How to Incorporate in Newfoundland and Labrador: CADO Steps & Fees
Updated: July 2026. Fees, CADO requirements and annual filing rules were checked July 13, 2026.
Online CADO incorporation costs $270 for a numbered corporation or $280 for a named corporation after the $10 reservation. Paper incorporation costs $300. The corporate-name reservation lasts 90 days.
The company needs a full Newfoundland and Labrador civic registered office and at least one qualified director. It does not automatically receive a CRA Business Number, so federal registration follows the provincial certificate.
Local or federal incorporation?
| Factor | Local NL corporation | Federal corporation based in NL |
|---|---|---|
| Articles fee | $270 online | $200 online |
| Name | $10 reservation; numbered free | Federal name route |
| Director residency | No general resident-Canadian minimum | Normally 25%; one if fewer than four directors |
| NL registration | Included | $560 extra-provincial registration |
| Annual registry cost | $90 electronic | $12 federal plus $180 electronic NL return |
A named local corporation starts at $280. A named federal corporation can exceed $770 after federal formation/name work and the $560 provincial filing, before professional costs. Federal name review and mobility may still matter, but the $200 headline is not the local total.
Costs
| Filing | Electronic | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate-name reservation | $10 | Check current route |
| Share-capital incorporation | $270 | $300 |
| Annual return | $90 | $100 |
| Director or registered-office notice | $10 | $10 |
| Extra-provincial share-capital registration | $560 | Check current schedule |
| Extra-provincial annual return | $180 | $200 |
Professional T2 and records work can put annual cost around $2,000–$3,000 when outsourced; the registry fee is the small part.
Named or numbered?
A named corporation reserves its proposed corporate name through CADO for $10. Approval remains valid for 90 days. Search trademarks separately.
A numbered share-capital corporation skips reservation and receives its number through CADO. The online application itself can be saved for only seven days; that portal rule is not the 90-day name-reservation period.
What you need before filing
- Form 1 — Articles of Incorporation: corporate name, share structure, director range and restrictions.
- Form 3 — Notice of Registered Office: full eligible NL civic address and any separate mailing address.
- Form 6 — Notice of Directors: at least one qualified individual director, age 19 or older.
- Incorporator/contact and payment information.
- A plan for post-certificate shares, bylaws, banking, records and CRA registration.
Retail mailbox outlets are not accepted as the registered office. A Toronto or other out-of-province address cannot satisfy the NL office requirement.
CADO steps
- Search conflicts and submit the $10 reservation for a named company, or choose numbered.
- Open the CADO Articles of Incorporation application.
- Complete Form 1 share, director-range and restriction decisions.
- Enter the Form 3 registered-office and Form 6 first-director information.
- Review the filing, pay $270 and submit.
- Save the certificate, articles and notices.
- Register the corporation's separate CRA BN and
RCcorporation-income-tax account.
Do not promise same-day delivery. CADO review and correction needs can affect timing.
Directors and office
The former resident-Canadian-director rule was repealed in 2021. At least one director is still required, and a director must be an individual at least 19 years old who is not bankrupt or judicially incapable.
The registered office is where corporate records are maintained and service can occur. File director and office changes within 15 days. Moving the registered office to another community can also require a $50 articles amendment.
Ribbon Business does not offer an NL registered-office address or provincial incorporation. Use an eligible local address that is genuinely monitored.
Organize and register with CRA
After the certificate:
- adopt bylaws and initial resolutions;
- appoint officers and approve banking;
- subscribe for, pay for and issue shares;
- create securities and director/officer registers;
- create the internal ISC register required for most share-capital corporations;
- establish the minute book and separate bank/accounting records; and
- register the CRA BN/RC, then add HST, payroll or import/export accounts as needed.
The corporation must review its ISC register at least annually and enter known changes within 15 days.
Annual obligations
File the annual return by the end of the anniversary month. It costs $90 electronically or $100 on paper and can be filed during the preceding three months. Three years of non-filing can lead to dissolution.
Separately file the T2 within six months after tax year-end, file active HST/payroll accounts, keep notices current and document annual corporate decisions. The registry return is not the tax return.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip name reservation?
Yes. Choose a numbered share-capital corporation and CADO assigns the legal number.
Can I use a virtual mailbox?
Not a retail mailbox outlet of the types the Registry rejects. The office must be a full NL civic location suitable for records and service.
Why is federal incorporation so expensive in NL?
The $200 federal articles fee is followed by a $560 provincial extra-provincial registration and ongoing returns in both registries.
Complete both registrations
Treat the provincial certificate and CRA setup as two separate milestones. Then finish share issuance, records, banking and the $90 annual-return calendar before trading.
For an unincorporated alternative, see registering a business in Newfoundland and Labrador, including why the province has no general trade-name registry.