Published June 18, 2025 By Dov Goldberg
If your charity or nonprofit is incorporated in Ontario, you may hear about something called a Company Key. This key is an important code you need when updating your organization’s records with the Ontario government. It’s like a password that proves you are allowed to make changes to your charity’s information online.
Let’s break it down.
A Company Key is a unique 9-digit number given to your organization by the Ontario Business Registry. It works like a security PIN. You need it to log into your business profile and make updates, such as changing your address, filing annual returns, or updating your directors.
If you are a charity or nonprofit that is incorporated in Ontario, you can request your Company Key directly from the Ontario Business Registry. Here’s how:
You can also call ServiceOntario for help if you’re not sure what information they have on file.
No, they are different things.
So even though both are identification numbers, they serve different purposes and come from different government offices.
Your Ontario Corporation Number (OCN) is another important number. You receive this number when your charity or nonprofit is incorporated in Ontario.
You can find your OCN on:
If your organization was federally incorporated but registered to operate in Ontario (also called extra-provincial registration), you would still be assigned an Ontario Corporation Number.
If your charity or nonprofit will do things like hire employees or collect HST, you’ll also need a Business Number (BN) from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This is different from your OCN and Company Key.
To get a BN:
You’ll need this number to register for things like:
Having the right numbers in place helps your charity stay compliant with government rules and keeps your records in good standing.