Notarization guides
Legal guides from Equity Law Group on Notarization in British Columbia. For help with your own matter, see our Notarization service or contact us.
How to Swear an Affidavit for a BC Court Case: Exhibits, Oaths and Affirmations
October 19, 2026
BC Supreme Court affidavits follow strict rules on format, exhibits and signing. Here is what the civil and family rules require, how exhibits must be marked and numbered, and why you can affirm instead of swearing an oath.
Mobile Notary Visits in BC: Hospitals, Care Homes and When Capacity Is a Concern
October 15, 2026
When a parent in hospital or a care home needs to sign a power of attorney, representation agreement or other document, the visit is about more than a signature. This guide explains the capacity tests and witnessing rules that apply in BC and how to prepare.
Can You Get Documents Notarized or Commissioned by Video in BC?
October 14, 2026
Some BC documents can now be sworn or signed over video, including court affidavits and enduring powers of attorney, but only under set procedures. Other documents, such as land title instruments and many papers for use abroad, usually still need an in-person signing.
Signing a Power of Attorney for Property in Another Country From BC
October 12, 2026
If you live in BC and need someone back home to sell, rent or manage your property, the other country will usually want a power of attorney in its own form. This guide covers drafting, notarization in BC, apostilles and legalization, translations and the steps that often follow abroad.
What to Bring to a Notary Appointment in BC: ID, Originals and Unsigned Documents
October 12, 2026
The wrong ID, a document already signed or a missing original can each mean a second trip to the notary. Here is what to bring to a notary appointment in BC, and why each item matters under the Law Society's rules.
Affidavit vs Statutory Declaration in BC: Which One Do You Need?
October 12, 2026
Affidavits and statutory declarations are both written statements you confirm as true before an authorized official, but they are used for different purposes. Here is how each works in BC, who can take them, and how to tell which one your form needs.
Notary Services in BC: What a Lawyer-Notary Can Sign, Certify and Witness
October 9, 2026
Told to get a document notarized? In BC, practising lawyers have all the powers of a notary public. This guide explains who can notarize, what a notary can sign, certify and witness, what notarization does not do, and what to bring.
Signing BC Legal Documents From Outside Canada: Notaries, Consulates and Apostilles
October 8, 2026
If you live outside Canada and need to sign a BC land title transfer, mortgage, probate affidavit or family agreement, the witness and the paperwork have to meet BC rules. Here is who can witness your signature abroad, what Canadian consulates do, and where an apostille fits.
Child Travel Consent Letters: When You Need One and How to Get It Notarized in BC
October 8, 2026
Taking a child abroad without the other parent, or sending them with grandparents or a school group? Canada recommends a signed consent letter for international trips. Here is who should sign, what to include and how notarization works in BC.
What Is a Certified True Copy, and Who Can Certify One in BC?
October 6, 2026
A certified true copy is a copy that a notary or other authorized person has compared with your original and confirmed as accurate. Here is who can certify one in BC, how it differs from a notarized signature or a sworn statement, and what to bring.
Using a BC Document Abroad? How the Apostille Works Now That Canada Has Joined the Hague Convention
October 4, 2026
A power of attorney for property overseas, a consent letter for a child's trip, a degree for a job abroad: documents leaving Canada usually have to be certified before another country will accept them. Since January 2024 that process has been simpler. Here is how the apostille works for British Columbia documents and where the notary fits in.