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Is your business name taken?
Check it against the naming rules the registrar actually applies, in seconds. Most rejected names fail on structure, not because someone else took the name first.
What this check covers
An honest account of what a free tool can and cannot tell you.
What we check
The structural rules a corporate name has to satisfy: a distinctive element, a descriptive element, a valid legal ending, and restricted words like bank or trust that need consent first. This is where most refusals happen.
What we do not check
Whether an Ontario business already holds the name. Ontario does not publish its registry as open data, so no free tool can answer that. Trademarks, common-law rights, domains, and social handles are also out of scope.
What actually decides it
The registry does, using an official NUANS report. We order and interpret that report as part of every named incorporation, at no extra charge. A named corporation costs the same as a numbered one.
Questions about naming
Is this the same as a NUANS report?
No, and the difference matters. Ontario does not publish its business registry as open data, so no free tool can tell you whether a name is already taken here. This tool checks your name against the structural rules the registrar applies, which is what most rejections come down to. A NUANS report is the official search across Canadian corporate and trademark databases, it is required to incorporate under a name, and we order one as part of every named incorporation.
The check came back clean. Am I safe to use the name?
Not yet. A clean result means the name is structured the way the registrar expects, so it clears the most common reason names are refused. It does not mean the name is free: it does not check whether another Ontario business already holds it, and it does not check trademarks, common-law rights, or other jurisdictions. The NUANS report is the clearance, and the registry makes the final call.
What makes a corporate name acceptable in Ontario?
A name generally needs three parts: a distinctive element (a coined or unique word), a descriptive element (what the business does), and a legal element (Inc., Ltd., Corp., Limited, Incorporated, or Corporation). 'Zephyr Consulting Inc.' works. 'Consulting Inc.' usually does not, because it is not distinctive.
What if my name is taken?
You have options. Add or change a distinctive word, use a different descriptive term, or incorporate as a numbered corporation and register your preferred name as a trade name. A numbered corporation is also faster and cheaper, since no NUANS report is needed.
Do I need to register my name at all?
If you are incorporating, the corporation needs either a name or a registry-assigned number. If you are a sole proprietor operating under anything other than your own full legal name, Ontario requires a Business Name Registration.
Found a name that works?
We prepare the documents, order the NUANS report, and file with the registry, usually within one to two business hours.
Start my registration