How much does it cost to incorporate in Ontario?

The government filing fee is the starting point

Filing your articles of incorporation online through the Ontario Business Registry currently costs $300, as at the time of writing. Filing federally through Corporations Canada costs $200 online, which looks cheaper on its face. But a federal corporation operating in Ontario still needs to register extra-provincially with the province — an additional step and cost an Ontario-only incorporation skips entirely. Always confirm the current fee on the relevant registry before you file, since government fee schedules do get updated.

The extra-provincial fee is easy to overlook

A federal corporation that plans to operate in Ontario has to file an extra-provincial registration with the province. That's on top of its $200 federal fee. That registration carries its own separate cost. We would rather you confirm the number on the Ontario Business Registry than have us guess at it here. That figure is not part of the headline federal incorporation fee most people quote. This step is easy to miss when comparing the two options purely on the federal-versus-Ontario sticker price. Skipping it while actively operating in Ontario is a compliance gap worth avoiding, rather than a cost worth cutting.

A name search adds a separate line item

A word name, rather than a numbered company such as "1234567 Ontario Inc.", requires a NUANS report. That report compares your proposed name against existing corporate names and trademarks. Pricing varies by source, from a lower-cost self-serve search to a higher fee through a search house that also reviews the result for you. Treat any specific number as a rough range, and confirm current pricing with whichever provider you use. Choosing a numbered company skips this cost and this step completely, which is worth considering if the corporate name itself is not part of your brand.

Professional fees vary by who prepares the filing

The government fee is only the province or federal government's cut. A lawyer, accountant, or incorporation service will also charge to prepare the articles, structure your share classes correctly, and set up the initial minute book. That fee is where most of the variation between providers actually shows up. A basic single-shareholder filing with a simple share structure costs less to prepare. A filing with multiple share classes for family income splitting, a future co-owner, or a holding company sitting above the operating business, costs more. We quote a fixed fee for incorporation after a short discovery call, once we understand which of those situations actually applies to you. That way the quote reflects the real complexity. It doesn't overcharge a simple filing or undercharge a complex one.

What it costs to stay in good standing afterward

Incorporating is a one-time cost, but keeping the corporation active is not. Every corporation needs:

• A corporate annual return filed each year. Corporations Canada currently charges $12 for this online — confirm the current Ontario Business Registry fee schedule for provincial corporations before assuming it is free
• A minute book kept current, whether you maintain it yourself or pay a firm to do it
• A corporate T2 tax return every year, which carries its own preparation cost beyond the incorporation fee

Most owners underestimate this ongoing side and budget only for the day-one incorporation fee, then are surprised by the recurring cost of keeping the corporation compliant.

Ontario versus federal, side by side

What people forget to budget for

Beyond the fees above, most new corporations also need a business bank account, which some banks charge a monthly fee for. They may also need to file an initial return or notice, reporting the corporation's registered office and directors shortly after incorporating. Confirm the current requirement and timing on the Ontario Business Registry, since the process has changed since the registry launched. Many owners also underestimate the cost of setting up bookkeeping software and a chart of accounts correctly from the corporation's first day. That is a separate cost from the legal filing, but it shows up in the same first few months. None of these are large costs individually, but they add up to more than the headline government filing fee alone.

Registering for a business number itself is free

Once incorporated, the corporation also needs a federal business number. It needs a GST/HST account too, once it registers — whether by choice or because it has crossed the registration threshold. Registering for both directly with the CRA carries no government fee of its own, unlike the incorporation filing itself. What owners actually pay for at this stage is usually the time to have a bookkeeper or accountant set the accounts up correctly. That includes connecting them to accounting software — not the registration itself.

Not-for-profit incorporation runs on a different fee schedule

Everything above applies to a standard business corporation. If you are setting up a not-for-profit instead, incorporating under ONCA through the Ontario Business Registry carries its own separate government fee. That fee is distinct from the business corporation fee described here. See our page on how to incorporate a not-for-profit in Ontario for that figure and what else goes into the filing.

How we handle this

We quote a single fixed fee that covers the filing, the initial minute book, and the first year's guidance on keeping the corporation compliant. That means no surprise add-ons after the government fee. This is part of our incorporation and compliance service. Get in touch through a free quote, and we will tell you the exact number before you commit to anything.