Ontario: Ontario Business Registry
How to search
Start with the official search. It is listed first because it comes straight from the registry.
What you get
Anyone can search for free and see a business's basic public record, including its registered office address. Administrative contact details and the official email address are not shown.Source
Step-by-step guides
Fees
| Search | FreeSource |
|---|---|
| Profile report | $8Source |
| Certificate of status | $26Source |
| Name reservation | Not offeredSource |
| Name search report (NUANS or equivalent) | Set by the NUANS vendorSource |
| Business name registration | $60Source |
| Business name renewal | $60 every 5 yearsSource |
| Incorporation | $300Source |
| Annual return | FreeSource |
| Extra-provincial registration (Canadian corporation) | FreeSource |
| Copy of a document | $3 per documentSource |
| Certificate of no match | $26Source |
Good to know
- When to register a business name: You trade under any name other than your own full legal name.Source
- The 9-digit Ontario Business Identification Number is not the same as the CRA Business Number.Source
- Every filing for an existing business needs its company key, even when an intermediary files for you.Source
- Third-party filing services may charge more than the government fee.Source
- A company key is a 9-digit code, and each registered business has its own.Source
- If the registry holds an email address for the business, the key is emailed straight away; if not, it is posted to the registered or head office address, which takes several days.Source
- If the address on file is out of date, answering verification questions can get the key emailed within several business days.Source