In Ontario, you must register your business name if you are a sole proprietor or partnership operating under any name other than your own legal name, or a corporation doing business under a name different from your exact corporate name. Business name registration in Ontario is done online through the Ontario Business Registry, costs $60, and is valid for five years.
Business name registration in Ontario sounds like a small administrative chore, and for many people it is. But the rules around who must register, what changed in 2021, and what your registration actually protects (and does not protect) trip up a surprising number of business owners. At Hadri Law, we guide entrepreneurs through business setup across Toronto and the GTA, and the questions in this guide come up again and again.
This guide covers everything you need: who must register, how to do it through the Ontario Business Registry, what happened to the old "Master Business Licence," the difference between a NUANS report and a free name search, the five-year renewal cycle, and the single most misunderstood point of all, which is that registering a name does not give you exclusive rights to it.
A quick note before we start. The rules below come from the Business Names Act, RSO 1990, c B.17 (read the full statute on ontario.ca). Government fees were verified as of June 2026 through ontario.ca, but fees can change, so confirm current amounts before you file.
Who Must Register a Business Name in Ontario
The simplest way to think about business name registration in Ontario is this: if the public-facing name of your business is anything other than your own exact legal name (or your corporation's exact legal name), the law requires you to register it. Section 2 of the Business Names Act sets out the requirement.
Sole Proprietors and Partnerships
You must register if you fall into any of these categories:
- A sole proprietor operating under any name other than your full legal name. "Jane Doe" carrying on business as "Jane Doe" does not need to register. The moment she adds anything, "Jane Doe Consulting," "Ace Cleaning Services," she must register.
- A general partnership using a firm name that is not simply the full legal names of all the partners.
- A limited partnership registering a business name that differs from its registered firm name.
If you have not yet decided whether to operate as a sole proprietor or a partnership, it is worth understanding the liability and tax differences before you commit. Our pages on sole proprietorships and partnerships walk through how each structure works.
Corporations Using a Trade Name
A corporation must register any name it carries on business under that is different from its exact legal corporate name. This is the "trade name," sometimes called a DBA ("doing business as"). For example, a company incorporated as "1234567 Ontario Inc." that markets itself as "Maple Leaf Contracting" must register that trade name.
Who Does NOT Need to Register
Two groups are exempt. A sole proprietor who conducts business strictly under their own exact full legal name does not need to register. And a numbered corporation that operates only under its number name (1234567 Ontario Inc. invoicing and contracting as 1234567 Ontario Inc.) does not need to register a business name, because it is already using its legal name.
What the "Master Business Licence" Is Now Called
If you have searched for a "master business licence ontario," you are using a term that the government retired several years ago. Here is what happened.
On October 19, 2021, the province launched the Ontario Business Registry (OBR), an online portal that replaced the older paper and in-person process run through ServiceOntario. At the same time, the document formerly known as the Master Business Licence was officially renamed the Business Name Registration. The document does the same job it always did. Only the label changed. So if an accountant, a bank, or an older website asks you for your "Master Business Licence," they are referring to your current Business Name Registration.
When you register, you are assigned a Business Identification Number (BIN), a nine-digit provincial identifier unique to your registration.
One distinction is worth pausing on, because it confuses many sole proprietors. Your provincial BIN is not the same thing as a CRA Business Number (BN). The BIN comes from the Ontario Business Registry and identifies your provincial name registration. The CRA Business Number is federal and is what you use for HST, payroll, and import or export accounts. We cover the federal side in detail in does a sole proprietorship require a CRA Business Number.
How to Register a Business Name in Ontario: Step-by-Step
Registering through the Ontario Business Registry is straightforward, and online registrations are processed immediately. Here is the practical process for business name registration in Ontario.
Before You Start
First, run a free business name search. The OBR has a free business name search tool that shows existing registered business names and corporations in Ontario. Check whether your desired name is already taken or confusingly similar to one in use. Unlike incorporating a named corporation, the registry will not automatically block an identical business name, but using a name that is confusingly similar to an established business creates legal risk for you, not for the registry. [LAWYER REVIEW: Confirm that the OBR does not auto-block duplicate business names, as no primary statutory source was found to confirm this procedural characterization.]
Second, decide whether you need a NUANS report (more on that in the next section). For a standard sole proprietorship, partnership firm name, or corporate trade name, you do not.
Third, gather your information: your proposed business name, a short description of your business activity, your full legal name, your address, and your contact details.
The Registration Steps
- Create a My Ontario Account or ONe-key login to access the Ontario Business Registry.
- Select "Register a Business Name" if you are a sole proprietor or partnership, or "Register a Trade Name" if you are an existing corporation.
- Complete the online form with your business name, your activity, and your personal or corporate details.
- Pay the $60 registration fee by credit or debit card.
- Download and save your Business Name Registration certificate and your BIN. You receive both immediately upon successful payment.
That is the whole process. Your registration is valid for five years from the date you register.
A word on cost. Both initial registration and renewal cost $60 directly through the OBR. Third-party filing services will register your name for you, often charging $100 to $300 or more. They offer convenience, not anything you cannot do yourself. If your situation is simple, you can complete the registration in well under an hour.
NUANS Report vs. Ontario Business Name Search
This is one of the most misunderstood parts of starting a business in Ontario, so let us be precise about which path you are on.
An Ontario business name search is free, runs through the OBR, and shows existing registered business names and corporations in the province. It is sufficient for registering a sole proprietorship name, a general partnership firm name, or a trade name for an existing corporation. It does not search trademarks.
A NUANS report (Newly Upgraded Automated Name Search) is a paid, comprehensive report obtained from a private NUANS-registered search house. It searches existing corporate names, business names, and trademarks across Canada and produces a multi-page list of similar names. A NUANS report is valid for 90 days, and you must submit it for incorporation within that window. Pricing varies by provider, so confirm the current cost with a NUANS-registered search house before ordering.
You need a NUANS report when you are:
- Incorporating a named Ontario corporation with a distinctive name, such as "Bright Path Consulting Inc."
- Incorporating federally through Corporations Canada.
- Changing a corporate name.
You do not need a NUANS report to register a sole proprietorship business name, a partnership firm name, or a trade name under an existing corporation. Many new business owners spend money on a NUANS report they never needed, so check which path applies to you before you buy one.
Sole Proprietor Business Name Registration: Your Specific Obligations
Most people who register a business name in Ontario are sole proprietors: freelancers, consultants, tradespeople, and small business owners who want to operate under a brand rather than their own name. If that is you, here is what sole proprietor business name registration does and does not do.
Registration is triggered the instant your operating name differs from your legal name. Adding a single descriptive word, "Consulting," "Studio," "Services," is enough to require registration under the Business Names Act.
Registration does not create a separate legal entity. As a sole proprietor, you and your business remain the same legal person. You are personally responsible for all of the business's debts and obligations, whether or not you have registered a name. Registration is about the name, not about liability protection. If you want liability separation, you are looking at incorporation, which is a different decision entirely.
Once you are registered, you can open a business bank account under your business name, invoice clients under it, and enforce your contracts in Ontario courts under that name.
That last point carries real weight. Section 7 of the Business Names Act contains a court-proceeding bar: a business that is required to register but has not done so cannot maintain a legal proceeding in an Ontario court in connection with the business carried on under that unregistered name, except with leave of the court. In plain terms, if a client refuses to pay you and your business name is not registered, you may be unable to sue under that name until you fix the registration. It is a quiet rule with sharp teeth.
Finally, remember the federal layer. Your provincial registration gives you a BIN, but if you need to collect HST, run payroll, or import and export goods, you will also need a CRA Business Number. The two are separate registrations with separate purposes, as explained in our guide on whether a sole proprietorship requires a CRA Business Number. For tailored guidance on setting up as a sole proprietor, our sole proprietorship lawyers can help.
Corporations Operating Under a Trade Name
If you already have a corporation and want to operate under a brand name that differs from your legal corporate name, you register that name as a trade name. A corporation incorporated as "1234567 Ontario Inc.," or even one with a named incorporation like "Smith Holdings Inc.," that goes to market as "Toronto IT Solutions" must register that trade name under the Business Names Act.
A trade name registration attaches to your existing corporation. It does not create a new legal entity, and it does not require a new Business Number. Everything continues to flow through the one corporation, with the same BN and HST account.
A corporation can register more than one trade name. Each one requires a separate registration and its own $60 fee, but all of them sit under the single corporation. For example, one corporation might run a bakery as "Sweet Crumb Bakery" and a catering arm as "Sweet Crumb Catering," two registered trade names, one corporation, one corporate entity behind both. Each trade name is valid for five years and must be renewed on its own schedule.
If you are still deciding whether to incorporate at all, our business incorporation lawyers can walk you through the tradeoffs, and our ultimate guide to starting a business in Ontario covers the full setup process from structure to registration.
The Five-Year Renewal Cycle
A business name registration in Ontario is valid for five years from the date you register. The renewal window opens six months before the expiry date through the OBR, and renewal costs the same $60 as the initial registration.
There is a grace period, but it is short. You have 60 days after expiry to renew online. After those 60 days, renewal is no longer available, and you must file a brand-new registration. The practical danger is that you lose your original registration date and create a gap during which another business could register the name you have been using.
Letting a registration lapse has consequences beyond inconvenience:
- Your registration is invalid, so you are operating without a registered name.
- The same court-proceeding bar applies: you may be unable to sue in Ontario courts under the name until you re-register.
- Banks and other financial institutions often require an active registration and may flag your account when it expires.
- Contracts with clients and suppliers sometimes require a valid registration, so a lapse could put you in breach.
- Failing to register as required can lead to fines of up to $2,000 for an individual and up to $25,000 for a corporation under the Business Names Act.
The fix is simple: set a calendar reminder six or seven months before your expiry date. The OBR does send reminders, but government emails get missed, so do not rely on them alone.
You should also keep your registration current between renewals. Changes to your business address, your business activity, or your partners must be reported to the Ministry through the OBR within 15 days.
Business Name Registration Does NOT Give You Exclusive Rights
This is the single most important thing to understand, and it is where most business owners are surprised. Registering a business name in Ontario is a compliance step and a public-record exercise. It does not give you any exclusive right to the name.
The Ontario government does not screen out names that are identical or confusingly similar to existing ones. When you register, you accept the full legal risk that your name overlaps with someone else's. Specifically, your registration does not:
- Prevent another business from registering the same or a similar name.
- Prevent another business from using your name in the marketplace.
- Give you the right to demand that another business stop using a similar name.
The only way to obtain exclusive rights to a name or logo is trademark registration, which is federal and handled through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). A registered trademark grants exclusive rights across Canada to use the mark in association with your goods or services, lasts 10 years and is renewable, and gives you a basis to take legal action against infringers.
The gap between the two matters more than people expect. A business that has used a name for years under a properly registered business name can still face a trademark infringement claim if someone else holds a federal trademark for that name. If your brand is central to your business, or you are planning to grow or operate in a competitive market, trademark protection is worth serious consideration. This is one area where legal advice pays for itself.
When You Need a Lawyer and When Self-Serve Is Fine
We will be honest: many business name registrations are genuinely do-it-yourself. There is no reason to pay a professional for a task you can complete online in under an hour.
Self-serve is usually fine when:
- You are a sole proprietor registering a straightforward business name.
- You already have a corporation and want to add a single trade name with no complications.
- Your chosen name is clearly distinctive and your own invention, with little risk of confusion.
- You understand that registration alone does not protect your name and you are comfortable with that.
Legal advice adds real value when:
- You have not yet chosen your business structure and want guidance on liability, tax, and long-term implications before you register. Structure choice has consequences that follow you for years.
- You are incorporating a named corporation, where the NUANS process, name clearance, and articles of incorporation are better handled with professional oversight.
- Your proposed name resembles an existing business and you want a risk assessment before investing in branding.
- You want trademark protection alongside your registration, and you need advice on both the provincial registration and a CIPO trademark application.
- You are building a multi-name corporate structure or registering trade names for several divisions.
- Your business is growing and you need to understand how your name is, and is not, protected as you expand.
- You are signing contracts or applying for financing and need your registration to be airtight.
If any of those describe you, our business incorporation lawyers and the ultimate guide to starting a business in Ontario are good starting points.
Cost Summary
| Action | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Business name search (OBR) | Free | Ontario Business Registry |
| Business name registration (sole prop, partnership, or trade name) | $60 | OBR (online) |
| Business name renewal | $60 | OBR (online) |
| NUANS report (for incorporation) | Varies by provider; confirm with a NUANS-registered search house | Private NUANS search house |
| Ontario named corporation incorporation | $300 (government fee) | OBR or lawyer |
| Trademark application (CIPO) | $491.06 per class and up (2026 rate) | CIPO (ised-isde.canada.ca) |
Third-party filing services typically charge $100 to $300 or more to register a business name on your behalf. You can do it yourself through the OBR for $60. Fees are accurate as of June 2026 and are subject to change, so confirm current amounts at ontario.ca before you file.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to register a business name in Ontario?
Registering a business name in Ontario through the Ontario Business Registry costs $60, and renewal costs the same $60. There are no recurring annual fees during the five-year term. A NUANS report for incorporation or a CIPO trademark application are separate costs and are not required for a standard business name registration.
What replaced the Master Business Licence in Ontario?
The Master Business Licence was renamed the Business Name Registration when the Ontario Business Registry launched on October 19, 2021. The document serves the same purpose as before; only the name changed. If someone asks for your Master Business Licence, they mean your current Business Name Registration, which you obtain through the OBR.
Do I need a NUANS report to register my business name in Ontario?
No. A NUANS report is required for incorporating a named corporation or changing a corporate name, not for registering a sole proprietorship, a partnership firm name, or a trade name under an existing corporation. For those registrations, the free Ontario business name search through the OBR is sufficient.
What happens if my business name registration expires?
You have 60 days after expiry to renew online through the OBR. After that window, you must file a brand-new registration and lose your original registration date. While expired, you are operating without a registered name, may be unable to sue under it in Ontario courts, and risk fines up to $2,000 (individual) or $25,000 (corporation).
What is a Business Identification Number (BIN)?
A BIN is the nine-digit provincial identifier assigned to your business name registration through the Ontario Business Registry. The BIN is separate from a CRA Business Number, which is the federal identifier used for HST, payroll, and import or export accounts. The two serve different purposes and come from different governments.
Can a corporation have more than one business name in Ontario?
Yes. A corporation can register multiple trade names under the same legal entity, each requiring its own $60 registration. All trade names share the corporation's Business Number and legal structure. Each registration is valid for five years and must be renewed independently on its own schedule.
Sources & Official Resources
Ontario Statutes Cited
- Business Names Act, RSO 1990, c B.17 -- Full Statute
- Business Names Act, s. 7 -- Court Proceedings Bar (via CanLII)
- Business Names Act, s. 10 -- Offences and Penalties (via CanLII)
Ontario Government Resources 4. Ontario Business Registry -- All Services 5. Registering Your Business Name -- ontario.ca 6. Cost and Time Required to Register, Change, or Search -- ontario.ca
Federal Resources 7. CIPO -- Fees for Trademarks (2026 Schedule)
Contact Hadri Law
If you are setting up a business in Ontario and want to be sure your name, structure, and registration are handled correctly from day one, or if you want to know whether your brand is actually protected, getting clear advice early can save you real money and frustration later. Hadri Law helps entrepreneurs across Toronto and the GTA with business incorporation, sole proprietorships, and partnerships, from first registration through growth.
Call +1 (437) 974-2374 for a free consultation. We serve clients in English, French, Spanish, and Catalan.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Every situation is different. Contact a lawyer to discuss your specific circumstances.
