Ontario Corporation Search
How to look up an Ontario corporation or registered business name, what each search actually tells you, and how to confirm a company is active before you sign anything.
Ontario corporations and registered business names are searched through the Ontario Business Registry, the province’s official registry operated by ServiceOntario. The free public search confirms a company’s legal name, type and status. A paid Corporation Profile Report adds the registered office address, the directors and officers, the incorporation date and the filing history. Federally incorporated companies are searched separately through Corporations Canada.
How to run the search
- 1
Know what you are searching by
You can search by the exact legal name or by the Ontario Corporation Number (OCN). Names are matched closely, so a trading name or an abbreviation may not find the record — use the full legal name including the legal element (Inc., Ltd., Corp.) if you have it.
- 2
Run the free public search
The free search on the Ontario Business Registry confirms that the entity exists and returns its legal name, entity type and current status. That is often all you need to verify that a counterparty is real and active.
- 3
Order a Corporation Profile Report if you need detail
For the registered office address, the directors and officers, the incorporation date and the filing history, order a Corporation Profile Report. This is the paid report banks, landlords, lawyers and buyers ask for during due diligence.
- 4
Check the status carefully
Active means the corporation is in good standing on the register. Dissolved or cancelled means it is not — and corporations can be dissolved administratively for missed annual returns, so a business that is still trading may not be active on paper. For formal proof of good standing, request a Certificate of Status.
Which registry do you need?
Ontario Business Registry
Ontario corporations, registered business names, sole proprietorships and partnerships.
Free search for name, type and status. Corporation Profile Report (paid) for directors, address and filing history.
Corporations Canada
Corporations incorporated federally under the Canada Business Corporations Act.
Free federal corporation search showing status and directors. A federal corporation operating in Ontario should also appear on the Ontario register.
NUANS (name search)
Anyone choosing a name for a new corporation — not a search of existing companies.
A pre-incorporation report comparing a proposed name against existing corporate names and trademarks.
When you’d need a corporation search
- Due diligence before signing with a supplier, contractor or partner
- Confirming a contracting party is a real, active legal entity
- Checking who the directors are before a purchase or investment
- Verifying an exact legal name and address for a contract or court filing
- Screening a prospective commercial tenant or franchisee
- Confirming your own record is accurate before a bank or lender pulls it
The Ontario Corporation Search Guide
How to look up any Ontario or federal corporation, read a Corporation Profile Report line by line, and spot the red flags before you sign with a supplier, partner or tenant.
What's inside
- Where to search — Ontario Business Registry vs. Corporations Canada
- What the free search shows, and what it does not
- How to read a Corporation Profile Report line by line
- Active, dissolved or cancelled — what each status really means
- The due-diligence checklist to run before you sign
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The Ontario Corporation Search Guide
How to look up any Ontario or federal corporation, read a Corporation Profile Report line by line, and spot the red flags before you sign with a supplier, partner or tenant.
Free PDF · Search walkthrough + due-diligence checklist
If the name is free, we’ll register it for you
A corporation search tells you what already exists. If you are checking whether your name is taken, the next step is a NUANS name search and the incorporation filing itself — both included in our all-in $499 Ontario incorporation, or $99 all-in to register a business name.
Ontario corporation search — common questions
- How do I search for a corporation in Ontario?
- Ontario corporations and registered business names are searched through the Ontario Business Registry, the province’s official online registry operated by ServiceOntario. The free public search lets you look up a business by name or by its Ontario Corporation Number and confirm that the entity exists and whether it is active.
- Is an Ontario corporation search free?
- The basic public search is free and confirms the legal name, the entity type and the status. A Corporation Profile Report — the document that lists the registered office address, the directors and officers, the incorporation date and the filing history — is a paid report ordered through the registry or an intermediary. Fees are set by ServiceOntario and change from time to time.
- What information does a Corporation Profile Report show?
- A Corporation Profile Report typically shows the corporation’s legal name, Ontario Corporation Number, incorporation date and jurisdiction, current status, registered or head office address, the directors and officers on record, and a history of filings and amendments. It is the document usually requested by banks, landlords, lawyers and buyers during due diligence.
- How do I check if an Ontario company is still active?
- The registry shows a status for every entity — an active corporation is in good standing on the register, while a corporation that has been dissolved or cancelled shows as inactive. Corporations can be dissolved administratively for missing annual returns, so a company that is still trading may not be active on paper. If you need formal proof, a Certificate of Status is the document that confirms good standing.
- What is the difference between an Ontario and a federal corporation search?
- They are two separate registers. Ontario corporations are searched through the Ontario Business Registry; corporations incorporated federally under the Canada Business Corporations Act are searched through the Corporations Canada federal corporation search, which is free and shows directors and status. A federal corporation operating in Ontario should also appear on the Ontario register through its extra-provincial registration.
- Is a corporation search the same as a NUANS name search?
- No. A corporation search looks up a company that already exists. A NUANS name search is a pre-incorporation report that compares a proposed name against existing corporate names and trademarks to show whether it is likely available. If you are choosing a name rather than researching an existing company, the NUANS search is the one you need.
- Why would I need to look up a corporation?
- The usual reasons are due diligence before signing with a supplier or partner, confirming that a contracting party is a real and active legal entity, checking who the directors are before a purchase or investment, verifying a corporation’s exact legal name and registered address for a contract or a court filing, and confirming your own record is accurate before a bank or a lender pulls it.
General information, not legal advice. The Ontario Business Registry and Corporations Canada are the authoritative sources — always confirm current fees and record details directly with them.
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