Change of Business Information: Frequently Asked Questions
Go to the main page to Change Your Business information
- What is the Change / Close service?
- Will I have to pay to use the Change / Close service?
- What business information do I have to complete?
- What CAN'T I do using the Change / Close service?
- How can I change my business ownership or ownership type?
- How can I change my Business/Trade/Operating Name?
- If I cannot use the Change / Close service, how may I contact the appropriate government office to make my changes?
- When I update my business information using the Change / Close service, will I be notified of the change?
Answers
1. What is the Change / Close service?
The Change / Close service is a free online service allowing users to change existing business information or to close an existing account with the following government programs:
With the Ministry of Government Services, for the Business Name Registration program, you can:
- Change Principal Place of Business Address
- Change Business Mailing Address
- Change the Business Activity
- Change Owner Address
- Change Partner Names and Addresses as long as one of the original partner’s names remains the same
- Cancel your Business Name Registration
With the Ministry of Revenue, for Retail Sales Tax, Employer Health Tax, and Corporations Tax Account programs, you can:
- Change Principal Place of Business Address
- Change Business Mailing Address
- Change Business Telephone and Fax Numbers
- Close your Retail Sales Tax or Employee Health Tax Account
With the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, for the Employer Account program, you can:
- Change Account General Mailing, Payroll Records and Organization Addresses
- Change Legal and Trade Names
- Change Business Telephone and Fax Numbers
With the Canada Revenue Agency, for the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST), Payroll Deductions, Import/Export and Corporate Income Tax programs, you can:
- Change Principal Place of Business Address
- Change Business Mailing Address
- Change Program Account Contact Information
- Close your GST/HST, Payroll Deductions or Corporate Income Tax account
2. Will I have to pay to use the Change / Close service?
No. There is no charge for this service.
3. What business information do I have to complete?
For the Ministry of Government Services you must complete all items pertaining to the business name registration when amending or cancelling a registration. Any changes to your business name registration information should be done as an amendment before cancelling.
For the Ontario Ministry of Revenue (MOR) you must enter owner information and the information you wish to change. If you are closing your account you must also provide a date and reason for closing. You can find a completed list of information required for changes to Retail Sales Tax, Corporations Tax, or Employer Health Tax accounts.
For the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board you must enter only your employer account number and the current legal name of your business, and the information you wish to change.
For the Canada Revenue Agency you must enter owner information and the information you wish to change. If you are closing your account you must also provide a date and reason for closing. You can find a completed list of information required for changes to Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST), Payroll Deductions, Import/Export or Corporate Income Tax accounts.
4. What CAN’T I do using the Change / Close service?
You cannot:
- Change the ownership or ownership type
- Change Business/Trade/Operating Name
- Change Ontario Corporation information such as directors, officers, head office address, or dissolve, amalgamate or Change a corporation incorporated with the Ministry of Government Services
- Use the Change / Close service if your partnership includes Trusts, Syndicates, etc.
- Close Ontario Ministry of Revenue (MOR) Corporations Tax Account
- Close WSIB Employer Account
- Close Canada Revenue Agency Import/Export Account
5. How can I change my business ownership or ownership type?
If the ownership or ownership type changes you must close/cancel your existing account(s) and re–register.
A change of ownership or ownership type includes:
- From a sole proprietor to a different sole proprietor
- From a sole proprietor to a partnership
- From a sole proprietor to a corporation
- From a partnership to a different partnership (See Note A)
- From a partnership to a sole proprietor
- From a partnership to a corporation
- From a corporation to a different corporation
- From a corporation to a sole proprietor
- From a corporation to a partnership
Note A: The Ministry of Government Services and the Canada Revenue Agency may allow you to change partners as long as one of the original partners remains.
6. How can I change my Business/Trade/Operating Name?
You can only change your Business/Trade/Operating Name with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). The Change / Close service cannot be used to change your Business/Trade/Operating Name with any of our other partners.
For the Ministry of Government Services a change of Business/Trade/Operating Name requires a new registration. You must cancel your existing business name registration, re-register the new business name and pay the applicable registration fee.
For the Ontario Ministry of Revenue (MOR) consult the Ministry's website for more information.
For the WSIB you can change both your legal and trade names.
Contact the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) directly if you wish to update the Business/Trade/Operating Name on your Business Number (BN) or any program accounts. Please see the appropriate section for information on how to contact the CRA.
7. If I cannot use the Change / Close service, how may I contact the appropriate government office to make my changes?
- Ministry of Government Services
- By Mail: 393 University Avenue, Suite 200, Toronto, ON, M5G 2M2
- In Person: 375 University Avenue, 2nd Floor, Toronto ON
- Hours of Service: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST Monday to Friday – closed on statutory holidays
- Electronic Channel Services Helpline:
- Toronto Area: (416) 314-9151
- Toll Free: 1-800-565-1921
- TTY Services: (416) 326-8566
- Website: Companies and Personal Property Security
- Ontario Ministry of Revenue (MOR)
- Head Office: 33 King Street West, Oshawa ON, L1H 8H5
- Hours of Service: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST Monday to Friday – closed on statutory holidays
- Toll Free: 1-866-668-8297
- TTY Services: 1-800-263-7776
- TAX FAX: 1-877-4-TAX-FAX or 1-877-482-9329
- Website:Ministry of Revenue
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
- Head Office: 200 Front Street West, Toronto ON, M5V 3J1
- WSIB core business hours of Service: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm EST Monday to Friday – closed on civic and statutory holidays
- Toronto Area: (416) 344-1000
- Toll free: 1-800-387-0750
- TTY Services: 1-800-387-0050
- Fax: 416-344-4684 or 1-888-313-7373
- Website: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
- Address: To find your nearest Tax Services Office, call or visit our website.
- Hours of Service: 8:15 am to 4:15 pm (local time) Monday to Friday (except holidays)
- Service in English: 1-800-959-5525
- Service in French: 1-800-959-7775
- TTY Services: 1-800-665-0354
- Website: Canada Revenue Agency
The Ministry of Government Services will notify you within three weeks by mail
- If you Change your business name information, you will receive an updated Master Business Licence and a validated copy of the amendment form
- If you cancel your business name registration, you will receive a validated copy of your cancellation document
- If there is a deficiency in your registration, a copy of the amendment/cancellation will be returned for correction
The Ontario Ministry of Revenue (MOR), Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), and/or Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) may contact you to verify the information, and confirm the authorization of the requestor.
