How Much Does It Cost to Incorporate Federally in Canada?

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Incorporating federally in Canada costs $200 in government fees when you file online — plus a $13.80 name search if you want a named (rather than numbered) corporation, for a total of about $213.80. That makes the federal route the cheapest incorporation fee in the country on paper, but it's not the whole bill: most federal corporations also need to register in the province where they operate, and there are small recurring fees every year after. Here's the complete 2026 cost picture, line by line, using Corporations Canada's current fee schedule.

What Are the Government Fees to Incorporate Federally?

Two numbers cover almost everyone: $200 to file, and $13.80 for the name search if your corporation will have a word name.

Item	Government fee	Notes
Articles of Incorporation (online)	$200	Processed in 1 business day
Express service	+$100	4-hour processing
Nuans name search (named corporations)	$13.80	Run inside the online application — don't buy a report beforehand
Numbered corporation (e.g. 12345678 Canada Inc.)	$0 extra	Registry assigns the name; no search needed

Two things worth knowing before you file. First, federal incorporation is online-only — Corporations Canada no longer accepts paper applications for standard incorporations. Second, you no longer order a standalone NUANS report for a federal incorporation: the name search is built into the application for $13.80, and Corporations Canada specifically advises against pre-ordering one. (Provinces like Ontario and Alberta still require pre-filed reports — our guide to business name searches in Canada covers which rules apply where.)

Do You Still Have to Register in Your Province?

Yes — and this is the cost most first-time incorporators miss. Federal incorporation gives your corporation the right to exist Canada-wide, but each province regulates who carries on business there. A federal corporation operating in Alberta, BC or Ontario still has to complete an extra-provincial registration with that province's registry, usually within a few weeks of starting business there.

What it costs varies by province — some charge nothing, others charge a filing fee plus (in Alberta's case) a registry agent's service charge. Budget for at least one provincial registration on top of the $200 federal fee. CRS handles extra-provincial registration for $299 + GST in any province, including the government fee paperwork.

The other federal-only requirement to check before you pay anything: at least 25% of your directors must be resident Canadians (if there are fewer than four directors, at least one). Ontario, BC and Alberta have no residency requirement at all, so if none of your directors lives in Canada, a provincial incorporation may be the simpler route — the trade-offs are laid out in our federal vs. provincial incorporation guide.

What Ongoing Costs Come After Federal Incorporation?

The recurring federal costs are small, but missing them is expensive:

• Annual return — $12/year. Every CBCA corporation files one with Corporations Canada within 60 days of its anniversary date; miss it repeatedly and the corporation can be dissolved. Our federal annual return guide covers the deadline and the filing.
• Certificate of compliance — $10 (online) when a bank, lender or lawyer asks for proof of good standing.
• Articles of amendment — $200 online, if you later change your name, share structure or other articles.
• Revival — $250, if the corporation is ever dissolved for non-filing and you need it back — far more than the $12 returns that would have prevented it.
• Minute book and registers. Not a government fee, but a CBCA obligation: corporations must maintain corporate records from day one. See what belongs in a minute book — CRS builds complete ones from $389.

Add your own registered-office arrangement and basic bookkeeping, and a lean federal corporation's mandatory government costs after incorporation run $12 a year.

Is Federal Cheaper Than Incorporating Provincially?

On the filing fee alone, yes — federal is the lowest in Canada:

Jurisdiction	Incorporation fee (government)
Federal (CBCA)	$200 (+ $13.80 name search)
Saskatchewan	$255
New Brunswick	$262 (e-filed)
Alberta	$291.75 (+ registry agent service fee)
Ontario	$300
British Columbia	$350 (+ $30 name request)

But the sticker price is a tiebreaker, not the decision. Federal adds the 25% resident-director rule and the near-certainty of one provincial registration fee on top, which erases some or all of the savings. What federal buys that provinces don't: Canada-wide protection of your corporate name and the easiest path to operating in multiple provinces. If you'll only ever operate in one province, compare the full costs — we've broken down Ontario and BC in the same format as this guide.

What's the Total Cost: DIY vs. Using a Service?

Three realistic paths for a named federal corporation:

• Do it yourself: about $213.80 in government fees. You handle the name search results, articles, share classes, initial registered office and director forms, and the provincial registration afterward. Budget a few hours, and know that Corporations Canada staff can't give legal advice on your share structure.
• Through CRS: $749 all-in + tax (named) or $699 (numbered) — government fee included, filed in 1 business day, with the name search handled and your articles prepared properly. Check your proposed name is available first with the free search at the top of this page.
• Through a law firm: typically $1,000–$2,500 (market estimate, varies widely). Worth it when you need custom share classes, a shareholders' agreement, or tax-driven structuring from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to incorporate federally in Canada?

$200 in government fees for the online filing, plus $13.80 for the Nuans name search if you're incorporating with a word name — about $213.80 total. A numbered corporation skips the name search and costs $200 flat. Express 4-hour processing is an extra $100.

Do I need a NUANS report to incorporate federally?

No. The name search is now built into Corporations Canada's online application for $13.80, and Corporations Canada advises against ordering a standalone report beforehand. Pre-filed NUANS reports are a provincial requirement (Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick) — not a federal one.

Can non-residents incorporate a federal corporation in Canada?

Only with Canadian help on the board: the CBCA requires at least 25% of directors to be resident Canadians, and at least one resident Canadian director when there are fewer than four. If no director is a Canadian resident, incorporate provincially instead — Ontario, BC and Alberta have no director residency requirement.

What does a federal corporation cost per year after incorporation?

The mandatory government fee is the $12 annual return, due within 60 days of your anniversary date. Beyond that, costs are situational: $10 for a certificate of compliance when a bank asks, $200 if you amend your articles, plus whatever you spend on a registered office and bookkeeping.

Is it cheaper to incorporate federally or provincially?

Federal has the lowest filing fee ($200 vs. $255–$350 provincially), but most federal corporations also pay for an extra-provincial registration in their home province, which narrows or erases the gap. Choose based on where you'll operate and who your directors are, not the fee difference.

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Incorporate without the paperwork. CRS prepares and files your federal articles, runs the name search, and delivers your certificate — start your incorporation →.

Turnaround: 1 business day from order. Price: $699 (numbered) / $749 (named) all-in + tax, government fees included · Operating in more provinces? Extra-provincial registration $299 + GST per province.