Numbered or Named Company in Ontario?

On this page

The choice, and why it is smaller than it looks

When you incorporate in Ontario, the company needs a legal name. You can choose one, or you can let the province assign a number. Section 8(2) of the Business Corporations Act (the OBCA) says that where no name is set out in the articles, the corporation is assigned a number name. Ontario’s incorporation notice explains the format: the Ministry assigns a number followed by “Ontario“, and you choose the legal ending, so the result reads like “1234567 Ontario Inc.”

The choice is smaller than it looks because the legal name and the name customers see do not have to be the same. A numbered company can trade under a brand, and so can a named one, as long as the trading name is registered. The real question is which name you want on contracts, bank accounts and public records, and how much a name search and the naming rules are worth to you. The wider set-up decisions are on the incorporation section of our corporate law page.

Numbered company and named company compared
Point	Numbered company	Named company
Legal name	A number followed by “Ontario” and a legal ending (OBCA s. 8(2); Ontario notice)	A name you choose, with a legal ending such as Ltd., Inc. or Corp. (OBCA s. 10(1))
Nuans name search report	Not required	Required: Ontario-biased or weighted, no more than 90 days old at filing
Similar or identical name rules	The similarity test in s. 9(1)(b) does not apply to a number name	Must not be the same as or similar to a known name if likely to deceive (s. 9(1)(b)); identical names are restricted
Government incorporation fee	$300	$300, plus the cost of the Nuans report
Trading under a brand	Register the brand under the Business Names Act, $60 for five years	Same, if the brand differs from the corporate name
Changing the name later	Articles of amendment	Articles of amendment

How to name a company, step by step

Pick a name that fits the rules. Section 10(1) requires one of “Limited“, “Incorporated” or “Corporation“, or “Ltd.“, “Inc.” or “Corp.” (or the French equivalents). Section 10(3) allows only Roman letters, Arabic numerals and permitted marks, and Ontario’s notice says a name cannot exceed 120 characters, including spaces and punctuation.
Avoid prohibited and restricted words. Section 9(1)(a) bars words prohibited by the regulations, and Ontario’s notice says some words can only be used with consent.
Order the Nuans report. The notice says it must be Ontario-biased or weighted, obtained from a private search house, and not dated more than 90 days before the articles are filed. A federal-biased report is not acceptable. If you want both an English and a French form, each needs its own search.
Read the report yourself. Ontario says the Ministry does not review proposed names for similarity to other names, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to check the report and get any consent needed.
File the articles in time. The notice reminds filers that a Nuans report can expire while a draft sits unfiled, and a new one is then needed. The full filing process is in how to incorporate a business in Ontario.

Trading under a different name

Section 2(1) of the Business Names Act says no corporation may carry on business or identify itself to the public under a name other than its corporate name unless that name is registered by the corporation. Ontario’s fee table shows $60 for a new registration, and section 4(1.1) says it lasts five years. The registry’s guidance says it can be renewed from six months before to 60 days after it expires, and after that it has to be registered again with a new business identification number.

Two rules apply to how the names are used. Section 2(6) of the Business Names Act requires a corporation using a registered name to set out both the registered name and its corporate name on all contracts, invoices, negotiable instruments and orders. And section 11(2) of the OBCA says a trading name must not include “Limited“, “Incorporated” or “Corporation“, or an abbreviation of them. So a numbered company can trade as “Willow Lane Bakery“, but not as “Willow Lane Bakery Inc.”

Registration is a records rule, not ownership of the brand. If the brand is the business, the name and any trademark deserve their own advice, particularly if you plan to license the brand to others later.

What changes the answer

Speed and simplicity

If you need a company quickly, for a purchase, a lease or a holding structure, a number avoids the search and the risk of a name problem. Holding companies can be numbered for that reason; we explain them in what is a holding company.

A customer-facing brand

If customers, suppliers and lenders will see the corporate name on everything, a named company can look more established and avoids putting both names on every invoice. The trade-off is the search and the naming rules.

Identical and similar names

Ontario’s notice says a corporation generally cannot take a name identical to that of another body corporate, existing or not, unless the other was incorporated outside Ontario and never active here, at least ten years have passed since it dissolved or changed its name, or a lawyer gives a legal opinion under the regulations. A name that is not identical can still be confusingly similar. Under section 12 of the OBCA, the Director can change a name acquired contrary to the rules after a hearing, and Ontario warns that a similar name can also lead to a lawsuit.

Operating across Canada

An Ontario corporate name is an Ontario registration. If national name rights matter, federal incorporation is worth comparing, as set out in Ontario or federal incorporation.

Using the legal name on documents

Whatever name the company trades under, section 10(5) of the OBCA requires its legal name, in legible characters, on all contracts, invoices, negotiable instruments and orders for goods or services, and on everything it sends to the Director. A contract signed only in a brand name can make it harder to show later which entity agreed to it, so it is worth checking your templates when we prepare contracts for the business. Signed agreements then belong in the company’s records, as described in what goes in an Ontario corporation’s minute book.

A name in another language

Section 10(4) lets the articles include a special provision allowing the company to set out its name in any language and be legally designated by it. Ontario’s notice explains that this other-language version is not entered in the registry system and does not appear on a certificate of status, so the registered English or French name remains the one institutions will check.

Changing your mind later

A numbered company can take a name later, and a named company can change its name, by filing articles of amendment. Ontario’s fee table shows $150 for an amendment filed online.

Example

For example, imagine Sana, who is opening a bakery in Aurora and wants to sign a commercial lease next week. A named company would mean ordering a Nuans report and checking it for conflicts, so she incorporates as a numbered company instead, which takes minutes online for the $300 fee. The same day she registers “Willow Lane Bakery” under the Business Names Act for $60.

Her lease, bank account and supplier contracts are signed by the numbered company, and her invoices show both “Willow Lane Bakery” and the corporate name, as section 2(6) requires. Two years later, with a second location planned, she orders an Ontario-biased Nuans report, finds no conflicting names, and files articles of amendment to change the corporate name to “Willow Lane Bakery Inc.” for $150. She updates the bank, her landlord and her supplier contracts with the new legal name.

Common mistakes

Trading under an unregistered name. Section 7 of the Business Names Act says a business that is not registered cannot maintain a court proceeding in connection with that business without the court’s leave.
Adding “Inc.” to a trading name. Section 11(2) of the OBCA forbids it.
Leaving the corporate name off invoices. Both names must appear on contracts and invoices.
Treating a Nuans report as clearance. It is a search result. The Ministry does not check similarity, and a conflict can still surface later.
Letting the Nuans report expire. It cannot be more than 90 days old when the articles are filed.
Forgetting the renewal. A business name registration lasts five years and must be renewed in time.

What to do this week

Decide whether the legal name needs to be the brand, or whether a number with a registered trading name will do.
If you want a name, check it against the naming rules and order an Ontario-biased Nuans report.
Diarize the 90-day limit on the Nuans report.
If you will trade under a brand, plan to register it under the Business Names Act on the day you incorporate.
Update your invoice and contract templates to show both names.
Bring your shortlist of names to a first meeting, with the other items in what to bring when you incorporate. A first consultation takes 30 minutes, by video or in person, and you can request one here.

Frequently asked questions

Can I choose my company’s number?

No. Section 8(1) of the OBCA says the Director assigns the number, and Ontario’s notice says it is unique, cannot be transferred and never changes, even if the company later takes a name.

Do I need a Nuans report for a numbered company?

No. Ontario’s incorporation notice says a Nuans report is not required for a number name.

Does registering a business name protect it?

Registration under the Business Names Act lets you lawfully trade under the name and shows who is behind it on the public record. It is not the same as a trademark, and it does not stop someone else from objecting to a confusing name.

Can my company have both an English and a French name?

Yes. Section 10(2) allows an English name, a French name, a combined name, or equivalent English and French names used separately. Ontario’s notice says each form needs its own Nuans search.

Does a numbered company look less professional?

Some owners feel that way, which is why many trade under a registered business name. Legally, the two kinds of company have exactly the same powers and obligations.

What happens to the name if I sell the business?

In a share sale, the company keeps its name and its registrations. In an asset sale, the brand and any registered business name are among the assets that have to be dealt with. Our page on buying or selling a business explains the difference.

Sources

This page is general information about Ontario law, not legal advice for your situation. It reflects the law as of October 26, 2026.

Numbered company or named company in Ontario?