Where Can I Get a Physical NUANS Report in Toronto or the GTA?

If you live in Toronto, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Oakville, Hamilton or elsewhere in the GTA, and you want to incorporate an Ontario corporation without using the online Ontario Business Registry, you may wonder:

Where can I buy a physical NUANS® report near me?

The answer may save you a trip:

You do not need a physical NUANS report to incorporate an Ontario corporation by mail.

Ontario still allows Business Corporations Act incorporations to be filed by mail. For a named corporation, you can order an Ontario NUANS report electronically, receive it as a PDF, and use the identifying information from that report on your paper Articles of Incorporation.[^1][^2]

Ontario's official instructions are especially clear:

“You must keep the Nuans report at the corporation’s registered office. Please do not send it with the form.”[^1]

So even if you prefer a completely paper-based incorporation filing, you do not need to find a storefront that can hand you a printed NUANS report.

I Don't Want to Use the Ontario Business Registry. Can I Incorporate by Mail?

Yes.

Ontario currently lists mail as an available filing method for incorporation under the Business Corporations Act.[^2]

The current government fee and published service standard are:

For a mailed filing, Ontario says payment must be made by cheque or personal cheque payable to the Minister of Finance.[^2]

The filing is mailed to:

Business Registry Services Branch
393 University Avenue
Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2M2

That means someone who does not want to use the online Ontario Business Registry can still prepare the incorporation paperwork, print it, sign it and submit it by mail.

If I Am Filing on Paper, Don't I Need a Paper NUANS Report?

No.

This is the part that can be confusing.

A paper incorporation filing does not mean your NUANS report must also be on paper.

Ontario's official Form 5351 instructions say that, for a proposed corporate name, you must indicate:

• the proposed name searched in NUANS;
• the NUANS report reference number; and
• the date the report was produced.[^1]

The same instructions then tell you to keep the NUANS report at the corporation's registered office and not send it with the form.[^1]

So the practical process can be:

1. Order an Ontario NUANS report online.
2. Receive the report electronically as a PDF.
3. Review the report.
4. Note the proposed name searched, NUANS reference number and report date.
5. Enter that information on the Articles of Incorporation.
6. Print and sign the Articles.
7. Mail the incorporation filing to Ontario.
8. Keep the NUANS report with the corporation's records.

There is no need to put a printed copy of the NUANS report into the envelope.

Why Doesn't Ontario Need You to Mail the NUANS Report?

Ontario's filing system can retrieve the NUANS report using its identifying information.

The Ontario Business Registry filing terms state that where a filing must be supported by an Ontario-biased or weighted NUANS search report, and the identifying information is provided, the filer authorizes the Director or delegate to retrieve the NUANS report directly from the appropriate Government of Canada department.[^3]

Ontario also requires the corporation to keep a copy of the NUANS report at its registered office, and that copy may be kept in electronic or paper format.[^3]

This explains why an electronically delivered NUANS report works perfectly well with a paper incorporation filing.

I'm in Toronto. Where Do I Get a Physical NUANS Report?

If your only reason for wanting a physical NUANS report is that you plan to incorporate by mail, you do not need one.

You can order an Ontario NUANS report electronically and use the information from that report on your paper Articles of Incorporation.

If you want a paper copy for your own records, you can simply print the PDF yourself.

I'm in Markham or Richmond Hill. Do I Need to Find a Local NUANS Office?

No.

You do not need to drive to a NUANS provider in Markham, Richmond Hill or Toronto simply because you want to submit paper Articles.

An electronically delivered Ontario NUANS report contains the information required for the filing.

You can then print and mail the Articles separately.

What If I'm in Mississauga, Etobicoke or Oakville?

The same rule applies.

Your location within Ontario does not change the NUANS requirement.

Whether you are in Mississauga, Etobicoke, Oakville or elsewhere in the GTA, you can order the report online, receive it digitally and use its identifying information on the paper incorporation form.

What If I'm in Hamilton?

Again, you do not need to obtain a printed NUANS report from a local storefront.

An Ontario NUANS report can be delivered electronically, while the Articles of Incorporation can still be submitted by mail.

The two parts of the process do not have to use the same delivery method.

Do I Need an Ontario NUANS Report or a Federal NUANS Report?

For a named Ontario business corporation, Ontario says you need an Ontario-biased or weighted NUANS name search report.[^4]

A Canada (federal)-biased NUANS report is not accepted for this purpose.[^4]

So if you are incorporating an Ontario corporation with a name such as:

Example Technologies Inc.

make sure you order an Ontario NUANS report, not a federal NUANS report.

Does the Corporate Name Have to Match the NUANS Search?

Yes.

Ontario's Form 5351 instructions state that the proposed corporate name must be identical to the proposed name searched in NUANS.[^1]

The corporate name must also contain an acceptable legal element, such as:

• Limited
• Ltd.
• Incorporated
• Inc.
• Corporation
• Corp.

Ontario's instructions also list the French equivalents and abbreviations.[^1]

How Old Can the NUANS Report Be?

Ontario regulations require the Ontario-biased or weighted NUANS report supporting a proposed corporate name to be dated no more than 90 days before the Articles are submitted.[^5]

This is worth remembering if you plan to file by mail, because mailed incorporations have a longer processing timeline than online filings.

Do Numbered Ontario Corporations Need a NUANS Report?

If you request a numbered Ontario corporation, a NUANS report is not required for choosing the corporation's name.

The NUANS requirement discussed here applies when you want to incorporate using a proposed corporate name rather than a numbered name.[^4]

Example: Incorporating by Mail from Markham

Suppose you live in Markham and want to incorporate:

Maple Example Technologies Inc.

You do not want to create an Ontario Business Registry account or complete the incorporation online.

You could:

1. Order an Ontario NUANS report online for Maple Example Technologies Inc.
2. Receive the report electronically.
3. Review the report for similar or identical names.
4. Note the NUANS reference number and report date.
5. Enter the proposed name, reference number and report date on the Ontario Articles of Incorporation.
6. Print and sign the Articles.
7. Mail the Articles with the required government payment.
8. Keep the NUANS PDF with the corporation's records.

You do not need to drive around Markham or Toronto looking for somewhere that sells a printed NUANS report.

And you do not mail the NUANS report itself to Ontario.

Can I Still Print the NUANS Report?

Of course.

A digital NUANS report is still a complete NUANS report. You can print it if you prefer to keep paper corporate records.

The important distinction is this:

Ontario does not require you to print the report and attach it to the mailed Articles of Incorporation.

The official instructions tell you to keep the report instead.[^1]

Where Can I Order an Ontario NUANS Report Online?

GetNuans provides official Ontario NUANS® reports electronically.

You can receive your report digitally, review it, and use the NUANS proposed name, reference number and report date when completing your Ontario incorporation filing.

Order an Ontario NUANS® Report

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy a physical NUANS report in Toronto?

If you only need a physical copy for your own records, you can print an electronically delivered NUANS report yourself.

If you are asking because you plan to incorporate an Ontario corporation by mail, Ontario does not require you to mail a printed copy of the NUANS report with your Articles.[^1]

Is there a NUANS office in Markham?

You do not need to visit a local NUANS office simply to complete an Ontario incorporation by mail. You can order the Ontario NUANS report electronically and use the required information from it on your paper Articles.

Can I get my NUANS report online even if I incorporate by mail?

Yes.

The NUANS report can be obtained electronically even though the Articles of Incorporation are printed and mailed.

What NUANS information goes on the paper Articles?

Ontario's instructions require the proposed name searched, the NUANS report reference number and the report date.[^1]

Do I mail the NUANS report with the Articles of Incorporation?

No.

Ontario's official instructions specifically say to keep the NUANS report at the corporation's registered office and not send it with the form.[^1]

Can the corporation keep the NUANS report digitally?

Yes.

Ontario's filing terms say the corporation may keep the NUANS report in electronic or paper format at its registered office.[^3]

Can I incorporate in Ontario without using the online Ontario Business Registry?

Yes.

Ontario currently lists incorporation by mail under the Business Corporations Act. The government fee is $300 and the published service standard is 15 business days.[^2]

Do I need to visit a ServiceOntario centre to get a NUANS report?

No.

You can order an Ontario NUANS report electronically. If you are incorporating by mail, you can then use the required NUANS information on your paper Articles without visiting a ServiceOntario centre to obtain a printed report.

Official Sources

[^1]: Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, Instructions for Completing the BCA Articles of Incorporation (Form 5351):
https://forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca/dataset/654ab672-9802-4978-8c48-4164cfdb3742/resource/8a460f48-ba6d-45d5-ae8a-df1495ec0e98/download/5351e_instruction.pdf

[^2]: Ontario, Cost and time required to register, change or search for a business name, corporation or not-for-profit:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/cost-time-required-to-register-change-search-for-business-name-corporation-not-for-profit

[^3]: Ontario, Ontario Business Registry: all services — Terms and Conditions:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-business-registry-all-services

[^4]: Ontario, Register your business online:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/business/start/register-your-business-online

[^5]: Ontario Regulation 394/21, Names and Filings, section 25:
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/210394

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This article provides general information about Ontario corporate filings and is not legal advice. Government requirements, fees and service standards may change. Check the current Ontario instructions before submitting a filing.