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Register your money services business (MSB) or your foreign money services business (FMSB)

FINTRAC does not charge registration fees.

Certain persons or entities are not eligible to register and therefore cannot operate an MSB or FMSB. For more information, see Who is not eligible to register?

MSB

Before beginning to operate in Canada, you must register your MSB with FINTRAC. Even if you are registered as an MSB with a province or territory, you still have to register with FINTRAC.

To register

Step 1:

Complete the pre-registration form(This will open a new window) online. You will be contacted by a FINTRAC compliance officer.

Step 2:

Sign in to the MSB Registration(This will open a new window) System using your user ID and password.

Step 3:

Complete and submit your MSB registration form. You will need the following information, if applicable:

  • bank account information;
  • information about your compliance officer;
  • number of employees;
  • incorporation information (if your business is a corporation);
  • information about your MSB's owners and senior management, such as their name and date of birth;
  • an estimate of the expected total dollar amount of transactions per year for each MSB service you provide;
  • detailed information about every branch; and
  • detailed information about every MSB agent.

See MSB registration system overview

FMSB

To register

Step 1:

Complete the pre-registration form(This will open a new window) online. You will be contacted by a FINTRAC compliance officer.

Step 2:

Sign in to the MSB Registration(This will open a new window) System using your user ID and password.

Step 3:

Complete and submit your MSB registration form. You will need the following information, if applicable:

  • bank account information;
  • information about your compliance officer;
  • number of employees;
  • incorporation information (if your business is a corporation);
  • information about your MSB's owners and senior management, such as their name and date of birth;
  • an estimate of the expected total dollar amount of transactions per year for each MSB service you provide;
  • detailed information about every branch; and
  • detailed information about every MSB agent.

You also must provide the following information with your completed registration form.

Police record check

You must provide FINTRAC with a criminal record check for the following individuals:

  • your chief executive officer;
  • your president;
  • your directors; and
  • each person who owns or controls, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of the entity or the shares of the entity.

If you operate your business yourself (e.g., you are a sole proprietor), you must provide this document about yourself. Police record checks must be issued by a competent authority in the country in which the individual resides.

Translation of the police record check

If the document is in a language other than English or French, it must be translated into English or French by a certified translator in Canada. You must obtain and provide the translation before you register.

This document is required to be translated by a certified Canadian translator. A certified translator is an individual that holds the title of professional certified translator granted by a Canadian provincial or territorial association or body that is competent under Canadian provincial or territorial law to issue such certification.

The following is a list of Canadian associations:

  • Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA)
  • Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC)
  • Association of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of Manitoba (ATIM)
  • Corporation of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of New Brunswick (CTINB)
  • Association of Translators and Interpreters of Nova Scotia (ATINS)
  • Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO)
  • Association of Translators and Interpreters of Saskatchewan (ATIS)
  • L'ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ)

You must provide the Statement of certification.

FINTRAC requires proof that the translated document was issued from a competent and certified translator. This proof can be a certificate of authenticity signed by the certified translator, and containing the translator's stamp, or the translator's membership number from one of the above-mentioned professional translation associations.

Note: We recommend that you scan your three documents into one PDF file for your submission. If the documents are illegible or unclear, FINTRAC will not be able to process your form and will request that you resubmit the documents.

Document submission recommendation

Document submission recommendation

Representative for service in Canada

FMSBs must designate a representative for service in Canada and provide FINTRAC with the name and contact details of this person. This representative must reside in Canada and be authorized to accept, on behalf of your business, FINTRAC related notices and inquiries.

Note that it is the FMSB, and not the representative for service in Canada, who is responsible for meeting the obligations under the PCMLTFA and associated Regulations.

Note: Financial entities (such as banks) may ask you questions regarding your business and whether or not you are registered with FINTRAC. Under the PCMLTFA and associated Regulations, financial entities must ensure that FMSBs for which they open an account, or with which they have a correspondent banking relationship, are registered with FINTRAC.

See MSB registration system overview

After you submit your registration form

We will process your form and will send you one of the following:

Once your MSB registration form is approved, some of the information provided will be made available to the public and displayed on FINTRAC's MSB registry search(This will open a new window).

If you do not register, you may be assessed penalties or incur other consequences.

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