Business addresses

Use the right address for the right purpose

A registered office, virtual address, mailing address and operating location can describe different functions. Start with the job the address needs to do, then confirm the registry, tax, banking and provider rules that apply.

Compare address typesReview registered-office rules

Start with the address function

Legal addressUnderstand the registered officeLearn which address appears on the corporate registry and receives government and legal documents.Explore →

Mail and correspondenceChoose a virtual addressUnderstand business-address and mail-handling services, what they include and what they cannot represent.Explore →

PrivacyKeep a home address off public recordsReview the privacy trade-offs and eligible alternatives before publishing a residential address.Explore →

Existing businessMove or change an addressUse a practical checklist for corporate registries, CRA records, banks, licences, suppliers and customers.Explore →

Registered office and virtual address are different

Address function	What it does	Typical requirement
Registered office	Acts as the corporation's official legal address and public registry address	Required for corporations and must be in the permitted jurisdiction
Virtual address	Provides a commercial address plus mail receipt, scanning or forwarding	Optional service whose permitted uses depend on the provider
Mailing address	Tells a particular organization where to send correspondence	Maintained separately by registries, CRA, banks and other organizations
Operating location	Describes where the business is actually managed or carries on work	Must reflect the facts and may affect licences, tax and regulatory records

One physical address can sometimes perform more than one function, but signing up for a virtual address does not automatically make it an eligible registered office, principal place of business or licensed premises. See the full virtual address and registered office comparison.

Ribbon address-service availability

Ribbon Business currently provides a Toronto, Ontario address. Registered-office use is available only to eligible Ontario corporations and federal corporations whose articles specify Ontario as the province of registered office. Ribbon does not offer a registered office for a corporation that must maintain its registered office in another province or territory.

The same Toronto location can provide an eligible virtual business address and mail service. It does not become a client's principal place of business, employee workspace, licensed premises or customer-facing office.

Use a Toronto address without renting an officeCompare Ribbon's Ontario registered-office service and Toronto virtual-address service before choosing the address function you need.

Toronto registered officeToronto virtual address

Check the limitations before signing up

• Confirm that the provider permits your intended legal and commercial uses.
• Match a registered office to the jurisdiction required by the corporation's statute or articles.
• Do not describe a mail address as an operating location when no business operations occur there.
• Check package, courier, forwarding, storage and in-person access limits.
• Update each registry, CRA account, bank, insurer, licence and commercial record separately when an address changes.

Address, mail and privacy guides