Nova Scotia NUANS Report: How to Reserve a Business Name
To incorporate a named company in Nova Scotia, you must first reserve the name with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies (RJSC). RJSC charges $60.52 to run an Atlantic search itself, $75.58 for a Canada-wide search, or $15.12 if you upload your own NUANS report dated within 90 days. An approved reservation lasts 90 days.
What is a Nova Scotia NUANS report?
NUANS (Newly Upgraded Automated Name Search) is the federal name-search database. A NUANS report compares your proposed name with existing corporate names, registered business names and trademarks, and lists the ones that are similar. In Nova Scotia, it supports your name reservation request to RJSC. The report itself doesn't approve the name. RJSC decides whether the name can be used.
Nova Scotia offers two kinds of search:
- Atlantic search: lists similar names across the Atlantic region. Choose it if you only plan to do business in Nova Scotia.
- Federal (Canada-wide) search: lists similar names across Canada. Choose it if you'll do business beyond the Atlantic region, or if your name includes "Canada" or "Canadian".
How much does a Nova Scotia name reservation cost?
Option | RJSC fee (CAD) | Who runs the search |
|---|---|---|
Atlantic search by RJSC | $60.52 | RJSC |
Atlantic search with your own NUANS report | $15.12 | You or a NUANS provider; report dated within 90 days |
Federal (Canada-wide) search by RJSC | $75.58 | RJSC |
Federal search with your own NUANS report | $15.12 | You or a NUANS provider; report dated within 90 days |
Numbered company or extra-provincial corporation | No reservation needed | Not applicable |
If you bring your own report, your total cost is the $15.12 RJSC fee plus whatever the NUANS provider charges. You also see the search results yourself before you apply, so you can drop a risky name before RJSC rejects it. You can order a Nova Scotia NUANS report from us and get it back ready to upload.
Who needs to reserve a name in Nova Scotia?
RJSC requires a name reservation for:
- Named companies being incorporated, such as "Harbour Light Consulting Ltd."
- Sole proprietorships and partnerships registering a business name.
- Co-operatives, and incorporated companies, societies and co-operatives that want to register a separate operating name.
No reservation fee applies to a numbered company, an extra-provincial corporation, a society, a limited partnership, a condominium, a credit union, or a company whose name matches a sole proprietorship or partnership already registered. If speed matters more than the name, a numbered company skips this step entirely. If your company is already incorporated in another province, you can register it extra-provincially in Nova Scotia without a name reservation.
How do you reserve a business name in Nova Scotia?
Step 1: Choose the name
A company name usually has a distinctive part ("Harbour Light"), a descriptive part ("Consulting") and a legal ending such as "Limited", "Ltd.", "Incorporated" or "Inc." Read RJSC's guide to choosing a name first. Names that are too general, misleading or too close to an existing name are refused, and some names need a letter of consent.
Step 2: Get a NUANS report (optional, but cheaper)
Order an Atlantic or Canada-wide NUANS report for your proposed name. Check the similar names it lists. If a nearly identical name is active in the same industry, change your name now.
Step 3: Submit the reservation request
Complete the Reserve Name Form online through the Registry, or send the paper Name Reservation Request Form by mail or fax, or apply in person at the Registry or Access Nova Scotia. Upload supporting documents as PDFs, such as your NUANS report and any consent letter, and pay the fee. Online payment is by credit or debit card.
Step 4: Wait for RJSC's decision
RJSC checks the name against the Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Corporations Canada and Canadian trademarks databases. The province says results should take about 2 days, but it currently notes processing delays, and incomplete forms take longer. A name may be approved, approved with conditions, or refused.
Step 5: Incorporate within 90 days
Once approved, you have 90 days to incorporate or register. If you meet conditions attached to the approval, do that before you file. You must use the exact approved name. If the 90 days pass, the reservation expires and you have to reserve and pay again.
What happens after the name is approved?
With the reservation in hand you can incorporate. A Nova Scotia limited company is incorporated by filing a Memorandum of Association, Articles of Association, a Consent of Officers and Directors and a Statutory Declaration. The government incorporation fee is $200, and the annual renewal is $118.35. RJSC issues the Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Registration and a CRA business number.
Nova Scotia has no director residency requirement, but the company needs a registered office in Nova Scotia and a recognized agent who lives in the province. Our Nova Scotia incorporation guide walks through the full process, or you can incorporate in Nova Scotia online with us.
Atlantic or Canada-wide search: which should you choose?
Choose an Atlantic search if | Choose a Canada-wide search if |
|---|---|
You'll trade only in Nova Scotia or Atlantic Canada | You plan to register in other provinces later |
The name has no "Canada" or "Canadian" | The name includes "Canada" or "Canadian" |
You want the lowest RJSC fee when RJSC runs the search ($60.52) | You want to see conflicts across the country before you invest in branding |
A Canada-wide report costs a little more, but it reveals a name already used in Ontario or BC that could cause trouble if you expand or apply for a trademark.
Common mistakes with Nova Scotia name reservations
- Using an old NUANS report. RJSC accepts your own report only if it's dated within 90 days before you reserve.
- Letting the reservation lapse. 90 days goes quickly if you're still arranging a recognized agent or bank account. There's no renewal: you reserve and pay again.
- Using the name too early. You can't use the name until it's approved and the company is incorporated or registered.
- Assuming a reservation is a trademark. A reserved or incorporated name doesn't give you trademark rights across Canada. Search trademarks separately if the brand matters.
- Ordering the wrong type of report. An Ontario-biased NUANS report is for Ontario filings. For Nova Scotia, use an Atlantic or federal search.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a NUANS report to incorporate in Nova Scotia?
You need an approved name reservation for a named company. You can let RJSC run the search for $60.52 (Atlantic) or $75.58 (Canada-wide), or upload your own NUANS report and pay $15.12.
How long is a Nova Scotia name reservation valid?
90 days from approval. If you don't incorporate or register in that time, the reservation expires and you must reserve and pay again.
How long does a name reservation take in Nova Scotia?
The province says results should take about 2 days, but it currently reports processing delays. Incomplete or incorrect forms take longer.
Can I incorporate a numbered company in Nova Scotia without a name search?
Yes. A numbered company doesn't need a name reservation, so you can file the incorporation documents directly.
How old can my NUANS report be?
To get the $15.12 fee, the report must be dated within 90 days before you submit the reservation request.
What does RJSC check my name against?
The Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Corporations Canada and Canadian trademarks databases. The name must be different enough from existing names in those databases.
Does an extra-provincial corporation need to reserve a name in Nova Scotia?
No. Extra-provincial corporations don't reserve a name. Corporations from other provinces register in Nova Scotia at no cost; federal and foreign corporations pay registration fees.
Sources: Nova Scotia: reserve a name for your business or non-profit; Nova Scotia: incorporate a limited company; RJSC company requirements; Nova Scotia: register an extra-provincial corporation. Checked October 2026.
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Keep reading
How Corporations Canada's name preapproval (90 days) and BC's Name Request ($30, 56 days) work, plus how other provinces approve corporate names.
A free pre-search catches obvious conflicts; a NUANS report or name reservation is what registries accept. How each works, in Ontario and elsewhere.
A NUANS report lists names and trademarks similar to yours. See which provinces still require one, what it costs, the 90-day rule and how to read it.