Ontario business-name registration
We handle the name search and submit your sole-proprietorship registration through the Ontario Business Registry using your owner and business details.
Register a sole proprietorship in Ontario.
Your Ontario business name, registered, with the name search and documents handled.
$50 one-time service fee
Plus the $60 Ontario government registration fee
- Ontario registration and name search
- Your business-name registration documents
- Optional Toronto business address
More than a registration
Your business name. Your own business mailing address.
One team for your registration and your business mail. Add a Toronto address and manage incoming mail online, wherever you work.
- A Toronto mailing address for your website and invoices
- Address-for-service use for eligible Ontario sole proprietors
- Online mail management, with scanning and forwarding available
$45/month · optional, billed separately
Explore the virtual business addressAddress-for-service use requires an active Ontario registration and identity verification. Your principal place of business remains where you actually work; the address service does not replace it.
app.ribbonbusiness.com/mailroom
What's included
What Ribbon handles for your registration
Your registration documents
Get the Business Name Registration for a Sole Proprietorship document for your records. This is the document previously known as a Master Business Licence.
Setup guidance
Understand the difference between your business-name registration, CRA accounts, and any licences or permits your work may need.
A one-time registration service
The $50 service fee covers the name search, registration, and setup guidance. Bookkeeping, tax services, and a business address are available separately.
Simple, one-time pricing
Ontario sole-proprietorship registration cost
Ribbon’s service fee is $50 once, plus Ontario’s $60 government registration fee. Applicable taxes are additional. Your name search is included in the service fee. The registration service does not require an ongoing Ribbon subscription.
Your Ontario business-name registration lasts five years. Renewal is a separate future registration expense; it is not a corporate annual return.
Government fee and renewal period checked September 16, 2026. See Ontario’s registration and renewal rules.
Choose your structure
Sole proprietorship or incorporation?
Sole proprietorship
One individual owns the business. You and the business are the same legal person, and you are personally responsible for its debts and obligations.
Business income is reported on your personal tax return. Ontario business-name registration gives you registration documents, not a corporation or exclusive rights to the name.
Corporation
A separate legal entity owns the business. Shareholders generally have limited liability, although personal guarantees and director obligations can still create personal exposure.
A corporation has its own income tax return, corporate records, and annual registry filings. It can make sense when ownership, liability, or plans for growth call for a separate company.
Explore incorporation with RibbonFor a fuller comparison, read our guide to sole proprietorship versus incorporation in Canada. Need help deciding? Book a free consultation to discuss your business and the ongoing work each structure involves.
How it works
How to register your sole proprietorship in Ontario
- 01
Provide your business details
Have your proposed business name, owner’s legal name and address, business address, and a description of your business activity ready.
- 02
Review and register
We help you complete the registration information and submit your Ontario business-name registration. Government fees are additional.
- 03
Use your registration documents
Keep your documents for banking and business records. Apply separately for a CRA Business Number if needed, check tax-account and permit requirements, and note your registration renewal date.
Choose your support
Ontario registration with a one-time service fee
Name search, registration, documents, and basic setup guidance. CRA Business Number applications are outside this service. Government fees and applicable taxes are additional.
Sole Proprietorship
$50
One-time fee
For individuals registering a sole proprietorship in Ontario.
- Ontario sole-proprietorship registration
- Name search and basic setup guidance
- Business-name registration documents
Government fees not included.
Can I use a virtual business address for my sole proprietorship?
Yes. Ribbon offers a Toronto business mailing address separately for $45/month. Eligible Ontario sole proprietors can use it as an address for service after registration and identity verification. Your principal place of business must remain the place where you actually operate; the mailing address does not replace it.
How much does it cost to register a sole proprietorship in Ontario?
Ribbon charges a $50 one-time service fee, plus Ontario’s $60 government registration fee. Applicable taxes are additional. Ongoing bookkeeping, tax support, and address services are separate.
Can you register a sole proprietorship outside Ontario?
No. Ribbon currently registers sole proprietorships in Ontario only. Our federal incorporation service has broader coverage, but that creates a corporation and is a different service.
Do I need to register if I use my own name?
In Ontario, business-name registration is generally required when you operate under a name other than your own legal name. Using only your own name does not remove any tax, licensing, or permit obligations.
Is this the same as a Master Business Licence?
Master Business Licence is the older term. Ontario now issues a Business Name Registration for a Sole Proprietorship. It records your business name; it does not replace any industry-specific or municipal licence you may need.
Does registering a business name protect it?
Business-name registration does not create exclusive rights to the name or a separate legal entity. You remain personally responsible for the business. Trademark protection is a separate matter.
Do I receive a CRA Business Number?
You must apply separately to the CRA for a Business Number when you need one. The application is outside Ribbon’s sole-proprietorship registration service. Your Ontario Business Identification Number is a different number. GST/HST and payroll program accounts also have their own registration requirements.
Does an Ontario sole proprietorship need an annual return?
A sole proprietorship does not file a corporate registry annual return. Its Ontario business-name registration expires after five years and needs renewal if you continue using the name. You still report business income on your personal tax return and meet any other applicable tax obligations.
Can I incorporate later?
Yes. Incorporation creates a new legal entity. Moving contracts, assets, bank accounts, and tax arrangements to it requires planning; registering a sole proprietorship does not automatically handle that transfer. Ribbon can help you start a federal or Ontario corporation when you are ready.
Keep exploring
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