What it costs to start a small business in Ontario: registration, setup and getting online

The government side of starting a business in Ontario costs less than most people expect. Depending on the structure you choose, registration fees range from nothing at all to a few hundred dollars, and the larger costs usually arrive later, when you set the business up to look and work like an established company.

This guide walks through each cost in the order you will meet it, from registering with the Ontario Business Registry through to getting online. The government fees below come from official sources where possible and were checked in October 2026. Fees do change from time to time, so confirm the current amounts before you file.

Step 1: Choose your business structure

Your structure decides which registration you need and what it costs.

• A sole proprietorship is the simplest option, since the business and the owner are legally the same person.
• A partnership works in the same way for two or more owners.
• A corporation is a separate legal entity, which can limit your personal liability but adds filings, record-keeping and accounting costs.

Many people start as sole proprietors and incorporate later, once the business is earning steadily. An accountant or a lawyer can tell you which structure suits your situation, particularly where liability and tax are concerned.

Step 2: Register with the Ontario Business Registry

Sole proprietorships and partnerships

If you operate under your own legal name with nothing added, you generally don't need to register. If you use any other name, including your own name with a word such as "Consulting" or "Services" added, you must register it through the Ontario Business Registry. A business name registration costs $60, lasts five years and costs another $60 to renew.

Registering gives you a Master Business Licence. Most banks ask to see this document, or a certificate of incorporation, before they will open an account in the business's name.

Ontario corporations

Incorporating in Ontario costs $300 when you file articles of incorporation online through the Ontario Business Registry, compared with $360 for a paper filing, and online incorporations are processed almost immediately. If you want a named corporation rather than a numbered one, you also need an Ontario-biased NUANS name search report from a private search house. The price is set by the search house and typically falls somewhere between about $15 and $75, and the report must be dated no more than 90 days before you file. A numbered company, such as 1234567 Ontario Inc., needs no name search at all.

Once it exists, an Ontario corporation must file an initial return within 60 days and an annual return every year. Both filings are free through the Ontario Business Registry.

Federal corporations

Incorporating federally through Corporations Canada costs $200 online. A federal corporation that carries on business in Ontario must also register in the province as an extra-provincial corporation by filing an initial return, which has no government fee. Federal incorporation protects your corporate name across Canada, whereas an Ontario corporation's name is protected within the province.

Filing it yourself or using a service

You can file everything yourself through the Ontario Business Registry. Search houses and incorporation services will file on your behalf, but they add their own fee on top of the government charge, so compare the total cost before you choose that route. FourSight offers this as an optional part of the Launch Bundle, charging the government fee at cost plus a $200 service fee.

Step 3: Register with the Canada Revenue Agency

The Canada Revenue Agency issues a nine-digit business number that it uses for all of your business accounts, and registering for one costs nothing. Corporations receive a business number automatically when they incorporate.

You must register for GST/HST once your taxable sales pass $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, and that registration is also free. You can register earlier by choice, which allows you to claim back the GST/HST you pay on business purchases. Your accountant can tell you whether registering early makes sense for your business.

Step 4: Check whether you need a municipal licence

Some types of business also need a licence from the municipality where they operate. In Toronto, licences apply to categories such as restaurants, food retailers, certain trades and vehicle-based businesses, and the fee depends on the category, often running to several hundred dollars. Many home-based and professional service businesses don't need a municipal licence at all. Check the City of Toronto's business licensing information, or your own municipality's, for your specific type of business before you open.

Step 5: Get the business online

Once the paperwork is done, the costs shift to making the business look and work properly. This is where most of the money goes, and it is where spending wisely makes the biggest difference.

• A domain name usually costs tens of dollars a year, and registering a .ca requires meeting CIRA's Canadian Presence Requirements.
• Business email through Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is billed per person per month, and prices vary by plan, so check each vendor's current pricing.
• A professionally built five-page website typically costs a few thousand dollars, with hosting to pay from the second year onwards.
• A Google Business Profile is free to create, although setting it up properly and getting it verified takes time.
• A logo and brand kit can cost very little if you design it yourself, or several thousand dollars for a full identity from an agency.

Government fees side by side

The table below compares the government fees for a sole proprietor trading under a business name with those for a named Ontario corporation, before any municipal licence fees.

A worked example

Consider someone starting a bookkeeping practice in Toronto. As a sole proprietor trading as "Maple Grove Bookkeeping", they pay $60 to register the name, obtain a free business number and decide with their accountant to register for GST/HST voluntarily. As a professional service working from home, the practice is unlikely to need a municipal licence, although the owner checks the City's list to be sure, which brings their total government cost to $60.

If the same person incorporated as Maple Grove Bookkeeping Inc. instead, they would pay $300 to incorporate online and somewhere between about $15 and $75 for the NUANS report, then file a free initial return within 60 days. Their government costs would come to roughly $315 to $375, with higher accounting costs each year to follow. In both cases, the larger expense is getting online, which covers the domain, business email, a website and a Google Business Profile.

Ongoing costs to budget for

• A business name registration must be renewed every five years for $60.
• A corporation files a free annual return, but its year-end accounting usually costs more than a sole proprietor's.
• Your domain renews every year at the registrar's price.
• Email licences are charged per person every month.
• Website hosting becomes an ongoing cost after the first year.
• Bookkeeping software and business insurance are worth budgeting for from the start.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register my business entirely online?

The Ontario Business Registry handles business name registrations, incorporations and annual filings online, and online incorporations are usually processed the same day.

Do I need a lawyer to incorporate?

You aren't required to use one, and many owners file through the Ontario Business Registry themselves. A lawyer or an accountant is worth consulting if you have partners or investors, or if you have questions about liability and tax.

Should I choose a numbered or a named corporation?

A numbered corporation is quicker and avoids the cost of a NUANS report, and you can still operate under a registered business name. A named corporation costs a little more but carries your brand in its legal name.

What is a Master Business Licence?

It is the document you receive when you register a business name in Ontario. Banks usually ask for it, or for a certificate of incorporation, before they will open a business account.

This article offers general guidance rather than legal, tax or accounting advice. Fees were checked in October 2026 and can change, so confirm the current amounts with the Ontario Business Registry, the Canada Revenue Agency and your municipality before you file.

Key takeaways

• Registering a sole proprietorship or partnership name costs $60 for five years.
• Incorporating costs $300 in Ontario or $200 federally, plus a NUANS report if you want a named Ontario corporation.
• A CRA business number and GST/HST registration are both free.
• Most of the real cost of starting a business comes from getting online and looking established rather than from government fees.