Federal Incorporation Service: CBCA Filing, $699 All-In
Ready to incorporate federally? Start your CBCA incorporation — $699 all-in → · NUANS filed nationally, Articles submitted to Corporations Canada, minute book delivered in 3–5 business days. Not sure federal vs. provincial? Book a free 15-min consultation → — no obligation.
Federal incorporation under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) creates a corporation with authority to operate across all of Canada, cross-Canada name protection, and the statute of choice for most institutional investors and cross-border transactions. The trade-off: federal corporations must have at least 25% Canadian resident directors and must file extra-provincial registration in each province where they carry on physical business.
Includes government fees, NUANS (if named), articles, and organizing resolutions. Filed within 1 business day.
Why incorporate federally?
Cross-Canada name protection. A federal NUANS search reserves your corporate name across all 13 provinces and territories. A provincial name search only protects the name within that one province — meaning a competitor in another province could later register an identical or confusingly similar name and force you into an expensive rebrand or trademark fight. For any business with national ambitions, federal name protection is the biggest single reason to pick CBCA.
Preferred by institutional investors and cross-border deals. Canadian and US-based VCs, private equity firms, and corporate lenders often prefer CBCA portfolio companies because the statute is well-understood by cross-border deal counsel, the Articles of Incorporation follow standard patterns across firms, and closing paperwork tends to be smoother. If you're raising national or US-connected capital, federal is a safe default.
Portable across all Canadian jurisdictions. A federal corporation can register as extra-provincial in any province without re-incorporating. This is especially valuable for businesses that start regional but plan to expand, or that operate in industries with unpredictable geography (SaaS, e-commerce, professional services).
Access to federal programs and grants. SR&ED tax credits, federal innovation programs, government procurement contracts, and various sector-specific grants often have federal-corporation preferences or eligibility criteria.
Prestige and credibility. For B2B enterprise sales, government contracts, or international partnerships, a federal corporation registered with Corporations Canada carries more implicit weight than a small provincial corporation. This is soft but real.
Federal incorporation requirements
Under the Canada Business Corporations Act:
- Articles of Incorporation (CBCA Form 1) — the founding document.
- Notice of Directors (Form 6) — names, addresses, and Canadian residency status of each initial director.
- Notice of Registered Office (Form 3) — physical address in Canada (not a PO box).
- NUANS report — mandatory for named corporations; reserves the name nationally for 90 days.
- At least one director — must be 18+. At least 25% must be Canadian residents. For a 1–3 director board, at least one director must be a Canadian resident.
- Registered office in Canada — can be in any province, doesn't need to match where you operate.
What's included in the $699 all-in fee
- Preliminary name availability check with Corporations Canada
- NUANS name search filed (cross-Canada name reservation)
- Articles of Incorporation drafted, customised to your ownership structure
- Notice of Directors + Notice of Registered Office prepared
- Direct filing with Corporations Canada on your behalf
- Personalised by-laws (standard set covering meetings, share transfers, borrowing, dividends)
- Organizational resolutions (first directors' and shareholders' resolutions)
- Complete minute book: Register of Directors, Register of Officers, Securities Register, Ledger of Shareholders
- Share certificates for founding shareholders
- BN (Business Number) application filed with the CRA
- Lifetime good-standing support — CRS tracks your federal annual return deadline every year and notifies you before it's due
All government fees, NUANS charges, and Corporations Canada filing fees are included in the $699. No surprise charges at checkout.
Not included: extra-provincial registration in the provinces where you'll actually operate — $799 per province through CRS. See the consultation booking form to plan the right combination for your setup.
The federal incorporation timeline
Standard CRS turnaround for a CBCA incorporation:
- Day 1 (order received): We confirm your intended names, director list (with Canadian residency status), registered office, and share structure. Preliminary name check.
- Day 1–2: NUANS name search filed nationally. Articles of Incorporation drafted.
- Day 2: Names cleared. Articles filed online with Corporations Canada.
- Day 3–5: Certificate of Incorporation issued (typically 24–48 hours after filing). Minute book, share certificates, and organizational resolutions delivered as signable PDFs. BN application submitted to the CRA.
Total: typically 3–5 business days end-to-end. Corporations Canada is among the fastest registries in the country.
What happens after you incorporate
Every CBCA corporation has ongoing statutory obligations. In your first year:
- Federal annual return — due within 60 days of your anniversary month, filed with Corporations Canada. $12 government fee, filed at $159 all-in through CRS. See our federal annual return guide. Not to be confused with your CRA T2 tax return.
- Extra-provincial registration + annual returns — in each province where you carry on physical business. CRS handles the initial registration ($799/province) and the yearly filings.
- Directors' resolutions — decisions about share issuances, dividends, officer appointments, and annual approval of financial statements must be documented in the minute book. See our director resolutions guide. CRS prepares these at $79 per resolution set.
- CRA T2 corporate income tax return — annually, due 6 months after fiscal year-end (handled by your accountant, separate from the Corporations Canada annual return).
CRS can bundle federal + extra-provincial + ongoing filings if you'd like to keep everything under one roof.
Federal or provincial? Not sure yet — book a free consultation
Not sure whether federal (CBCA) or a specific province is the right jurisdiction? A CRS incorporation specialist walks through your operations, expansion plans, investor makeup, director residency, and name protection needs. Free 15-minute call, no obligation.
Book a free incorporation consultation →
Or read the comparison in Federal vs. Provincial Incorporation in Canada for a self-serve overview.
Ready to incorporate federally?
Start your CBCA incorporation — $699 all-in → · NUANS + Articles filed with Corporations Canada, minute book delivered in 3–5 business days.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Canadian resident directors for a federal (CBCA) corporation?
Yes — the Canada Business Corporations Act requires that at least 25% of your directors be Canadian residents. For a small board of 1–3 directors, that means at least one director must be a Canadian resident. If your founding team has no Canadian residents, either appoint a resident director (a common role for early-stage board seats) or incorporate in a province with no residency requirement: British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, or Nova Scotia.
What is 'cross-Canada name protection' and why does it matter?
When you incorporate federally, your NUANS name search reserves your corporate name across all of Canada — no other corporation can register the same or a confusingly similar name in any province or territory. A provincial incorporation only reserves the name within that one province. For businesses with national ambitions, cross-Canada name protection prevents a competitor from later registering your name in a different province and forcing an expensive rebrand.
Federal or provincial — which is better if I'm raising VC?
Many Canadian and US-based institutional investors default to CBCA (federal) for portfolio companies because the statute is well-understood by cross-border deal counsel, and the Articles are more standardised across firms. If you're raising national or US-connected capital, federal is a safe default. If your investors are provincially-scoped (e.g., Ontario angels investing in Ontario startups), OBCA can be equally acceptable. Ask your investors on the consultation call — they usually have a preference and it's cheap to align at incorporation.
How long does federal incorporation take?
Corporations Canada is one of the fastest registries in Canada. CRS-filed CBCA incorporations typically complete end-to-end in 3–5 business days: NUANS name search cleared on day 1–2, Articles of Incorporation filed online with Corporations Canada by day 2, Certificate of Incorporation issued within 24–48 hours, and the full minute book delivered as signable PDFs shortly after.
If I incorporate federally, do I still need to register provincially?
Yes — a federal corporation can carry on business anywhere in Canada, but most provinces require a separate extra-provincial registration in every province where you have a physical office, employees, or significant operations. Only online sales into a province typically don't trigger it. CRS handles extra-provincial registrations at $799 per province if you need them alongside the federal incorporation.
We'll pull your registry record, confirm what's changed, and file. No lawyer needed.