What is a corporate name report?
When you decide to register your business in Canada, you will be required to submit a corporate name search to the Federal or provincial government depending on the jurisdiction where you incorporate. Each business registered or incorporated in Canada must choose a unique name, a name that will not be confused with an existing business. A corporate name report is the result of a name search conducted either federally or provincially to ensure that the name you wish to register is not similar to an existing business name or registered trademark. All names for federal corporations must be approved by a government examiner, therefore you must submit a unique business name to get approved.
What are the two kinds of corporate name search reports?
There are two different types of name search reports in Canada. The first is an official Nuans report, required when filing your business in the federal jurisdiction. This is a more rigorous and detailed search, and is very more accurate. A Nauns search includes a search of the federal database, as well as searching individual provincial name registrations in Alberta, New Brunwick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island. The second type of name search is a provincial database search. These searches are conducted at the province level when you want to register your business in British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan.
How long is my search report valid for?
Once you complete a Nauns report, you will have 90 days to complete the incorporation process. It is recommended that you incorporate quickly after your report is complete to prevent an expiration or the need to file an additional report.
What happens if the name I want to use is already taken?
In most cases, if your business name is not available or rejected, you will need to start the process again and pay additional fees. To avoid paying additional fees for a name that may already be registered, you may opt to do a preliminary search, which looks for exact matches only but is generally less expensive. It does not however meet the requirement for incorporation, a full search will need to be conducted after your preliminary search finds that your name is available.
