- Remote setup
- Possible
- Visit, notary or lawyer
- Not required
- Local director
- 25% resident Canadian
- Registered address
- Office in Canada
- Minimum capital
- No minimum stated
- Yearly upkeep
- $12 a year (online)
- EU member
- No
- IWG business address
- 157 centresfrom $65/mo
What the registry requires
| Company type | Federal business corporation under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) |
|---|---|
| Registry | Corporations Canada (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) |
| Government filing fee | CA$200 — Online incorporation fee; add $100 for express (4-hour) service. Director and registered-office changes filed online are free. |
| Registration time | Corporations Canada's service standard for online incorporation is 1 day; express service is 4 business hours. |
| Resident director | CBCA s.105(3) (consolidated to 2026-09-03) and Corporations Canada's directors page still require at least 25% resident Canadian directors, and at least one resident Canadian where the board has fewer than four. No official page states that this rule has been removed. |
| Visit, notary or lawyer | Filing is done through the Online Filing Centre with no notary. No Canadian tax ID is needed to file; the CRA business number and program accounts come after incorporation. |
| Registered address | Form 2 requires a registered office address within the province or territory named in the articles; corporate records are kept and documents served there. |
| Minimum capital | No minimum stated |
| Corporate tax | Federal net rate after the general rate reduction (38% basic, 28% after abatement). Provincial or territorial corporate tax is added on top; the 9% small-business rate is only for Canadian-controlled private corporations. |
| Every year | Annual return due within 60 days of the anniversary date, $12 online; Corporations Canada's policy is to dissolve after two years of non-filing, with a 120-day final notice. The federal corporation must also register extra-provincially where it carries on business. |
What it costs
- Government filing fee
- CA$200
- ≈ $141 at ECB rates
Online incorporation fee; add $100 for express (4-hour) service. Director and registered-office changes filed online are free.
- Every year
- $12 a year (online)
Annual return due within 60 days of the anniversary date, $12 online; Corporations Canada's policy is to dissolve after two years of non-filing, with a 120-day final notice. The federal corporation must also register extra-provincially where it carries on business.
- Not included
- Provider fees
Registered agent or address, notary fees, accounting and bank onboarding vary by provider — ask for a quote in the request form.
How to register a company in Canada, step by step
- Choose a numbered name or a word name; the name search is part of the online application.
- Prepare articles of incorporation (pre-set basic articles or custom articles).
- Fix a registered office address in the province or territory named in the articles.
- Appoint the first board, meeting the 25% resident Canadian director rule (one resident if fewer than four directors).
- File online with Corporations Canada, pay $200 and file individuals-with-significant-control information.
- After the certificate issues, obtain a CRA business number, register extra-provincially where you operate, and file the $12 annual return within 60 days of each anniversary.
Corporate tax in Canada
15% federal. Federal net rate after the general rate reduction (38% basic, 28% after abatement). Provincial or territorial corporate tax is added on top; the 9% small-business rate is only for Canadian-controlled private corporations.
Rates are the headline figures published by the tax authority; your effective rate depends on residence, activity and treaties. This is not tax advice.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the federal resident-director rule is gone: Corporations Canada and the CBCA text still require it, so a board of foreign directors only will be rejected.
- Treating the federal certificate as enough: the corporation must still register in each province or territory where it carries on business.
- Missing the annual return within 60 days of the anniversary date, which after two years leads to administrative dissolution.
Compare Canada with alternatives
| Yearly upkeep | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 WyomingLLC | $100 | Not stated | No state income tax | No | Not required | Agent address | From $60 a year |
DelawareLLC | $110 | Not stated | Depends on owners | No | Not required | Agent address | $300–$400 LLC tax |
 CanadaFederal corporation | CA$200≈ $141 | 1 business day | 15% federal | 25% resident Canadian | Not required | Office in Canada | $12 a year (online) |
 MexicoS. de R.L. de C.V. | Varies | Up to 10 business days | 30% ISR | No | Notary (in person) | Mexican tax domicile | Annual tax return |
4 of 4 · official sources, checked September 27, 2026. Government fees only; agent and address costs are extra.≈ USD at ECB reference rates of September 25, 2026.
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Sources
- Online incorporation $200, 1 day; express +$100 (4 hours); annual return $12 — ised-isde.canada.ca, checked September 27, 2026
- CBCA s.105(3): at least 25% resident Canadian directors; one if fewer than four (current to 2026-09-03) — laws-lois.justice.gc.ca, checked September 27, 2026
- Corporations Canada directors page repeats the 25% / one-resident rule; at least one director — ised-isde.canada.ca, checked September 27, 2026
- Form 2: registered office within the province/territory in the articles; resident Canadian rule — ised-isde.canada.ca, checked September 27, 2026
- Federal corporate tax: 38% basic, 28% after abatement, 15% net; 9% small business (CCPC) — canada.ca, checked September 27, 2026
- Annual return within 60 days of anniversary; $12 online; dissolution for non-filing — ised-isde.canada.ca, checked September 27, 2026
- How to incorporate: online filing, registered office, board, ISC filing; no minimum share capital mentioned — ised-isde.canada.ca, checked September 27, 2026
- Policy: dissolution only after two years of non-filing, 120-day final notice — ised-isde.canada.ca, checked September 27, 2026 (search extract)