All about business names

Unincorporated Business Names In A Nutshell

  • A business name is simply the name of your business, whether it is incorporated, a sole proprietorship, a partnership, etc.
  • The business type you’ve chosen, for example a corporation or an unincorporated sole proprietorship, will determine the type of name search needed as well as the registration requirements
  • A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business
  • In most provinces, including Ontario, you MUST register your unincorporated business name when you start using it, and thereafter renew the registration every 5 years
  • In Ontario, a NUANS search is not necessary in order to register an unincorporated business name, but it is recommended
  • Ontario requires its own special NUANS search to be submitted with a registration request