Corporations or partnerships that want to provide insurance adjusting services in Ontario must apply for an adjusting firm licence, with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA).
About the licence
Principal adjuster required for a new licence
Before you apply for a new adjusting firm licence, you will need to select one person to act as the principal adjuster for your firm. This person would be authorized to conduct your official business, and act as the main point of contact for all adjusters working on behalf of your firm.
- The principal adjuster must already hold a Full Adjuster Licence in Ontario.
- Once they are selected, their licence will need to be transferred to your adjusting firm. See below for details.
- For corporations, the principal adjuster does not have to be an officer, director or shareholder.
- For partnerships, at least one of the partners must hold a Full Adjuster Licence in Ontario.
- The principal adjuster may also be required to complete a new criminal record check
New Criminal Record check process
FSRA is changing its licensing processes for background criminal checks to ensure the processes remain up to date. Criminal record checks are part of FSRA’s rigorous licence qualification process to protect consumers by ensuring only suitable individuals sell or offer financial products and services in Ontario.
FSRA now requires licence applicants to complete their criminal record checks through our approved vendor, Triton Canada (Triton). If you have disclosed information about a criminal matter, or FSRA has received information that you may be involved in a criminal matter, you may be required to complete a background check after you have submitted your application.
If required, FSRA will notify you, and will send a link to Triton’s website to complete the background check. Once completed, you will need to provide the 8-digit confirmation number found in your Triton receipt to FSRA.
A fee of $19.15 applies for Triton’s service, and the background check is valid for 90 days.
Please monitor your email frequently for any information requests from FSRA. If you have any further questions about the new background check process, please contact us.
Frequently asked questions – Background check process
Transfer the principal adjuster licence to your adjusting firm
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If their licence is active |
The current adjusting firm will need to terminate the principal adjuster's current licence.
They can do so by emailing a termination letter to [email protected].
You will then need to transfer the principal adjuster's licence to your adjusting firm.
See How to apply for details. |
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If their licence is inactive |
The principal adjuster will first need to reinstate their Full Adjuster Licence, before they can be transferred to your adjusting firm.
They can see reinstating my insurance adjuster licence to get started. |
Fee for a new application
The fee to apply for a new adjusting firm licence is $200. This fee will cover the first year of the licence up to June 30. Then, you will need to renew it every year.
There is no fee to transfer the principal adjuster to your adjusting firm, as long as their licence has not expired.
What are the requirements for a new licence?
Incorporate your business – corporations
If you are applying as a corporation, you will need to first file Articles of Incorporation with the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery. For details on how to incorporate a business, go to ServiceOntario.
Your application to FSRA will need to include:
- A copy of the full set of articles, including the first certificate page
- A copy of any amendments or amalgamation documents
- Information about your directors and officers
Register your partnership – partnerships
If you are applying as a partnership, you will need to first register as a partnership with the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery. For details on how to register your partnership, go to ServiceOntario.
Your application to FSRA will need to include either:
- A copy of the Declaration (Form 3 under Limited Partnerships Act); or
- A copy of the partnership agreement
You will also need to provide a Business Name Registration with your application. See Register your trade name for more details.
Register your trade name
You must register a trade name with the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery if:
- Your business is a corporation and you want to operate under a name that is not your legal name; or
- Your business is a partnership
You will receive a Business Name Registration as proof of the registration. For details on how to register your trade name, go to ServiceOntario.
When you apply for the adjusting firm licence, you will need to include the registered trade name, along with a copy of the Business Name Registration. The Business Name Registration must have an expiry date greater than one month from the date of your licence application.
If you will be using more than one trade name, you will need to register and provide a Business Name Registration for each name.
Checklist for a new licence
Review this checklist to ensure you are ready to apply for a new licence.
Requirements:
- Confirm the name of your principal adjuster and ensure they have a Full Adjuster Licence.
- If you are a corporation, include:
- a copy of the Articles of Incorporation
- a copy of any amendments and amalgamation documents
- proof of your business address
- information about your directors and officers, including a unique email address for each director or officer
- a copy of the Business Name Registration (if applicable)
- If you are a partnership, include:
- a copy of the Declaration OR your partnership agreement
- a Business Name Registration
- proof of your business address
- information about the other partner, including their email address
- Have an Ontario mailing address that can receive registered mail (e.g., no postal boxes).
Once you have met all these requirements, you will ready to begin the application process.
Ready to apply for a new licence?
Who can apply?
A director, officer or partner will need to submit the application.
How to apply
You will need to provide two licence applications:
- Adjusting firm
- Principal adjuster transfer
1. Adjusting firm
Complete the application for your adjusting firm.
a. Download the Corporate/Partnership Application for insurance adjuster.
- Right click on the link and choose Save link as to download the PDF to your computer or drive.
b. Fill out the application electronically.
- You will need to verify your business’ suitability to have a licence by confirming:
- You are familiar with the laws of Ontario relating to the licensing of corporations and partnerships.
- You will hold yourself out publicly and carry on business in good faith in the name in which your business is licensed.
- You will not engage in any other business that would jeopardize the integrity, independence or competence of your business.
- You are legally entitled to carry on business in Canada and have made all the required provincial and federal government regulatory filings.
- You have provided information about bankruptcies, lawsuits, criminal records, decisions from other regulators or licensing bodies or other employment information for your partners, directors or officers.
- Corporations – you will need complete sections A, B, D, E and F
- Partnerships – you will need to complete sections A, C, D, E and F
2. Principal adjuster
Complete the application to transfer the principal adjuster to your adjusting firm.
a. Download the Insurance Adjuster Application.
- Right click on the link and choose Save link as to download the PDF to your computer or drive.
b. Fill out the application electronically.
- Select the Full Adjuster Licence as the Type of Licence.
- Select Licence transfer
- You will need to reconfirm the principal adjuster's suitability to have an adjuster licence.
Submit both applications to FSRA
a. Submit the completed applications along with the required documents through the Online Services Portal.
b. You will be asked to pay the fee on the Online Services Portal.
- You can use credit card (VISA, Mastercard) or select debit cards (RBC, TD, First Nations Bank of Canada, most credit unions).
What happens after the application is submitted:
FSRA will send you an email to confirm it has received your application.
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For most applications |
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If the application requires additional review |
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