Does a Will Need to Be Notarized in Ontario?

Updated September 2026. Ontario law does not generally require a notary stamp to make a will valid. The Succession Law Reform Act sets out different execution requirements, including rules for formal wills and handwritten wills. A notary stamp cannot replace the required signing and witnessing steps.

Why do people contact a notary about a will?

A court or other recipient may later ask for an affidavit of execution or a certified copy. The person who witnessed a signature can swear or affirm an affidavit of execution before a commissioner where appropriate. This is different from creating, drafting or reviewing the will itself.

Ontario also has specific rules for witnessing a will by real-time audiovisual communication, including a requirement involving a Law Society licensee; those rules are not a general permission to “notarize a will online.” Seek advice before relying on remote execution.

If you are drafting or revising a will, have questions about beneficiaries, capacity or estate planning, or need to confirm your will’s validity, consult an Ontario estates lawyer. Our notary service does not provide estate-planning advice.

Need a certified copy or a commissioned affidavit? Contact us with the document and the recipient’s instructions so we can confirm whether the requested notarial or commissioning service is available.

Source: Ontario Succession Law Reform Act.