Commissioner of Oaths
The Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act empowers municipal clerks and other officials to take various types of declarations and to administer oaths.
A commissioner for taking affidavits (also known as commissioner of oaths) is not the same as a notary public. A commissioner has authority only to administer oaths and take affidavits. A Commissioner is not responsible for the content of the affidavit.
Some legal documents, such as affidavits or statutory declarations, require you to make a legal oath that what you are saying is true. Northumberland County has staff who are Commissioners of Oaths.
This service is available during business hours at the office of the Clerk.
Service requirements
- Please call ahead and make an appointment to ensure the availability of a signing officer.
- You will need to bring valid, government-issued photo identification with you, such as a valid driver's licence.
- All parties required to sign the document must attend.
- Please do not sign your completed document in advance – you must sign your documents in the presence of the Commissioner of Oaths.
- If you sign a legal document that requires your oath, the content of that document is your sole responsibility. When you make an oath, you are known as the "deponent" — the person whose signature is being commissioned to ensure the content of the affidavit.
Service restrictions
Northumberland County Commissioners of Oaths are not authorized to notarize documents. If your document requires the signature of a Notary Public, please contact a professional lawyer or a justice of the peace.
Please note that the Commissioner of Oaths reserves the right to refuse commissioning services of any document.
For more information, please email the County Clerk for a copy of the County's Commissioner of Oaths and for Taking Affidavits Policy.