About Official Documents Services
Official Documents Services was known as the Ontario Records Office and it remained under this name until 1972. It was created at Confederation and carried out functions previously conducted within the Provincial Secretary's Office.
ODS houses over 100,000 records of appointed Notaries Public and Commissioners for taking Affidavits in the Province of
Ontario.
Today, ODS is a unit of the General Administrative Services Delivery Branch, Ontario Shared Services, Ministry of Government Services, Government of Ontario. It provides service to the public in the following ways:letters patent of incorporation and amalgamation;
- If you are doing business or travelling abroad, you may be required to provide proof of authentication for official documents issued in Ontario. ODS authenticates documents notarized or commissioned in Ontario by verifying the signature and seal of the Notary Public, and in some cases, the signature and stamp of the Commissioner for taking Affidavits.
- Issue Notary Public and Commissioner for taking Affidavits appointment certificates. Find out more about Certificates of Appointment.Issue Notary Public and Commissioner for taking Affidavits appointment certificates. Find out more about Certificates of Appointment.
