Oshawa, Ont.-based legaltech software startup NotaryPro has partnered with Staples Canada to bring its notarization services to the office supply retail company’s website and stores.
The partnership will allow Canadian individuals and businesses to complete online notarization using NotaryPro’s software. On Nov. 18, Staples stores across Canada began introducing online terminals where customers can connect with a notary on demand. Users can also get documents notarized directly from the Staples Canada website.
NotaryPro’s partnership with Staples Canada follows the legaltech startup’s expansion to Québec.
“By partnering with NotaryPro, we’re making notarization services faster, more accessible, and convenient,” Ryan Mair, chief services officer at Staples Canada, said in a statement. “This collaboration allows Canadians to handle their important legal and business documents with ease, saving them valuable time and providing the trusted service they deserve.”
Notarization refers to the process of verifying the authenticity of a document, such as a legal name change application, statutory declaration, insurance claim, or residency document. This process, which requires a notary public—an individual who can act as an official witness—and is typically conducted at a notary office, is aimed at preventing fraud and ensuring a document’s validity for legal purposes.
Founded in 2016 by CEO and general counsel Robert Onley, NotaryPro offers online and in-person notary public and commissioner of oath services. The startup operates a network of notaries, and has partnerships with companies like Willful, LegalWills, and Epilogue that help customers create and notarize wills.
The startup’s software is aimed at making the notarization process more accessible and convenient by allowing customers to notarize documents from home, avoiding travel and wait times.
NotaryPro’s software offering includes a legal document creator, live document drafting, and “virtual wet ink” will and power of attorney signings. Using NotaryPro’s online service, individuals and businesses can upload a document to the platform by either uploading, or scanning and digitizing documents with a QR code.
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They can then join a virtual appointment with a notary, sign the document in front of a notary using a digital e-signature, and receive the notarized document immediately after the appointment. The startup claims the entire process can take roughly seven minutes.
NotaryPro’s online notarization services cost users $38.95, while in-person notary services cost $40.95, and online will and power of attorney notarization cost $174.95. The startup claims it has served over 350,000 customers across Canada to date, which includes over 1,000 corporate clients.
NotaryPro’s recent partnership follows the startup’s expansion into Québec. According to the service area page on NotaryPro’s website, its service is also available in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
As part of the Québec expansion, NotaryPro also launched its in-person notary services at multiple locations across the province through a partnership with notary firm Réseau Notaires. In a statement issued earlier this month on the launch, NotaryPro’s chief revenue officer Charles Segal noted that the firm has intentions to expand its service beyond Canada.
“Our partnership with Réseau is the next step in our mission to make these services simpler, faster, and more accessible across Canada—and soon, globally,” Segal said.
Feature image courtesy Unsplash. Photo by Sollange Brenis.
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