General
What are LawDepot Corporate Services?

LawDepot Corporate Services allow you to complete ordinary corporate maintenance tasks. Select the service or product you need, fill out the short online form, and LawDepot will take care of the rest. Our agents will enter and provide the necessary information to the relevant government body within 1-4 business days. We will provide proof that the relevant registries have been updated.

What will I get back from LawDepot.com?

After our agents have entered and updated your corporation's information (as provided by you in your answers) at the relevant registries, LawDepot.com will provide evidence of the registration and updating of that information.

Do I need to have incorporated through LawDepot to use LawDepot Corporate Services?

Anyone can take advantage of LawDepot Corporate Services, regardless of whether they incorporated through LawDepot or not.

What are the services offered?

Currently, LawDepot offers the following Corporate Services.

  • Change of corporate name
  • Change of corporate address
  • Change of directors
  • Change of the minimum or maximum number of directors (some jurisdictions)
  • Change of address of a director or directors
  • Annual Return
  • Initial Return (Ontario only)
  • Change of province for registered office (Federal corporations only)

LawDepot can also help companies incorporate in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Canada (Federal Incorporation).

What is my corporate number and where can I find it?

Your corporate number is the number that identifies your corporation as unique from all other corporations. It was issued to your corporation upon incorporation. It is referred to by various names, including “corporate number”, “corporation number” and “corporate access number”. You can find your corporate number on your Certificate of Incorporation.

What is an Access Code and where can I find it?

In British Columbia, you must provide an access code. Your access code can be found in Box C of the mailed annual report reminder or as provided in the emailed annual report reminder.

Who can order LawDepot Corporate Services

Any corporation that incorporated in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan or federally in Canada can take advantage of LawDepot Corporate Services. To order a Corporate Service for a corporation, you must have the power to act on behalf of the corporation.

Change of Corporate Address
What are the restrictions for changing a corporate address?

If you incorporated provincially and are changing the Registered Office Address of your corporation, the new address must be in the same province. For example, if you incorporated in Alberta, your new Registered Office Address must be in Alberta.

When do I need to notify the government of a change of address?

In most jurisdictions, you must notify the government within 15 days of the change.

Change of Directors
What are the restrictions for changing the directors of the corporation?

When changing the directors of the corporation, you can add, remove, and replace directors, but your total number of directors must fall within the limits stated in your Articles of Incorporation. For example, if your Articles of Incorporation state that the corporation will have between 3 and 5 directors, and you make changes that result in fewer than 3 or greater than 5 directors, additional forms will need to be filed. In some jurisdictions, LawDepot offers a service that allows you to change the minimum and maximum or total number of directors allowed.

When do I need to notify the government of a change of directors?

In most jurisdictions, you must notify the government within 15 days of the change.

Annual Return
What is an annual return?

An annual return (sometimes called an annual report) is an update on the status of a corporation that must be filed yearly in the jurisdiction of incorporation.

When should I file the annual return?

The annual return should be filed within 60 days of the anniversary date of the corporation. This is required in Ontario and federally, and is good practice in Alberta and British Columbia as well.

Do I need to provide a physical annual return to you?

You do not have to provide us with any paperwork or documents to "file" your annual return. Just complete the answers on our questions page and we update the information electronically.

Initial Return (Ontario)
What is an initial return?

An initial return is a report on the status of a corporation that is filed shortly after incorporation. It is mandatory in Ontario.

When must an initial return be filed?

An initial return must be filed within 60 days of incorporation.

Definitions
What is a Director?

A director is a person who is elected by either the incorporators or the shareholders of a corporation to conduct the affairs of the company.

What is an Officer?

An Officer is someone who ordinarily performs some of the management functions of the corporation. An Officer does not need to be a Shareholder or Director, and is appointed and reports to the Directors of a corporation.

What is a Shareholder?

A shareholder is a person, business entity or institution that owns at least one share in a corporation. Shareholders are the actual owners of the corporation. As owners, the shareholders have the potential to profit if the corporation is doing well but also the potential to lose their investments if the corporation’s fortunes decline. A shareholder is not personally liable for the debts and obligations of the corporation.

What is a Registered Office Address?

A corporation’s registered office address is the place of business where the corporation is located and which is ordinarily available to the public. This address cannot be a P.O. Box.

What is a Mailing Address?

A Mailing Address is the address where mail is sent to. Unlike the Registered Office Address and Records Address, the Mailing Address can be a P.O. Box.

What is a Records Address?

A corporation’s records office, if separate from the registered office, is where the corporation’s necessary documents (articles of incorporation and bylaws, with amendments, unanimous shareholder agreement, minutes, copies of financial statements, etc.) are kept. This address cannot be a P.O. Box.

What are some common officer titles?

The following are just some of the titles that are often assigned to Officers in a corporation: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

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