availability.