ODS Toronto: What to Check Before You Submit
ODS Toronto is Official Documents Services, the Ontario office that issues apostilles and certificates of authentication for documents used outside Canada. It is unrelated to ODSP, Ontario's disability support program. ODS handles Ontario-issued and Ontario-notarized documents. Its Toronto office is inside ServiceOntario College Park at 777 Bay Street, Lower Level. And ServiceOntario says walk-in service there is limited because of high demand.
ODS matches the signature and seal to its records, not what the document says. So it refuses an affidavit sworn before a commissioner, and a document whose notary signature and seal sit on separate pages. For Global Affairs Canada's role, start with apostille in Canada. This guide covers routing, fees, booking, mail and pre-submission checks.
By Narek Mirzoyan, RCIC # R1005184
Last reviewed by Narek Mirzoyan, RCIC # R1005184, on 2026-10-23.
TL;DR
ODS authenticates the signature and seal on Ontario-issued and Ontario-notarized documents, then issues an apostille or a certificate of authentication. Vital statistics records go straight to ODS, but powers of attorney and other private papers need an Ontario notary first. Book, walk in where space allows, or mail to Toronto, where mailed requests are processed within 15 business days of receipt. ODS charges $16 per notarized document and $32 per Ontario government, court or public postsecondary record. And check your package against the refusal reasons ODS publishes before you hand it over.
Table of Contents
What ODS Toronto Does and Does Not Do
ODS Toronto authenticates Ontario documents for use abroad. It compares the signature and seal with what it has on file for that notary or signing official. When they match, it issues an apostille for a Hague Convention country or a certificate of authentication for any other country. But it does not confirm that the document's contents are true.
An apostille tells a foreign office that a real Ontario official or notary signed the page. But it says nothing about whether a translation is accurate, a transcript is complete or a sworn statement is honest. Ontario states that ODS does not validate contents, and it leaves the recipient's requirements for you to check. So a correctly authenticated document can still be refused abroad when it is the wrong version. One example is a polymer birth certificate sent where the recipient wanted Ontario's certified copy of birth registration, which shows parents' details.
The Hague Apostille Convention has applied in Canada since January 11, 2024. A Hague destination now receives an apostille, which may need no further consulate step. Other countries receive a certificate of authentication, and their embassy or consulate may still have to legalize it. The guide to apostille vs authentication and legalization explains that extra step. Either way, ODS issues a separate certificate for each document. So three signed copies of a power of attorney come back with three certificates.
ODS now works inside the ServiceOntario College Park centre. And reviews on its Google listing describe visitors joining the same line as other ServiceOntario customers. It has no notary public on staff, so anything that needs notarizing must be notarized before you join that line. ODS keeps no copies of your documents or translations, and every original goes back to you. Before you book or mail anything, ask the recipient in writing which document version and which certificate it expects. That short message costs nothing and protects every fee that follows.
Which Documents Go to ODS and Which Go to Global Affairs Canada
ODS handles documents issued in Ontario and documents notarized by an Ontario notary. But Global Affairs Canada handles Government of Canada documents and those from provinces and territories without their own authority. So a Toronto resident with a Manitoba birth certificate sends it to Global Affairs Canada.
The notarization rule also reaches paperwork that did not start in Ontario. Under Global Affairs Canada's routing rules, a document notarized in Ontario goes to Ontario's authority "regardless of where it was issued." So a notarized copy of a federal record goes to ODS, not to Ottawa. But foreign records are the exception: ODS accepts them only where an Ontario notary witnessed someone's signature. For a document-by-document list, see which documents need an apostille. The sections below sort Ontario documents into direct and notarize-first groups, then cover the recipient who wants a different office.
Documents ODS Can Authenticate Without a Notary
Four groups of Ontario public records can go straight to ODS without a notary. Three of them have a start date, so the issue date printed on your copy decides whether it qualifies.
Vital statistics documents, including polymer birth certificates
Business registry documents issued from 1991 by the Business and Personal Property Branch or the Ontario Business Registry
Superior Court of Justice and Ontario Court of Justice documents issued from July 10, 2023
Ontario public postsecondary degrees, diplomas and transcripts issued from January 1, 2019
Some advice you will find online predates Ontario's current list. One older review on ODS's Google listing tells visitors to notarize a photocopy of a birth certificate. The good news is that an Ontario vital statistics document now goes to ODS without that step. And some agency pages say business registry records and public college transcripts need a notary first. Yet inside the dates above, Ontario lists both as direct.
Court documents carry one catch. Ontario says in-person requests for them can take up to 10 business days. So it suggests notarizing first when you are in a hurry. Records from private colleges sit in a separate category on the ODS portal, so check its result before assuming the direct route.
Documents That Need an Ontario Notary First
Anything outside that list needs an Ontario notary public's signature and seal before ODS will authenticate it. That covers Ontario court records issued before July 10, 2023. And it covers private papers such as powers of attorney, statutory declarations and company bylaws. But a Certificate of Divorce from before that date has a second route. Ontario lets you order a reissued certificate online or from the court where the original was filed. And the new copy goes to ODS directly. A foreign-issued record stays outside this route even after notarization, unless the notary witnessed a signature on it.
Not every sworn document counts. ODS cannot authenticate an affidavit sworn before a commissioner for taking affidavits. And that includes one commissioned at a ServiceOntario counter. Every lawyer and paralegal in Ontario is automatically a commissioner, but a notary is governed by a different law, the Notaries Act. So ask whether the person signing is acting as a notary public. If the difference is unclear, read commissioner of oaths vs notary public. Mirzoyan Immigration Services offers notary public services for documents that need this step.
Documents in a language other than English or French follow a stricter path. They must be issued in Canada, notarized in Ontario and paired with a translation. Ontario accepts a certified translation from a member of a recognized provincial translation association, or an Ontario notary's attestation of the translation. But the ODS portal currently names only the certified translator, so follow its result for your document.
When the Recipient Wants Global Affairs Canada Instead
Ontario's routing rule decides which Canadian office can act, but not what the foreign recipient will accept. And Global Affairs Canada says the need for authentication comes entirely from the laws and practices of the destination country. Some recipients may want the apostille on an original federal record, such as an RCMP criminal record check, not a notarized copy. So that original goes to Global Affairs Canada, which posts its own processing time and offers no in-person service. Before any notary signs a copy of a federal record, Mirzoyan Immigration Services checks which issuing office the recipient's written instructions name. The notary's fee is wasted if the recipient insists on the federal original.
Two shortcuts do not work. Sending an Ontario-notarized document to another province will not speed it up, because Global Affairs Canada directs it to Ontario's authority. And British Columbia and Quebec authenticate notarized documents only when the original was issued in their province. Older authentications have a limit too. A document with Global Affairs Canada's red authentication stamp needs a new request on a clean version for a Hague country.
ODS Fees, Payment and Processing Times
ODS charges $16 for each notarized document and $32 for each Ontario government, court or public postsecondary document. And fees apply per document, not per visit. A complete in-person request has a published standard wait of about 30 minutes. By mail, ODS issues the certificate within 15 business days of receiving your package.
| Document type | ODS fee per document | Notary needed first? |
|---|---|---|
| Notarized legal document | $16 | Yes, an Ontario notary signs and seals it first |
| Ontario government official document | $32 | No for vital statistics records, or business registry records issued from 1991 |
| Ontario court-issued document | $32 | No if issued from July 10, 2023; yes if older |
| Ontario public postsecondary degree, diploma or transcript | $32 | No if issued from January 1, 2019 |
Ontario also lists $32 for filing with a foreign consulate or embassy, and $16 for a notary's status of good standing. Fees are in Canadian dollars with no tax added. A diploma and its transcript count as two documents, so the pair costs $64. If the recipient needs the federal route instead, Global Affairs Canada charges no fee for its own authentication.
How you pay depends on how you submit. At a counter, ODS takes cash, Visa, Mastercard, debit, a certified cheque or a money order. But by mail, it takes a certified cheque, a money order, Visa or Mastercard. Card payment by mail runs through Ontario's paper service request form, so include the completed form even if you started online. Make cheques and money orders payable to "The Minister of Finance." And ODS will not authenticate a request that arrives without payment.
The 30-minute standard assumes a complete request, and Ontario warns that several items can mean a longer wait. But Mirzoyan Immigration Services tells clients to plan 1.5 to 2.5 hours for an in-person visit, well beyond the published standard. That gap hurts when a courier pickup or consulate appointment is booked for the same afternoon, so leave room for it. And court documents add a second delay. Say one visit mixes a marriage certificate with a recent Ontario court order. The certificate can come back that day, while the court order may be held for up to 10 business days. And for mailed requests, the clock starts on arrival, with return mail adding its own transit time.
Check Your Documents Before You Submit
Before you choose how to submit, check that the document and the recipient's instructions point to the same office. Mirzoyan Immigration Services reviews both as part of its apostille document support, before anything is notarized, booked or mailed. When the route is unclear, contact the firm about apostille help.
Booking, Walking In or Mailing Your Request
Submitting a request online does not put your documents in line. The ODS portal only gives you a service request number. ODS starts work once that number, your hard-copy documents and payment reach it together, at a counter or by mail.
If you prefer paper, Ontario's service request form does the same job as the online request. Either way, the real choice is how the documents travel: in person at a counter, or by mail to Toronto.
Do You Need an ODS Appointment?
No. Since November 1, 2023, Ontario has let you book an authentication appointment, but booking is optional. And walk-ins are still accepted at Bay and College, though ServiceOntario says high demand limits them. So an appointment gives you a set time instead.
Booking makes the most sense when your visit sits close to another deadline, such as a courier cut-off or a consulate appointment. And it helps when you bring several documents, because ServiceOntario's booking tool sizes the slot by how many you have. But an appointment changes when you are seen, not what ODS will accept. A commissioner's affidavit or a missing payment fails at a booked counter exactly as it fails at a walk-in. And a recent court document keeps its longer processing time, whichever way you arrive.
ODS Counters in Toronto and Across Ontario
ODS's own office is in Toronto, and four ServiceOntario centres elsewhere in Ontario also take authentication requests in person. All five open Monday to Friday and close on statutory holidays.
| Counter | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Official Documents Services, ServiceOntario Toronto College Park | 777 Bay Street, Lower Level, Toronto | 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| ServiceOntario Ottawa Courthouse | 161 Elgin Street, Fourth Floor, Ottawa | 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| ServiceOntario Sault Ste. Marie | 101-420 Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie | 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| ServiceOntario Windsor City Hall | 205-400 City Hall Square East, Windsor | 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| ServiceOntario Thunder Bay | 113-435 James Street South, Thunder Bay | 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
The Toronto counter is on the Lower Level of 777 Bay Street, a short walk from College subway station. Some online summaries still place Ottawa's counter at City Hall, but Ontario lists it at the Ottawa Courthouse on Elgin Street. No counter is listed for Mississauga, Brampton or elsewhere in Peel, so people there choose Toronto or the mail. A regional counter saves the drive to Toronto, yet mailed requests still go only to the Toronto office. To confirm hours before you travel, call ODS at 416-325-8416.
Mailing Your Documents to ODS
Only ODS Toronto processes mailed requests. Address the package to Official Documents Services, 777 Bay Street, Lower Level, Toronto, ON M7A 2J8. Inside, include your service request number or paper form, the hard-copy documents and payment.
Use the M7A 2J8 postal code from Ontario's mailing instructions. But maps and the ServiceOntario location page show M5G 2C8, the street address code Ontario does not use for mail. Sending originals by mail is a real worry, especially when they took weeks to gather. And ODS returns everything by regular mail unless you include a prepaid return envelope or a computer-generated return waybill. Without one, there is no tracking number for the trip home. Use a tracked service for the outbound package as well, so both legs can be followed.
Strategic Trade-off Matrix
All three ways of submitting lead to the same certificate at the same fee. But what changes is where the risk sits. It might be your time at the Toronto counter, your travel to a regional one, or your originals in the mail.
If your deadline is close and the documents are ready, the Toronto counter returns a complete, non-court request the same day. If you live near Ottawa, Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie or Thunder Bay, a local counter avoids both the drive and the mail. And mail suits a complete document that is not urgent, as long as you pay for tracking both ways. But none of the three channels changes what ODS will accept, so check the document before choosing.
| What to weigh | In person at 777 Bay Street | In person at a regional counter | By mail to ODS Toronto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic risk | A long wait in the shared ServiceOntario line, but any problem with a document shows up on the spot | Travel to Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor or Thunder Bay; call ODS first to confirm the counter can take your request | Originals travel both ways, and a problem may only surface when the package comes back |
| Recourse if ODS refuses | Ontario publishes no appeal; correct the document, for example by notarizing it again, and resubmit | The same: no appeal, so correct and resubmit | The same, but every new attempt adds two more mail trips |
| Costs and when you pay | $16 or $32 per document, paid at the counter by cash, card, debit, certified cheque or money order | The same fees and payment options, plus your travel | The same fees by certified cheque, money order or card on the paper form, plus postage both ways and a prepaid return |
| Time until documents return | About 30 minutes once seen for a complete request; plan 1.5 to 2.5 hours in total. Court documents may need up to 10 business days | Ontario's 30-minute standard and court-document timing apply to in-person requests | Up to 15 business days after ODS receives the package, plus mail time both ways |
Red Flags & Why ODS Rejects Documents
Three refusal reasons on Ontario's list are easy to miss, because each document still looks properly signed and stamped. And each one sends you back to a notary or to another country's authority. Package problems, such as a missing payment or an incomplete form, are covered in the checklist below.
An affidavit sworn before a commissioner. An affidavit sworn at a ServiceOntario counter or a law office may have been taken by a commissioner, not a notary. It carries a stamp and an oath, so it looks finished. But Ontario lists documents commissioned by a commissioner as ineligible, whoever the commissioner is. Check the title printed or stamped under the signature before you leave: it should identify the signer as a notary public. If it does not, the document has to be sworn again before an Ontario notary.
A signature and seal ODS cannot match. ODS compares the notary's signature and seal with the version on its records. Every part of both must appear on the same page, and the name and seal must be identical to those on file. A notarial certificate stapled on as a loose back page fails that test. So does a seal that runs over the edge of a page. And a stamp showing a different name from the one ODS holds for that notary fails too. When that happens, the document has to be notarized or issued again, which means a second trip to the notary.
A notarized copy of a foreign document. A notary can certify that a copy of your foreign passport or foreign birth certificate matches the original. But ODS will still refuse it, because Ontario directs foreign identification and other foreign-issued records to the country that issued them. The only exception covers a signature that someone swore or signed in front of an Ontario notary. A certified copy is not that, and the ODS eligibility checker returns "not eligible" for a foreign document without a witnessed signature. Even when the exception applies, the apostille confirms the notary's act, not the passport or certificate behind it.
Before booking a notarization, Mirzoyan Immigration Services checks where each passport or birth certificate was issued. If the recipient needs the record itself authenticated, start with the issuing country's authority or its consulate in Canada.
Check Your ODS Package Before You Submit
Before you hand anything over, confirm three things. The document belongs at ODS, it is signed and sealed correctly, and the package is complete. The list below turns Ontario's published conditions into checks you can tick off at home.
The recipient's instructions are in writing and name the office and certificate it expects.
The document was issued or notarized in Ontario, and any foreign record is going to its own country instead.
You have the original paper document, not an electronic copy.
The notary's signature and seal sit together on one page, and the title under them says notary public, not commissioner.
A document in another language has its translation attached, in the form the ODS portal accepts for it.
The service request number or the completed paper form is in the package.
Payment matches the channel, and cheques or money orders are payable to "The Minister of Finance."
Documents thicker than about 7 mm have two holes punched in the upper-left corner, where the certificate is attached.
A mailed package holds its prepaid return envelope or waybill, so the documents come back tracked.
Before you leave the counter, each certificate is attached to the right document.
After the visit, each apostille shows up in Ontario's online validity check.
The last two checks protect you after ODS has done its part. One review on ODS's Google listing describes apostilles attached to the wrong documents. So match each certificate to its page before you walk away. And Ontario's validity check then confirms an Ontario apostille from its number and issue date. It covers apostilles issued after January 11, 2024, while older certificates of authentication need a call to ODS.
When Help With an ODS Submission Is Worth It
Some ODS requests need no outside help. Take an Ontario birth certificate going to a Hague country, carried in by someone who lives near a counter. Ontario's own instructions usually cover that case. But help is worth paying for when the route is unclear. And it pays when a mistake would cost a second notarization or a second trip. A few situations make that more likely.
The country receiving your document may ask for a different office than Ontario's rules suggest. One example is a Global Affairs Canada apostille on an RCMP criminal record check. A power of attorney or another private document may need a notary before ODS will accept it. A document in another language needs the right kind of translation attached. And if the destination is not a Hague country, its embassy or consulate may have to legalize the document after ODS.
A licensed RCIC at Mirzoyan Immigration Services starts with the recipient's instructions and the issuing office, then confirms the route. The firm completes the notarization when one is required and builds the request so the package meets Ontario's conditions. It then manages the submission, tracks it where the authority allows, and returns the documents to you. But it does not issue apostilles; only ODS or another competent authority can do that. The firm is based in Toronto and works in English, Russian or Armenian, whether you meet in person, online or by phone.
Help has limits worth stating plainly. It cannot make ODS process a request faster, make a foreign record eligible, or make a recipient accept a document. But what it can do is catch a wrong route or a defective page before it costs you a second appointment. Toronto readers can compare apostille Toronto service details or apostille North York options. The fee page explains how Mirzoyan Immigration Services prices this work. To hire apostille document support, contact the firm and include the recipient's instructions.
Discuss Your ODS Submission
Contact Mirzoyan Immigration Services for help preparing your ODS submission. Include the document type, destination country and any deadline in your message.
Key Takeaways
An ODS certificate proves who signed and sealed an Ontario document, not that its contents are true or acceptable abroad.
Ontario-issued and Ontario-notarized documents belong at ODS. Original federal records go to Global Affairs Canada, and some recipients insist on that route.
Several Ontario public records go straight to ODS by issue date, while private papers need an Ontario notary first. ODS refuses commissioner-sworn affidavits and notarized copies of foreign passports or birth certificates.
Each document costs $16 or $32. Allow 1.5 to 2.5 hours at the Toronto counter; by mail, use M7A 2J8 and include a prepaid return.
Mirzoyan Immigration Services checks the recipient's instructions and the issuing office, completes notarization when required, and manages submission and return. It never issues the apostille itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ODS in Ontario?
ODS stands for Official Documents Services, the provincial office that authenticates Ontario documents for use in other countries. It confirms that a signature and seal match its records, but it does not check what the document says. Its main counter is in Toronto at 777 Bay Street, Lower Level, inside ServiceOntario College Park. Ottawa, Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay also have ServiceOntario counters that take requests. ODS is a separate program from ODSP, Ontario's disability support.
Can I get an apostille from ODS Ontario?
ODS can apostille your document if it was issued in Ontario or notarized by an Ontario notary. ODS issues an apostille for Hague Convention countries and a certificate of authentication for all others. Vital statistics records, and court, registry and public postsecondary records past certain issue dates, need no notary first. A foreign-issued record qualifies only when an Ontario notary witnessed a signature on it, and the apostille then covers the notary's act.
Does Service Ontario do apostille?
ServiceOntario handles apostilles through Official Documents Services at five of its counters. The counters are ServiceOntario College Park in Toronto and the Ottawa Courthouse at 161 Elgin Street. Windsor City Hall, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay complete the list. Some summaries still give Ottawa City Hall, but Ontario lists the courthouse. Mailed requests go only to the Toronto office, and Ontario names no other ServiceOntario centre for this service.
How can I schedule an appointment for apostille?
In Ontario, book through ServiceOntario's online appointment system, which asks for an email address and a phone number. Choose the apostille and authentication service, then the option for 1 to 5 or 6 to 10 documents. If you cannot book online, call 416-326-1234 or 1-800-267-8097 for help. An appointment is optional and gives you a set time, but it does not change which documents ODS accepts.
Can I get a document notarized at Service Ontario?
ServiceOntario does not provide the notarization ODS needs. Some ServiceOntario centres act as commissioners of oaths for limited needs, such as vehicle transfers and Ontario government affidavits. ODS refuses documents commissioned by a commissioner, and it has no notary of its own. Have the document notarized by an Ontario notary public, such as a notary public Toronto service, before you visit ODS.
Conclusion
The problems in this guide start before the counter: the wrong document, the wrong office or the wrong kind of signature. So your next step is to get the recipient's instructions in writing and check who issued or notarized your document. Do that before paying a notary, booking a slot or mailing anything.
And timing matters if you face a deadline abroad. A recent Ontario court document can take up to 10 business days in person. And a mailed request takes up to 15 business days after arrival, plus mail time each way. If the route is unclear, Mirzoyan Immigration Services can review the documents and instructions. It can then quote a fee for its apostille document support. Which office does your recipient expect to see on the certificate?
This page is general information only. It is not legal, immigration, notarial, or consular advice. Fees, locations and rules can change, so check current details with Official Documents Services and the recipient before you submit.