Foreign corporations who wish to operate in Ontario must obtain a license under the EPCA – Extra-Provincial Corporations Act.Do you need the application form? Government Forms
Essential Requirements when completing the application form 5280E for a License to operate in Ontario
A business corporation incorporated or continued under the laws of a jurisdiction outside of Canada (‘foreign corporations’) must obtain a license under the Extra-Provincial Corporations Act (EPCA) if it wishes to operate in Ontario.
Corporation Name
A foreign corporation applying for an extra-provincial license must use the name shown on the certificate of status from their governing jurisdiction. An Extra-Provincial License will not be issued to a foreign corporation with a name that is identical to a corporate name already in use in Ontario. For more information regarding applying for a license, please read the applicable Notice.
Primary Activity
The primary activity should indicate the business the corporation intends to carry on in Ontario. Refer to the list of primary activities from the NAICS that best describes your primary activity and then indicate your primary activity code from the link in the form.
Official Email Address
The corporation’s official email will be used to communicate with the corporation. The documents related to this application will be sent to the official email address as well as to the email of the contact person.
Registered or Head Office Address
The address of the registered or head office of the corporation must be set out in full, including the street name, street or rural route number, municipality, province, country and the postal code. A post office box alone is not an acceptable address. If there is no street and number, indicate the lot and concession or lot and plan numbers.
If the corporation has an international address and the “Region” field is not applicable, please enter ‘Parish,’ ‘County’ or any other equivalent information in the “Region” field.
Principal Place of Business in Ontario
Indicate the principal place of business in Ontario. The address must be set out in full, including the street name, street or rural route number, municipality, province, country and the postal code. A post office box alone is not an acceptable address. If there is no street and number, indicate the lot and concession or lot and plan numbers.
Chief Officer or Manager in Ontario
Optional – Select Yes if the corporation has appointed a chief officer of manager in Ontario then indicate the full name and address for service.
Agent for Service
Foreign business corporations must appoint an agent for service in Ontario. An agent for service must be an individual 18 years or older who is resident in Ontario, or a corporation other than the applicant with its registered head office in Ontario. Complete application form 5281E – Appointment of Agent for Service and attach the signed copy of the form in PDF format.
An Appointment of Agent for Service/Revised Appointment of Agent for Service must be signed by the agent and a director or officer of the foreign corporation that is making the appointment. If the agent is an individual, the individual and a witness must sign; if the agent is a corporation a director or officer of that corporation and a witness must sign.
Required Statements
The checkbox must be checked to confirm all the required statements.
Date of Resolution
Indicate the date of meeting when the directors of the corporation passed a resolution authorizing the corporation to make this application.
Authorization
The contact person must confirm that the form has been signed by all the required persons.