The cost to incorporate in Ontario is $300 to file your articles of incorporation online through the Ontario Business Registry. Federal incorporation is $200 online. A named corporation adds a NUANS name-search report, and optional extras like a minute book, a registered address or professional help are separate. Here is the full 2026 cost breakdown.
What is the cost to incorporate in Ontario in 2026?
For most founders the honest answer is: the government fee is fixed and small, and everything else is a choice. The unavoidable part of the cost to incorporate in Ontario is the $300 provincial filing fee. From there, your total depends on three decisions — named or numbered corporation, do-it-yourself or done-for-you, and which optional extras you actually want.
Below is a clear breakdown of the common line items so you can see exactly what is required and what is not.
2026 incorporation cost breakdown
| Item | Fee (2026) | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario incorporation (articles, online) | $300 | Yes, for an Ontario corporation |
| Federal incorporation (articles, online) | $200 | Alternative to provincial |
| NUANS name-search report | ~$15–$80 | Only for a named corporation |
| Extra-provincial registration in Ontario (if federal) | Varies | Yes, if you incorporate federally |
| Business name registration (sole prop / operating name) | $60 (5 years) | Only if registering a name, not incorporating |
| Minute book | Varies | Recommended, not mandatory |
| Registered / virtual business address | Varies | Optional |
| Legal or incorporation-service fees | Varies | Optional |
The two numbers that anchor everything are the $300 Ontario fee and the $200 federal fee. The rest are either conditional (a NUANS report only if you want a name) or entirely optional (professional help, a minute book, an address service).
Government fees: the costs you cannot avoid
The government filing fee is the one line item nobody escapes, because it is what actually creates your corporation.
- Ontario incorporation costs $300 to file your articles of incorporation online through the Ontario Business Registry. This gets you your certificate of incorporation and corporate number.
- Federal incorporation costs $200 online through Corporations Canada under the Canada Business Corporations Act.
You pay this fee at the moment you file, and it is a one-time charge — not an annual subscription. It is also the single number that stays the same no matter how you file: whether you sit down and do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you, the government still collects its $300 (Ontario) or $200 (federal).
If you incorporate federally, remember that a federal corporation still has to register extra-provincially in each province where it carries on business — including Ontario. That is an extra step and, potentially, an extra cost on top of the $200. If you only ever operate in Ontario, the single $300 provincial filing is often the simpler and cheaper all-in path. We compare the two routes in detail in our guide to federal vs. provincial incorporation.
NUANS name-search report cost
If you want a named corporation — for example, "Maple Lane Consulting Inc." — you need a NUANS name-search report. NUANS compares your proposed name against existing corporate names and trademarks, and the report is valid for 90 days.
The NUANS report is its own cost, separate from the government filing fee. Depending on whether you order it directly from a search house or through a service provider that reviews the results for you, it typically ranges from roughly $15 to $80. Prices vary, so confirm before you order.
You can skip this cost entirely by choosing a numbered corporation (such as "1234567 Ontario Inc."). Numbered corporations do not require a NUANS report, which is why the true minimum government cost of an Ontario incorporation can be just the $300 filing fee.
Business name registration: a different, cheaper thing
It is worth clearing up a common mix-up. Registering a business name is not the same as incorporating.
If you operate as a sole proprietorship, or you want to run an incorporated company under a different operating name, you register that business name through the Ontario Business Registry for $60, valid for five years. That $60 registration does not create a separate legal entity or give you limited liability — it simply registers the name.
So the numbers line up like this: a sole-proprietor business name is $60 for five years, while a full Ontario incorporation is $300. They solve different problems. If you are weighing which structure fits you, see sole proprietorship vs. incorporation.
Optional costs: where budgets actually differ
Once the government fee is paid, the spread between a bare-bones incorporation and a fully supported one comes down to optional items:
- Minute book. Corporations are expected to keep a record of directors, shareholders, resolutions and share issuances. You can maintain a physical or digital minute book yourself, or have it prepared for you. Cost varies.
- Registered or virtual business address. You need an address on the public record. Some founders use their home; others prefer a virtual office address to keep their home address private and present a professional business location. Pricing varies by provider and plan.
- Legal or incorporation-service fees. A lawyer or incorporation service can handle the name search, draft your articles, set up the minute book and organize your first filings. Professional fees vary widely — always ask for a flat, all-in quote so there are no surprises.
None of these are legally required to get incorporated, but skipping the wrong one (like an organized minute book) can create headaches later.
DIY vs. done-for-you: two honest paths
Do-it-yourself. File directly with the government and pay only the fee — $300 for Ontario or $200 for federal, plus a NUANS report if you want a name. This is the lowest out-of-pocket cost. The trade-off is that you handle the name search, the articles, the minute book and the compliance setup, and small mistakes on the articles or share structure can be expensive to fix.
Done-for-you. A service or lawyer charges a professional fee on top of the government fee, and in return handles the paperwork end to end. You pay more up front, but you get the name search, articles, minute book and first filings set up correctly the first time. This is the route founders usually pick when they want to launch quickly and avoid re-doing filings.
There is no single right answer — it depends on how comfortable you are with government forms and how much your time is worth.
The bottom line on 2026 costs
To recap the cost to incorporate in Ontario for 2026:
- $300 government fee for an Ontario corporation (online).
- $200 government fee for a federal corporation (online), plus extra-provincial registration if you operate in Ontario.
- A NUANS report (roughly $15–$80) only if you want a named corporation.
- $60 for five years if you are registering a sole-proprietor business name instead.
- Optional extras — minute book, address, professional help — that vary by choice.
If you would rather not navigate name searches, articles and compliance setup on your own, Markham Office offers a done-for-you incorporation service that handles the filing end to end. Start your incorporation and we will make sure it is set up correctly the first time.