How to Incorporate in Ontario: Steps, Costs & Requirements
Updated: July 2026. Government fees and filing requirements were checked on July 13, 2026.
Ontario incorporation costs $300 online. A named corporation also needs an Ontario-biased or weighted NUANS report from a private search provider; a numbered company skips that step. Ontario lists a complete online filing as immediate and has no resident-Canadian-director requirement.
The certificate is only formation. You still need to issue shares, adopt bylaws and resolutions, set up records and banking, confirm CRA accounts, file the Ontario annual return, and submit a T2 tax return every year.
Should you incorporate?
A corporation is a legal person separate from its shareholders. It can own assets, sign contracts, employ people and continue after ownership changes. Shareholders normally have limited liability, but guarantees, unpaid source deductions, director duties and personal misconduct can still create personal exposure.
Incorporation often makes sense when you:
- need a separate entity for clients, investors or multiple owners;
- expect to retain profit in the business instead of withdrawing it all personally;
- want a durable share structure for ownership and succession; or
- face business risks that should be separated from personal operations.
A sole proprietorship may be better when the business is small, low-risk and you withdraw nearly all earnings. Incorporation does not create automatic tax savings. The possible benefit is often tax deferral on money left inside the company, weighed against accounting and compliance cost.
Budget beyond the filing: a basic professionally prepared T2 commonly costs around $1,500 with clean books, while outsourced tax, bookkeeping and corporate maintenance can put the annual cost around $2,000–$3,000.
Ontario or federal incorporation?
| Factor | Ontario corporation | Federal corporation based in Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| Online articles fee | $300 | $200 |
| Director residency | No general requirement | Normally 25% resident Canadian; one if fewer than four directors |
| Registered office | Must remain in Ontario | Must remain in the province stated in the federal articles |
| Corporate name | Ontario-focused approval | Broader Canada-wide corporate-name review |
| Annual registry work | Ontario annual return, currently $0 | $12 federal annual return plus Ontario information obligations |
| Ownership disclosure | Internal Ontario ISC register | Internal register plus federal ISC filings and public information |
The lower federal sticker price is not the whole decision. Federal incorporation creates another registry relationship, has director-residency rules and still requires Ontario information to remain current. It can be worthwhile for the name review or future interprovincial mobility. Ontario is often simpler for an Ontario-based company, especially when no founder is a resident Canadian.
Neither route gives trademark protection. Search the Canadian Trademarks Database separately.
Ontario incorporation costs
| Item | Government or provider cost |
|---|---|
| Numbered Ontario corporation, online | $300 |
| Named Ontario corporation, online | $300 plus private-provider NUANS report |
| Initial Return/Notice of Change | $0 through the OBR |
| Ontario annual return | $0 through the OBR |
| Federal corporation, online | $200 plus the federal name route if named |
| Federal annual return, online | $12 |
Government fees checked July 13, 2026. NUANS providers set their own prices.
Offers described as “free Ontario incorporation” usually subsidize or bundle the fee with banking or subscription terms. The Ontario government filing itself is not free. Read the ongoing terms, ownership of the documents and cancellation conditions.
Named or numbered company?
A word name such as North Star Analytics Inc. is easier to market under its legal name. It needs an Ontario-biased or weighted NUANS report that is current when you file. A federal-biased report is not the Ontario report.
A numbered company receives a legal name such as 12345678 Ontario Inc.. It avoids the NUANS step and is useful when the public brand is undecided or the company is a holding entity. If it later trades under another name, register that Ontario operating name separately.
Name approval is not trademark clearance, and incorporating does not guarantee that your domain or social handles are available.
What to decide before filing
Have these items ready:
- Name choice and NUANS report. Use a numbered company or obtain the correct report for a word name.
- Ontario registered office. It must be an Ontario address where official and legal documents can be received. The information is part of the public registry record.
- First directors. At least one qualified individual is required. Decide a fixed number or minimum/maximum board size.
- Share classes. State the classes, authorized number and rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions.
- Transfer restrictions and other provisions. These affect ownership, private-company status and future transactions.
- Incorporator and contact details. Confirm the legal names, addresses and authority before submission.
The articles authorize shares; they do not issue founder shares. Ownership arises through post-incorporation subscriptions, payment, directors' approvals and entries in the securities register. This distinction is where many do-it-yourself incorporations remain incomplete.
Use an Ontario lawyer when there are co-founders, investors, multiple share classes, a professional corporation, a shareholders agreement, non-resident tax issues, or assets moving from an existing business.
How to incorporate through the Ontario Business Registry
- Go to Ontario's register-your-business page and sign in using the current Ontario.ca Login and Ontario Business Account flow.
- Select the service to incorporate an Ontario business corporation.
- Choose a numbered or word name. Enter the Ontario NUANS details when a word name is used.
- Enter the Ontario registered-office and first-director information.
- Complete the share structure, transfer restrictions, business restrictions and other article provisions.
- Review names, addresses and public-record implications carefully.
- Pay the $300 fee and submit.
- Save the Certificate of Incorporation, Articles and confirmation details. Secure the corporation number, Ontario Business Identification Number and Company Key/account access.
Do not follow legacy guides that require ONe-key. Ontario replaced that account flow. The official OBR services page and current cost-and-time table control when interface labels or fees change.
Organize the company after the certificate
Formation creates the legal shell. The organizational work makes it usable:
- adopt general bylaws;
- prepare initial directors' and shareholders' resolutions;
- appoint officers and authorize banking;
- approve share subscriptions, receive payment and issue shares;
- create securities, shareholder, director and officer registers;
- create the internal register of individuals with significant control;
- set the financial year-end with accounting advice;
- open a bank account in the corporation's legal name; and
- keep the Articles, certificate, registers, resolutions and agreements in a minute book.
A one-owner corporation still needs evidence showing who owns the shares and what the director decided. Keep signed documents, not just templates or an online dashboard.
Corporation number, BIN and CRA BN
- The Ontario corporation number identifies the corporate registry record.
- Ontario's BIN identifies the provincial business record.
- The CRA BN is the nine-digit federal identifier. Program accounts add identifiers such as
RCfor corporation income tax,RTfor GST/HST andRPfor payroll.
The incorporation process connects a new Ontario corporation to a CRA BN and corporation-income-tax account. GST/HST, payroll and import/export accounts are added only when needed.
If a sole proprietor incorporates, do not reuse the old entity's accounts without checking the CRA transition process. Contracts, assets, registrations and goodwill may also need assignment or transfer. A tax-deferred section 85 rollover can be relevant, but it is not a box in the incorporation filing—get tax and legal advice before moving valuable assets.
Registered office and privacy
The registered office must remain in Ontario and be reliable for government and legal documents. Director and office information can be publicly searchable. Use an address you are authorized to use and update it promptly after a move.
Ribbon Business supports eligible Ontario registered-office and virtual-address arrangements. Address service is an operational responsibility, not decoration: someone must actually receive, scan and escalate time-sensitive mail.
Annual and ongoing obligations
Every year, an Ontario corporation should:
- file its Ontario annual return through the OBR; the current ministry fee is $0;
- file a T2 corporation-income-tax return within six months after year-end, even for an inactive corporation;
- pay any tax balance by the applicable, potentially earlier payment deadline;
- file GST/HST, payroll and other active program returns;
- approve annual financial statements and director/shareholder business by meeting or written resolution;
- review the internal ISC register at least annually and update known changes within the required period;
- keep registered-office, director and officer information current; and
- maintain the minute book, share records and supporting accounting documents.
The annual return is not the T2 tax return. Filing one does not file the other.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-resident be the only Ontario director?
Yes, under the ordinary Ontario Business Corporations Act rules. The corporation still needs an Ontario registered office, and banking, tax residency, immigration and regulated-industry rules can add separate constraints.
Do I need a lawyer?
The OBR permits self-filing, but legal advice is prudent for co-founders, investors, custom share rights, professional corporations, non-resident structures and transfers from an existing business. Fixing inadequate articles later can cost more than getting the setup reviewed.
When do I issue shares?
After incorporation. The articles authorize the corporation to issue shares. The directors then approve subscriptions and issuance, payment is made, and ownership is entered in the securities register.
Is the annual return the same as the tax return?
No. The Ontario annual return keeps the public registry information current. The T2 reports corporate income tax to the CRA. Both are required on their own schedules.
Finish the setup, not just the filing
The $300 submission is the shortest part of creating a dependable corporation. Before you begin trading, make sure the shares were actually issued, signing authority is documented, the bank and CRA accounts match the new legal entity, and the first annual deadlines are in the calendar.