NUANS stands for Newly Upgraded Automated Name Search. It's a computer-generated reservation report maintained by Corporations Canada that lists existing business names, corporate names, reserved names (other completed NUANS reports), and trademarks across all Canadian jurisdictions except Quebec. The report is up to 7 pages long. Crucially, the NUANS database does NOT tell you whether your name is available — it just lists similar existing names. That's why we recommend running a Preliminary Search first.
A NUANS report is mandatory for incorporation filings in: Federal/Canada, Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, and Prince Edward Island. It's also required for Articles of Amendment (corporate name changes), Professional Corporations, Not-for-Profit Incorporations, Extra-Provincial Registrations, Shelf Corporations, and Trademark searches. Provinces where NUANS is NOT required include British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nunavut, Manitoba, Yukon, and Saskatchewan — though a Preliminary Search is highly recommended in these jurisdictions.
A NUANS report is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. If your incorporation isn't filed within that 90-day window, you'll need to order a new NUANS report. We recommend timing your NUANS to be ordered within 30 days of your planned incorporation date to leave a buffer for processing or any corrections needed.
A NUANS report is the official name reservation document required for incorporation in mandatory jurisdictions — it reserves your name for 90 days. A Preliminary Search is a name availability check that searches existing businesses, corporations, and trademarks to help you assess whether your proposed name is likely to be available BEFORE you spend money on a NUANS. Most customers do BOTH: a Preliminary Search first ($12 DIY or $22 assisted) to vet the name, then a NUANS report ($54.99 instant or $27.50 assistance fee) to reserve it.
Choose Instant ($54.99) if you've already done your name due diligence and want immediate 24/7 access to the official reservation document. Choose Assisted ($27.50 fee) if you want our experienced team to pre-search the name, check for prohibited keywords or trademark conflicts, run a domain search alongside, and review the NUANS results — best for first-time incorporators or names with potential conflicts. Assisted is processed Mon-Fri 9-5 EST within 2-5 hours.
CIDREQ (Centre Informatique Du Registre des Entreprises Du Québec) is the Quebec equivalent of NUANS. Quebec corporations are not part of the NUANS database — they have their own separate system. A CIDREQ report is required for: Quebec incorporations, Articles of Amendment in Quebec with a corporate name change, and Extra-Provincial Registrations into Quebec. If you're incorporating in Ontario or another NUANS jurisdiction, you do NOT need a CIDREQ.
Order the NUANS for whichever province you intend to incorporate in. If you're incorporating in Ontario, order an Ontario NUANS. If you're doing a Federal incorporation, order a Canada NUANS. Crucially, you cannot use a Federal/Canada NUANS for an Ontario incorporation — the Province will reject it because the report wouldn't be biased toward Ontario's existing businesses. The NUANS jurisdiction must match the incorporation jurisdiction.
If a Preliminary Search returns existing businesses or trademarks similar to your proposed name, you have several options: (1) Choose a different name and run another Preliminary Search, (2) Add a distinguishing word to your name to differentiate it, (3) For assisted searches, our team can help explain the conflict so you can make an informed decision on how to proceed. By doing the Preliminary Search FIRST, you avoid wasting the $54.99 NUANS report cost on a name that won't be approved.
Yes — with the Assisted NUANS option ($27.50 fee), you can include domain name registration alongside your name search. If both the business name and domain are available, you can register the domain (1-5 years) at the same time. This bundling saves time and ensures your business identity is consistent across legal incorporation and online presence. If either the business name or domain has a conflict, you can pivot to a different name at no additional cost.
No — a NUANS report is NOT required for Sole Proprietorships, General Partnerships, or Trade Names registered under the Ontario Business Names Act. It's only required for incorporated businesses in mandatory NUANS jurisdictions. However, we strongly recommend running a Preliminary Search ($12 DIY or $22 assisted) before any registration to avoid trademark conflicts or duplication of an existing business name — issues that could lead to rebranding costs later or even legal disputes.
