A numbered company is a corporation whose legal name is assigned by the government: its number, the jurisdiction, and a legal ending, such as 12345678 Canada Inc. federally or a name in the form [number] Ontario Inc. provincially. A named company carries a name you choose, like Maple Ridge Consulting Inc. Legally the two are identical. The corporation has the same limited liability, the same tax treatment and the same filing obligations either way. What differs is branding, the name search, and a little speed and cost: a numbered company needs no NUANS report, while a named Ontario corporation needs an Ontario-biased NUANS report before it can file.
This guide explains how each kind of name is formed under the federal and Ontario statutes, when a name search is required, how a numbered company can still trade under a brand name, and how to switch to a word name later.
What a numbered corporation is
A numbered corporation is one that did not propose a name when it filed its Articles of Incorporation. Instead, the registry assigns one. Because the government generates the name from a unique number, it cannot clash with any other business, so there is nothing to search and nothing for the registry to refuse.
You do not choose the number, and you cannot reserve a particular one. The only choice you make is the legal ending: Inc., Ltd. or Corp., or their full forms or French equivalents.
How a number name is formed, federally and in Ontario
Both statutes spell out the format, and both put the jurisdiction in the middle of the name.
- Federal (Canada Business Corporations Act). Section 11(2) of the CBCA requires the Director, on request, to assign as the corporation's name a designating number followed by the word "Canada" and a legal ending listed in section 10(1). Corporations Canada uses 12345678 Canada Inc. as its example, and you select the numbered-name option when you incorporate through its Online Filing Centre.
- Ontario (Business Corporations Act). The OBCA defines a "number name" as a name that consists only of the corporation number followed by the word "Ontario" and one of the legal endings in section 10(1). Under section 8(2), if no name is specified in the articles delivered to the Director, the corporation is assigned a number name. The number in the name is the corporation's own Ontario corporation number.
The legal endings allowed in Ontario are "Limited", "Limitée", "Incorporated", "Incorporée" or "Corporation", or the abbreviations "Ltd.", "Ltée", "Inc." or "Corp." (OBCA s. 10(1)). The federal list in CBCA s. 10(1) is similar and also includes a French form specific to federal corporations.
One exception matters for regulated professionals in Ontario: section 3.2(2) of the OBCA says a professional corporation shall not have a number name, and its name must include "Professional Corporation" or "société professionnelle". A professional corporation is always a named corporation.
What a named corporation is
A named corporation carries a name you choose, like Maple Ridge Consulting Inc. Because the name has to be distinctive and must not be confusing with existing businesses, it needs a NUANS name search before you file. That is the extra step and the small extra cost.
A typical word name has three parts: a distinctive element (Maple Ridge), a descriptive element that says what the business does (Consulting), and the legal ending (Inc.). Section 9 of the OBCA prohibits a name that is the same as, or similar to, the name of a known business if the use of that name would be likely to deceive. Notably, the similarity test in section 9(1)(b) expressly does not apply where a number name is proposed, which is why numbered companies skip the search entirely.
A proposed word name can be refused, and some names need consent from an existing business before they are allowed. If you are weighing names, the guide on why corporate names get rejected covers the most common problems.
When a NUANS report is required
The name search rules differ by jurisdiction, and they only ever apply to named corporations.
- Named Ontario corporation. An original Ontario-biased NUANS report must be obtained from a private search house and submitted with the Articles of Incorporation. The report cannot be dated more than 90 days before the articles are filed.
- Named federal corporation. No separate NUANS report is required. When you incorporate online with a word name, the name search and preapproval are built into the Corporations Canada application.
- Numbered corporation, federal or Ontario. No name search of any kind. The registry assigns the name.
Korporex orders the Ontario-biased NUANS report for named Ontario incorporations. For how the requirement works in other provinces, see which provinces require NUANS.
Named vs numbered at a glance
| Factor | Named corporation | Numbered corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name | A name you choose, e.g. Maple Ridge Consulting Inc. | Assigned, e.g. 12345678 Canada Inc. or [number] Ontario Inc. |
| Name search (Ontario) | Ontario-biased NUANS report, dated within 90 days | None |
| Name search (federal) | Built into the online application, no separate report | None |
| Risk of name refusal | Possible | None |
| Government filing fee | Ontario $300, federal $200 | Ontario $300, federal $200 |
| Extra cost | Ontario NUANS report from a private search house | None |
| Speed | Name must be searched or reviewed first | Fastest route |
| Branding | Name works as a brand | Generic; a registered business name can be added |
| Professional corporation (Ontario) | Required | Not permitted |
| Legal status, liability, tax | Identical | Identical |
Speed and cost
Government filing fees are the same whichever kind of name you choose: $300 for Ontario Articles of Incorporation and $200 for a federal incorporation. Ontario processes online incorporations immediately, and Corporations Canada's standard online processing is one business day.
The difference is what has to happen before you can file. A named Ontario corporation cannot file until a NUANS report has been obtained, and the report is a separate cost charged by the search house, not a government fee. A federal word name goes through Corporations Canada's name review inside the application, and a name that is not approved has to be changed before the corporation can be created. A numbered corporation avoids both, which is why it is the usual choice when a corporation is needed on a tight deadline, for example to sign a lease or close a purchase. The cost to incorporate in Ontario guide breaks down every government fee.
Operating a numbered company under a business name
A numbered company does not have to show its number to customers. It can carry on business under a separate name, but in Ontario it has to register that name first. Section 2(1) of the Business Names Act says no corporation shall carry on business or identify itself to the public under a name other than its corporate name unless the name is registered by that corporation. The rule applies to federal corporations doing business in Ontario as well as to Ontario corporations.
- Fee and term. Registration costs $60 and is effective for five years from the date it is accepted (Business Names Act s. 4(1.1)). Renewal also costs $60.
- Both names on paper. A corporation using a registered name must set out both the registered name and its corporate name on all contracts, invoices, negotiable instruments and orders for goods or services (s. 2(6)). The OBCA separately requires the corporate name to appear legibly on the same documents (s. 10(5)).
- Consequences of not registering. A corporation carrying on business under an unregistered name cannot maintain a proceeding in an Ontario court in connection with that business without leave of the court (s. 7(1)), and a corporation can be fined up to $25,000 (s. 10(1)).
- No exclusivity. Ontario notes that the Business Names Act does not protect the exclusivity of a registered name. Trademark registration under federal law is the route to protecting a brand.
Korporex files business name registrations for corporations. Many holding companies never need one, because they do not deal with the public; a holding company is often numbered for exactly that reason.
Changing a numbered company to a name later
A numbered corporation can adopt a word name at any time by filing Articles of Amendment. Both statutes make this easier than other amendments: a number name can be changed to a word name by a resolution of the directors, without the special resolution of shareholders that a name change normally requires (OBCA s. 168(4) and (5); CBCA s. 173(3)).
- Ontario. File Articles of Amendment through the Ontario Business Registry. The government fee is $150. An Ontario-biased NUANS report for the new name is required, and you are asked for its reference number, the name searched and the date of the report.
- Federal. File Articles of Amendment with Corporations Canada. The government fee is $200. The proposed word name goes through the same name review as at incorporation.
- After the change. The corporation is the same legal entity with the same corporation number, so its contracts, bank accounts and tax accounts carry on. Banks, the CRA, landlords and suppliers need to be told of the new name.
Korporex handles the filing through its change of name service or, if the name change is part of broader changes to the articles, through Articles of Amendment.
Privacy and branding trade-offs
A numbered name does not reveal what the business does or who is behind it at a glance, which is one reason it is common for holding companies, real estate purchases and other entities that do not face customers. That privacy is limited, though. Ontario's corporation profile report lists every active director and officer with an address for service, and Corporations Canada publishes the names and addresses of directors of federal corporations along with some information about individuals with significant control. Anyone who searches the registry can see who runs the company.
On the branding side, a word name can appear on signage, invoices and a website without a separate registration, and it tells customers and lenders what the business is. A numbered company that wants a brand has two extra steps available: register a business name, or amend its articles to a word name later.
Which should you choose?
Many owners pick a named corporation when the company is customer-facing and the name is part of the brand, because it avoids running two names in parallel. Many pick a numbered corporation when the name does not matter to customers, when the corporation is needed quickly, or when it is a holding company or other behind-the-scenes entity.
A numbered corporation is not a life sentence. It can trade under a registered business name from day one and switch to a word name whenever it is ready. For the tax and structural questions that sit behind the choice, such as whether a separate holding company makes sense, an accountant or lawyer can advise on your own situation.
Where Korporex fits
The Korporex incorporation wizard offers both. Pick a numbered corporation for the fastest route, or enter a name and Korporex runs the NUANS search as part of the filing. If you are still deciding where to incorporate, the guide to federal vs provincial incorporation compares the two.
Frequently asked questions
What does a numbered company name look like in Ontario?+
Under the OBCA, a number name is the corporation's Ontario corporation number followed by the word "Ontario" and a legal ending such as Inc., Ltd. or Corp., in the form [number] Ontario Inc. A federal numbered corporation uses "Canada" instead, for example 12345678 Canada Inc. You choose the legal ending, but not the number.
Do I need a NUANS report for a numbered company?+
No. Neither Ontario nor Corporations Canada requires a name search for a numbered corporation, because the registry assigns the name. A named Ontario corporation needs an Ontario-biased NUANS report dated within 90 days of filing. A named federal corporation needs no separate report, since the name search is built into the online application.
Can a numbered company use a brand name?+
Yes. In Ontario, a corporation that carries on business under a name other than its corporate name must register that name under the Business Names Act. Registration costs $60 and lasts five years. The corporation must then show both the registered name and its corporate name on contracts, invoices and orders.
How do I change a numbered company to a named company?+
File Articles of Amendment. In Ontario the government fee is $150 and an Ontario-biased NUANS report for the new name is required. Federally the fee is $200 and the name is reviewed by Corporations Canada. In both cases the directors can authorize the change from a number name to a word name by resolution.
Does a numbered company keep the owner's identity private?+
Only partly. The name itself reveals nothing about the business or its owners, but directors' names and addresses are on the public record in both Ontario and federal registries, and Corporations Canada also publishes some information about individuals with significant control of federal corporations.