Diplomas and degree certificates get lost during moves, damaged by water, or simply misplaced over the years. Most colleges and universities will issue a replacement, but many ask you to send back the original first. When you can’t, some institutions ask for a statutory declaration instead: a written statement, solemnly declared as true, that explains what happened to the original.
The University of Waterloo, for example, asks graduates to complete a statutory declaration when the original degree, diploma or certificate cannot be returned with a replacement request, and to sign it before a commissioner for taking affidavits. Requirements differ from school to school, and some institutions handle replacements entirely through an online order, so always check your own school’s instructions first.
At Crown Seal Notary, we commission statutory declarations for Hamilton-area graduates, whether you studied locally, elsewhere in Canada, or abroad.
Please note: Crown Seal Notary is an independent notary public and commissioner of oaths. We do not issue diplomas, verify graduation or contact your school; your institution decides whether to issue a replacement.
WHAT A REPLACEMENT DECLARATION USUALLY STATES
- Your identity: your current legal name, plus any former name that appears on your school records.
- The credential: the degree, diploma or certificate you received and, often, your graduation year.
- What happened: that the original was lost, damaged or destroyed and cannot be returned.
- Your undertaking: commonly, that you will return or destroy the original if you find it, because you should not hold two copies of the same credential.
THE 3-STEP PROCESS
Get your school’s form: Use the declaration form your institution provides. If it asks you to prepare your own, follow its instructions on what to include.
Declare it in person: Bring the completed but unsigned form and your photo ID. You sign in front of us, and we commission the declaration with our signature and seal.
Send it to your school: Submit the commissioned declaration with your replacement request and any fee, following your institution’s instructions.
CHECKLIST BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
- The unsigned declaration: Printed and filled in, but not signed or dated.
- Valid photo ID: An unexpired passport, driver’s licence or other government-issued photo ID.
- Name-change documents: If your diploma shows a former name, bring your marriage certificate or change-of-name certificate.
- Damaged originals: If your diploma was damaged rather than lost, check whether your school wants the damaged copy returned instead of a declaration.
- Student details: Your student number and graduation year, if the form asks for them.
NEED A STATUTORY DECLARATION COMMISSIONED IN HAMILTON?
Get your replacement request moving. Crown Seal Notary offers in-office appointments 7 days a week at 21 King St West (5th Floor), and mobile visits across the Greater Hamilton Area. Online commissioning is also available for declarations when your institution accepts it.
Click Here to Schedule Your Appointment Online
Pre-Appointment Reminder: Do not sign the declaration before your appointment, and describe what happened to your original accurately. A statutory declaration has the same legal weight as a statement made under oath.
ADDITIONAL INQUIRIES & QUESTIONS
Have questions about a replacement diploma declaration, a name that changed after graduation, or a certificate from a school outside Ontario? Send us a message below and our team will get back to you promptly.
