Get Your Ontario Company Key Online

The Ontario Company Key is a 9-digit code issued by the Province of Ontario that gives a business owner or authorized representative secure access to the Ontario Business Registry (OBR). Effective February 1, 2025, a Company Key is mandatory for ALL Ontario corporate filings — including Annual Returns, Initial Notices, Articles of Amendment, Notices of Change (registered office or directors), Articles of Dissolution, and Continuances. Without a Company Key, you cannot complete any of these filings.

The Ontario Business Registry launched on October 19, 2021. Corporations and businesses registered AFTER that date received a Company Key automatically with their incorporation or registration. Corporations registered BEFORE October 19, 2021 were not issued a Company Key — they must request one separately. If you incorporated post-October 2021 but cannot find your Company Key, you can request a replacement.

If your business has an Official Email address on file with the Province, your Company Key is typically delivered by email the same business day your request is submitted. If no Official Email is on file, the Province mails the Company Key to your registered head office address — typically 2-4 weeks for mail delivery. We recommend confirming or adding an Official Email to avoid mail delays

A Company Key request must be made by an owner, director, officer, or authorized representative of the business. The request requires the business legal name, head office address, official email, and the name of the authorized requester. Many businesses use a Registry Consultant like Ontario Business Central to handle the request, especially when the business address or director information needs verification or updating.

The Province issues Company Keys based on the address on file. If your registered address has changed, the Company Key may be mailed to the wrong location. We can include an Address Update (Form 3 for corporations, or a registered business update for Sole Proprietorships, Trade Names, and General Partnerships) as an add-on with your Company Key request — keeping everything coordinated in one transaction.

No. The Province of Ontario sends the Company Key directly to your business's official email or registered address. Ontario Business Central submits the request as a Registry Consultant, but never sees, stores, or has access to your Company Key once it is issued. This protects the security of your filing access.

Effective February 1, 2025, the following Ontario corporate filings require a Company Key: Annual Returns, Initial Notice / Initial Return, Articles of Amendment, Notice of Change for registered office (Form 3), Notice of Change for directors (Form 6), Articles of Dissolution, Articles of Revival, Articles of Continuance, and most other OBR filings. The Company Key is your secure authentication for the OBR online portal.

If your Company Key is lost or misplaced, you can request a replacement through the same process. Replacement keys are issued and delivered the same way — by email if an Official Email is on file, or by mail to your registered address. We recommend storing your Company Key securely, since it provides full filing access to your business records.

No. The Ontario Company Key is specific to the Ontario Business Registry and Ontario corporate filings only. Federal corporations under the CBCA file with Corporations Canada using a different authentication system. If you have a federal corporation, you don't need an Ontario Company Key unless you also have an extra-provincial registration in Ontario.

Yes, you can submit a Company Key request directly to the Province at no cost — but you'll need an existing OBR online account to do so. Many pre-2021 businesses don't have OBR online access, which is why a Registry Consultant like OBC is often the easier path. We handle the verification, address review, and submission, and the Province sends your key directly to you. Our $109 fee covers the verification work and submission.