Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate | Free Template

If you lose your stock certificate, you can likely obtain a replacement because your ownership of shares remains intact. That said, losing your certificate can result in the complications below:

• Delayed Transactions: In some circumstances, you cannot sell, transfer, or process certain transactions involving your shares until a physical replacement is issued.
• Fraud or Unauthorized Transfer Risk: If someone finds your stock certificate, they may attempt to transfer or misuse it, depending on endorsement and registration status.

If you’ve lost your stock certificate, see which immediate actions you should take to reduce the risk of fraud and other consequences.

If you no longer have access to your stock certificate, an Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate helps you begin the replacement process. The issuing company or transfer agent often requires this Affidavit before issuing a replacement certificate.

An Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate serves the following purposes:

• Reports the loss: Confirms that your stock certificate was lost, stolen, or destroyed.
• Identifies key details: Outlines information about the issuing company, number of shares, certificate number, and class of stock.
• Explains the circumstances: Details when and how the certificate went missing, including efforts you’ve made to recover it.
• Initiates the replacement process: Most companies require an Affidavit and supporting documentation to replace a stock certificate.
• Establishes legal accountability: Signing the Affidavit before a notary or commissioner means you’re swearing the information is true under oath, making it legally significant.

To draft your Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate, you’ll need to include some important details. Our free template makes this process simple. Just fill in the blanks, and your Affidavit will be formatted for you automatically.

Here’s the information to include in your Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate:

• Your full name and current address
• The province or territory where you’re signing the Affidavit
• Details about the lost certificate, including:
• • Name of the issuing company
  • Jurisdiction where the company was formed
  • Number of shares
  • Class of stock
  • Certificate number
• An explanation of why your certificate is missing (lost, stolen, or destroyed)
• What you’ve done in an attempt to recover the lost stock certificate
• Whether the certificate was endorsed and, if so, how

If you want a full walkthrough on how to complete each section, see our guide on the Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate.

Your Affidavit of Lost Stock Certificate must be commissioned by an authorized official, like a notary public or commissioner of oaths. This is a necessary step, and without it, your Affidavit isn’t valid.

You can meet with a notary online to have your Affidavit commissioned in 7 minutes, from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection.

How Commissioning Your Affidavit Works

You can commission your Affidavit online through a secure video appointment. During your online notary appointment, the following will take place:

• You’ll present a piece of valid, government-issued ID to verify your identity.
• You’ll swear or affirm that the contents of your Affidavit are true.
• You’ll confirm that you understand the document and are signing voluntarily.
• You’ll sign and date the Affidavit while a notary witnesses in real time.
• A notary signs and applies their official stamp or seal.

To learn more about the commissioning process, check out our guide.

Note: Knowingly providing false information may be considered perjury under Canada’s Criminal Code.