Corporate Name Search

A Corporate Name Search is required by the government to incorporate a business. It ensures that a proposed corporate name has not already been trademarked by searching appropriate databases for similar or identical business names.

A Corporate Name Search searches federal and/or provincial databses to determine the availability of a proposed business name.

A Corporate Name Search searches for registered and trademarked names in the appropriate databases. It is the only way to guarantee that a proposed corporate name has not already been registered or trademarked, and it is required by Canadian federal and provincial governments if you want to register your business or incorporate. If you are registering Federally or in AB, ON, NB, NS or PEI, a NUANS search is required. Elsewhere, provincial searches are required.

You can perform either a "preliminary search" or an "official search":

• Preliminary Search: Searches the appropriate databases and shows any results that are identical or confusingly similar to your proposed names. You can search up to three names at a time, but the results of a Preliminary Search cannot be used to incorporate or register your business.

• Offical Search: Is more accurate, can be used to incorporate or register your business, and is valid for 90 days in most jurisdictions and 56 days in British Columbia.

If you are considering incorporating a company and you are located in the Toronto (Ontario) area, consider the Law Office of Peter Cusimano to do the incorporation.

See also: What's Involved in Choosing a Name for a Corporation in Ontario?