- Corporate Filings — File Within 15 Days of Any Change
Notice of Change &
Corporate Filings
Any change to your corporation’s directors, shareholders, officers, or registered address must be reported to the government registry within 15 days. AMQ Legals files your Notice of Change and all other corporate updates — fast, accurately, and on time.
⏱️ 15-Day Filing Deadline
⚡ Same-Day Processing
🇨🇦 All Provinces & Territories
✅ Expert Legal Review
Quick Filing Access
15-Day Deadline
All director, officer, shareholder, and address changes must be reported within 15 days.
Notice of Change
Four Types of Notice of Change Filings
Any change to your corporation’s core personnel or registered address must be reported to the government registry within 15 days. Each type of change requires a separate Notice of Change filing.
Director Change
A Notice of Change must be filed whenever a director is added, removed, or updates their personal information. Directors are legally responsible for the corporation’s compliance — the registry must always reflect who currently holds this role.
- Adding a new director to the corporation
- Removing a resigning or departing director
- A director changes their home or mailing address
- A director legally changes their name
- Correcting an error in a director's registered details
Shareholder Change
Shareholders own the corporation through shares. Changes to share ownership — transfers, new issuances, or redemptions — must be reflected in the corporate records and reported to the registry to maintain accurate and legally compliant ownership documentation.
– What Triggers This Filing
- Transferring shares to a new or existing shareholder
- Issuing new shares to additional shareholders
- Buying back or redeeming shares from a shareholder
- Adding a co-founder or investor as a shareholder
- Updating a shareholder's address or name
Officer Change
Officers manage the day-to-day operations of the corporation — typically the President, Secretary, Chief Financial Officer, and Vice-Presidents. Any change to who holds these roles must be reported. Officers are appointed by the board of directors.
– What Triggers This Filing
- Appointing a new President, Secretary, or CFO
- Removing a resigning or dismissed officer
- Changing an officer's title or role
- An officer changes their address or legal name
- Restructuring officer roles after a leadership change
Corporate Address Change
Your corporation’s registered office address is the official address used for government correspondence, legal service, and public registry records. It must always be current — an outdated address can result in missed legal notices and compliance failures.
– What Triggers This Filing
- Your business moves to a new physical location
- You change your registered office address provider
- You're updating from a personal to a commercial address
- Your current registered address is no longer valid
- Correcting an address error in the registry
Who Needs These Reports
Beyond Notice of Change, AMQ Legals handles every type of corporate filing — from annual returns and initial filings to name changes, amendments, and CRA registrations.
📊
File Annual Return
Keep your corporation in good standing by filing the mandatory Annual Return with the Ontario or federal registry every year.
File Now
📋
File Initial Return
Ontario corporations must file an Initial Return within 60 days of incorporation. AMQ Legals handles this mandatory filing for you.
File Now
✏️
Corporation Name Change
Formally change your corporation’s legal name through an Articles of Amendment filing with the government registry.
File Now
📑
Articles of Amendment
Amend your Articles of Incorporation — share structure, restrictions, name, or other provisions — through an official amendment filing.
File Now
🔁
Revive a Corporation
Restore a dissolved or struck-off corporation back to active status by filing a revival application and all outstanding returns.
File Now
🔀
Continuance of a Corporation
Move your corporation to a new jurisdiction without dissolving it — preserving your corporate history, name, and registration.
File Now
🗑️
Dissolve Your Business
Formally dissolve your corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, or trade name to end ongoing compliance obligations.
File Now
💼
CRA Accounts Setup
Register your corporation for a CRA Business Number, HST/GST account, payroll deductions account, and corporate income tax.
Register Now
🛡️
WSIB / WCB Account
Register for a WSIB (Ontario) or WCB account — required for most businesses with employees to provide workplace safety coverage.
Understanding the Law
What Is a Notice of Change?
A Legal Obligation — Not Optional
Under the Ontario Business Corporations Act and equivalent legislation in other provinces, every incorporated corporation is legally required to report certain changes to the government registry within 15 days of those changes occurring. This reporting mechanism is called a Notice of Change.
The mandatory reporting requirement covers four key areas: director changes, shareholder changes, officer changes, and registered address changes. These are the people and location through which government correspondence, legal documents, and official notices reach your corporation.
Failing to file a Notice of Change on time can result in penalties, a corporation being flagged as non-compliant, and — in serious cases — the corporation being struck off the registry. It also creates personal liability exposure for directors who allowed the non-compliance to persist.
Who Is Required to File?
All provincially and federally incorporated corporations in Canada are subject to Notice of Change requirements. The specific legislation varies by jurisdiction (e.g., Ontario’s BCA, the CBCA for federal corporations, BC’s BCA) but the core obligation is consistent: keep your registry records accurate and current at all times.
Consequences of Not Filing
What happens when you miss your Notice of Change deadline
💸
Government Penalties & Fines
Missing the 15-day deadline can trigger government fines. Penalties vary by province but can escalate the longer the change remains unreported.
⚠️
Non-Compliance Flag on Your Corporation
An outdated registry record flags your corporation as non-compliant — which can delay banking, contract signings, and government applications that require a clean compliance record.
📧
Missed Legal Notices
Government and court documents are served to your registered address. If it’s outdated, critical legal notices may go undelivered — leading to default judgments or missed deadlines.
🏛️
Corporation Struck Off the Registry
Persistent non-compliance can result in your corporation being dissolved or struck off by the government — requiring a costly revival process to restore.
👤
Personal Liability for Directors
Directors who allow compliance failures to persist may face personal liability. Keeping the registry current is part of a director’s fiduciary duty.
Stay Compliant
Know Your Corporate Filing Deadlines
Different corporate filings have different deadlines. Missing them results in penalties and compliance risks. AMQ Legals tracks your deadlines and files everything on time.
Why Deadlines Matter
Missing a corporate filing deadline is not just a technicality — it can result in real financial penalties, loss of good standing, and in serious cases, the dissolution of your corporation. AMQ Legals processes most filings the same business day you place your order.
Why AMQ Legals
Your Trusted Corporate Filing Partner
Never miss a deadline.
Always in good standing.
Same Day
Most Filings
15 Day
NOC Deadline
100%
Compliance Rate
All
Jurisdictions
⚡
Fast Same-Day Processing
Most business updates, notice of change filings, and annual returns are processed and submitted the same business day you provide your information. No unnecessary delays.
🔍
Expert Review on Every Filing
Every filing is reviewed by our legal and paralegal team before submission to ensure it’s accurate, complete, and fully compliant — preventing rejected filings and wasted time.
📅
Deadline Tracking & Reminders
We track your filing obligations and send reminders before key deadlines — annual returns, MBL renewals, and more — so your business never falls out of good standing due to a missed date.
🇨🇦
All Provinces & Territories
Whether your corporation is registered in Ontario, BC, Alberta, federally, or any other Canadian jurisdiction — AMQ Legals provides filing and compliance services across all 14 provinces and territories.
Simple Process
No legal jargon, no unnecessary delays. Our streamlined process handles everything from name search to filing.
Choose the type of change you need to report — director, shareholder, officer, or address. If multiple changes occurred simultaneously, contact our team for a combined filing.
Complete our simple online form with the old and new information. Our paralegal team reviews the details, confirms accuracy, and prepares the Notice of Change for submission.
We submit your Notice of Change directly to the government registry and email you the confirmed filing receipt and updated corporate records — typically within hours of your order.
Common Questions
What is a Notice of Change and when must it be filed?
A Notice of Change is a mandatory government filing that reports changes to a corporation’s directors, shareholders, officers, or registered address. Under the Ontario Business Corporations Act and equivalent legislation, all such changes must be reported within 15 days of occurring. Failure to file on time can result in penalties and non-compliance flags against your corporation.
What is the difference between a director and an officer?
Directors are responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the corporation — they are elected by shareholders and held legally accountable for corporate decisions. Officers (President, Secretary, CFO) manage the corporation’s day-to-day operations and are appointed by the board of directors. In small corporations, the same person often holds both director and officer roles — but they are legally distinct positions requiring separate registry filings when changed.
Can I file multiple changes at the same time?
Yes. If several changes occur at the same time — for example, a new director is appointed while another resigns and the registered address changes simultaneously — these can often be filed together in a combined Notice of Change. Contact AMQ Legals and we’ll advise on the most efficient way to report multiple simultaneous changes in a single filing.
What happens if I miss the 15-day filing deadline?
Missing the 15-day deadline can result in government penalties, your corporation being flagged as non-compliant in the registry, and potential personal liability for directors. While it’s always better to file on time, a late Notice of Change can still be filed — AMQ Legals can submit it immediately and help you address any outstanding compliance issues.
Do shareholder changes need to be reported to the government?
Yes. Significant changes to share ownership — including transfers, new issuances, and redemptions — must be reported to the government registry. This is particularly important when the shareholder structure affects who controls the corporation. AMQ Legals prepares the Notice of Change and ensures the updated shareholder information is accurately recorded in both your corporate minute book and the public registry.
Is a Notice of Change the same as an Annual Return?
No — these are two separate, distinct filings. A Notice of Change is filed whenever specific corporate information changes (within 15 days). An Annual Return is filed once per year to confirm that your corporation is still active and to update any changes that may have occurred during the year. Both filings are mandatory, and both are handled by AMQ Legals.
Something Changed in Your Corporation?
Don’t wait — the 15-day deadline counts from the date of the change. AMQ Legals files your Notice of Change the same business day you order.