Prince Edward Island Incorporation Service: BCA Filing, $699 All-In
Ready to incorporate in PEI? Start your PEI incorporation — $699 all-in → · Articles filed with the PEI Corporate Registry, minute book delivered in 3–5 business days. Not sure PEI vs. federal? Book a free 15-min consultation → — no obligation.
Prince Edward Island is Canada's smallest province by size and population, but a strong choice for businesses in agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, and small-business services. Corporations are formed under the Business Corporations Act (PEI) and filed with the PEI Corporate Registry. The main ongoing-compliance thing to know: PEI's annual return has one of Canada's tightest windows (30 days from anniversary), so consistent monitoring matters — which CRS handles for you.
Includes government fees, NUANS (if named), articles, and organizing resolutions. Filed within 1 business day.
Why incorporate in PEI?
Alignment with agriculture, aquaculture, and tourism. PEI's economy is anchored in potato and dairy agriculture, mussel and oyster aquaculture, seafood processing, tourism, and small-business services. Provincial incorporation aligns you with the PEI regulatory environment and provincial programs targeted at these sectors.
Provincial support for small business. PEI has a well-regarded small-business ecosystem with provincial programs (Innovation PEI, agriculture stabilization, tourism marketing support) that generally favour provincially incorporated businesses.
Straightforward corporations statute. PEI's Business Corporations Act is close in structure to the federal CBCA — Canadian deal counsel and Canadian VC investors are comfortable with PEI corporations. Standard Articles of Incorporation defaults are conventional and well-understood.
Atlantic Canada operations stay simple. For businesses operating primarily in PEI or across Atlantic Canada, provincial incorporation avoids the extra-provincial registration burden a federal corporation would carry.
PEI incorporation requirements
Under the Business Corporations Act (Prince Edward Island):
- Articles of Incorporation — the founding document specifying name, share structure, and any special provisions.
- Notice of Directors — names and addresses of the initial board.
- Notice of Registered Office — physical PEI address (not a PO box).
- NUANS report or PEI name search — for named corporations. Numbered corporations skip this.
- At least one director — must be 18+. At least 25% must be Canadian residents.
- Filing through the PEI Corporate Registry — CRS handles this on your behalf; no provincial portal account required on your end.
What's included in the $699 all-in fee
- Preliminary name availability check with the PEI Corporate Registry
- NUANS or PEI name search filed
- Articles of Incorporation drafted, customised to your ownership structure
- Notice of Directors + Notice of Registered Office prepared
- Direct filing with the PEI Corporate Registry 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 annual return deadline every year and notifies you before the tight 30-day window closes
All government fees, NUANS charges, and PEI Corporate Registry filing fees are included in the $699. No surprise charges at checkout.
The PEI incorporation timeline
Standard CRS turnaround for a PEI incorporation:
- Day 1 (order received): We confirm your intended names, director list, registered office, and share structure. Preliminary name check.
- Day 1–2: NUANS or PEI name search filed. Articles of Incorporation drafted.
- Day 2–3: Names cleared. Articles filed with the PEI Corporate Registry.
- Day 3–5: Certificate of Incorporation issued. 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.
What happens after you incorporate
Every PEI corporation has ongoing statutory obligations. In your first year:
- Annual return — due within 30 days of your anniversary date (one of Canada's tightest windows), filed with the PEI Corporate Registry. $50 government fee, filed at $159 all-in through CRS. See our PEI annual return guide.
- 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 PEI annual return).
CRS can bundle all three ongoing filings if you'd like to keep everything under one roof.
PEI or federal? Not sure yet — book a free consultation
Not sure whether Prince Edward Island or federal (CBCA) is the right jurisdiction? A CRS incorporation specialist walks through where you operate, your investor makeup, director residency, and Atlantic Canada expansion plans. 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 in PEI?
Start your PEI incorporation — $699 all-in → · Articles filed with the PEI Corporate Registry, minute book delivered in 3–5 business days.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Canadian resident directors for a PEI corporation?
Yes. Under the Business Corporations Act (Prince Edward Island), at least 25% of your directors must be Canadian residents. For a small board of 1–3 directors, at least one director must be a Canadian resident. If your founding team has no Canadian residents, incorporating in a province with no residency requirement (BC, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia) may be simpler than appointing a resident director purely for compliance.
Is PEI a good jurisdiction for agriculture, tourism, or seafood businesses?
Yes — PEI's economy is anchored in agriculture (potatoes, dairy), aquaculture and seafood, tourism, and small-business services. Provincial incorporation aligns you with the PEI regulatory environment and provincial programs. For businesses operating primarily in PEI or across Atlantic Canada, provincial incorporation is simpler and cheaper long-term than federal + extra-provincial registration.
PEI's 30-day annual return deadline is tight — how do I stay on top of it?
PEI has one of Canada's shortest annual return windows: 30 days from your anniversary date each year. Missing this deadline puts the corporation into non-compliance and can quickly lead to administrative dissolution. CRS monitors your anniversary date and files well within the 30-day window every year — you don't have to calendar it yourself. Our all-in AR service is $159, filed within 1 business day of order.
How long does PEI incorporation take?
CRS-filed PEI incorporations typically complete end-to-end in 3–5 business days: NUANS or PEI name search cleared on day 1–2, Articles of Incorporation filed with the PEI Corporate Registry by day 2–3, Certificate of Incorporation issued shortly after, and the full minute book delivered as signable PDFs.
Named or numbered — which should I pick for PEI?
A named PEI corporation (e.g., 'Island Aquaculture Ltd.') requires a NUANS report or PEI name search to confirm availability. A numbered corporation skips the name search entirely and is faster and cheaper to set up. Many businesses start numbered and later file Articles of Amendment to add a name — a common, cost-effective approach when branding hasn't been finalized.
We'll pull your registry record, confirm what's changed, and file. No lawyer needed.