Ontario NUANS Report: Step-by-Step Guide for Named Ontario Corporations

To incorporate a named business corporation in Ontario, you need an Ontario-biased (weighted) NUANS name search report. A federal-biased report is not accepted, and the report cannot be dated more than 90 days before your articles are filed. Numbered companies don't need one. The report also doesn't lock in the name: it shows you what similar names exist, and it's your job to check for conflicts before you file.

Ontario NUANS report at a glance

What is an Ontario NUANS report?

NUANS is the Government of Canada's business name and trademark search tool, run by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). An Ontario-biased report runs your proposed name through the national database and weights the results toward Ontario. Ontario describes it as "a list of existing corporate and business names, as well as trademarks, that are the same or similar to the name being proposed."

Although the report is Ontario-weighted, it still includes relevant names from other provinces and federal corporations. That gives you a picture of how the name is used across Canada, which matters if you plan to expand.

New to NUANS in general? Start with our NUANS report overview.

Who needs an Ontario NUANS report?

• New named OBCA corporations. If your articles propose a word name, such as "Northwind Logistics Inc.", you need one.
• Name changes. Articles of amendment that change the corporate name also need an Ontario-biased report, unless the new name is a number name. See our guide to articles of amendment.
• Foreign (non-Canadian) corporations applying for an Ontario extra-provincial licence.

You don't need one for a numbered company. The ministry assigns the number, and you can switch to a word name later by amendment. Federal corporations and corporations from other provinces registering in Ontario don't need an Ontario NUANS either.

Why an Ontario NUANS report isn't a name reservation

Many guides say you can "reserve" a name in Ontario for 90 days. That's misleading. Ontario has no separate reservation step and no exclusive hold. The 90-day rule is about the report's age: you have to file your articles within 90 days of the report date.

Ontario also puts the responsibility on you: "It is the applicant's responsibility to check the search report for similar or identical names and to obtain any consent that may be required." If you skip that step and choose a name that's too close to an existing one, the corporation could face a lawsuit or a hearing under the OBCA.

In practice, that means two things:

1. Read the report carefully before filing, not just the top line.
2. File quickly. The report doesn't stop someone else incorporating a similar name in the meantime.

How the 90-day rule works

Ontario's own example: articles received on November 28 can be supported by a NUANS report dated as early as August 30, but no earlier. If the report expires before the ministry endorses the articles, you'll need a new report to finish the filing. So allow some margin, especially if you're filing by mail, which takes about 15 business days. Online OBCA incorporation is issued immediately.

How to get an Ontario NUANS report, step by step

Step 1: Run a free search first

Ontario lets you search the Ontario Business Registry for free to see whether a business name is already taken. Also check Corporations Canada's federal corporation search and the Canadian Trademarks Database. These free checks catch obvious conflicts before you pay for a report. Our name pre-search guide explains how.

Step 2: Build a compliant name

Use a distinctive element ("Northwind"), a descriptive element ("Logistics") and a legal ending ("Inc.", "Incorporated", "Ltd.", "Limited", "Corp.", "Corporation" or the French forms). Avoid generic names and words that suggest a government connection.

Step 3: Order an Ontario-biased report

The report must come from a private name search company; the ministry doesn't sell it. Make sure the order is Ontario-biased. Reports generated online by NUANS search houses are usually produced right away. You can order an Ontario NUANS report through us.

Step 4: Review the results

Look for active corporations and trademarks with the same or a similar distinctive word, especially in your industry and in Ontario. If you're taking an identical name under the exception in the regulations, Ontario requires a legal opinion.

Step 5: File your articles within 90 days

When you file in the Ontario Business Registry, you'll enter the NUANS reference number, the name searched and the report date. The ministry retrieves the report directly. Keep a copy at the corporation's registered office. See our Ontario incorporation guide for the full filing, or let us incorporate for you.

Common problems and how to avoid them

• Wrong bias. A federal-biased report is rejected in Ontario. Check the bias before you order.
• Expired report. If you're close to 90 days, order a fresh report rather than risk a rejected filing.
• Close matches in your industry. Change the distinctive element rather than just adding a word like "Group" or "Canada".
• Trademark conflicts. A name can satisfy the registry and still infringe a registered trademark. Get trademark advice if the report shows one on your key word.
• Assuming the name is "yours". Until the certificate of incorporation is issued, it isn't.

Ontario NUANS vs other provinces

An Ontario report only works in Ontario. Alberta wants an Alberta NUANS (see our Alberta NUANS guide), and New Brunswick wants an Atlantic NUANS report. BC, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba run their own name approval systems, and federal online incorporation has the name search built in. See our federal NUANS guide.