How to Incorporate a Business Online in Canada: Complete Guide

Incorporating a business no longer means booking appointments and shuffling paper forms. In 2026, Canadian entrepreneurs can incorporate entirely online, federally or provincially, often within days. But between government portals, filing fees, and the legal documents nobody tells you about, it is easy to get lost. Here is the complete guide to incorporating your business online in Canada, with a focus on Quebec.

Can you really incorporate a business online?

Yes. Corporations Canada and Quebec's Registraire des entreprises (REQ) both accept online incorporation filings. You can file your own articles of incorporation, or use a legal platform like Lexstart, where every file is prepared and reviewed by real lawyers before filing. Going online does not change what the law requires; it changes how easily you can meet those requirements.

In practice, you have three options:

1. Do it yourself on the government portals: the cheapest route, but you draft your own share structure and organizational documents.
2. An online legal platform: you answer a questionnaire, professionals prepare and file everything at a fixed price.
3. A traditional law firm: the right call for complex structures (investors, estate freezes, corporate shareholders), billed by the hour.

How much does it cost to incorporate a business in Canada?

Government filing fees are 200 dollars for a federal incorporation filed online, and roughly 400 dollars for a Quebec provincial incorporation through the REQ. A federal corporation operating in Quebec must also register with the REQ, which adds provincial fees. Preparing the legal documents is a separate cost if you hire professionals.

The classic trap: government fees only cover the filing itself. A complete incorporation also requires a well-designed share structure, organizational resolutions, share issuance, and a minute book. That is exactly what a platform like Lexstart delivers at a fixed price, with all documents drafted and reviewed by lawyers.

Since government fees are indexed every year, always check the current amounts with the Registraire des entreprises on Québec.ca or Corporations Canada.

Federal or provincial: which one should you choose online?

Both can be completed entirely online. The decision mostly comes down to name protection and where you plan to do business.

For a deeper comparison, read our full guide on federal versus provincial incorporation in Quebec.

The 6 steps to incorporate online

1. Choose your regime: provincial (QBCA) or federal (CBCA), based on your market and your name strategy.
2. Validate your business name: check availability with the REQ, or obtain a Nuans report federally. A numbered company is always an option.
3. Design your share structure: share classes, voting rights, dividends. This is the most strategic step, and the riskiest one to improvise.
4. File your articles of incorporation online and pay the government fees.
5. Complete the legal organization: initial resolutions, share issuance, appointment of directors and officers, minute book.
6. Finish the tax registrations: REQ registration (for a federal corporation in Quebec), GST/QST numbers, and payroll accounts with the CRA and Revenu Québec.

With Lexstart, you fill out an online questionnaire in about fifteen minutes and our team handles the rest, from drafting the articles to delivering your digital minute book.

Do I need a lawyer to incorporate my business in Canada?

Legally, no: you can file your own articles. In practice, the value of a lawyer lies in the share structure and organizational documents. A poorly designed share structure can be expensive to fix when a partner or investor arrives, or when your accountant starts planning your taxes.

We wrote a full article on the question: incorporating without a lawyer, is it that easy? The good news is that you no longer have to choose between doing it alone and hiring a traditional firm: Lexstart is the online platform of Barricad Lawyers, combining the simplicity of an online service with the rigour of a Quebec law firm.

Is it worth incorporating?

Incorporation generally becomes worthwhile once your business earns more than you need to live on, or as soon as you want to protect your personal assets. The main advantages:

• Limited liability: the corporation is a separate legal person; your personal assets are in principle shielded from business debts.
• Lower tax rate: the first 500,000 dollars of active business income benefit from the small business deduction.
• Tax deferral: you decide when to take money out of the corporation, as salary or dividends.
• Credibility: many clients, partners, and lenders prefer dealing with an incorporated company.
• Continuity: the corporation outlives changes in its shareholders.

In exchange, a corporation comes with recurring obligations: annual declarations to the REQ, corporate updates, minute book maintenance, and separate tax returns. If your income is modest, staying self-employed may remain the right short-term choice.

After incorporation: the documents you cannot skip

Receiving your certificate of incorporation is only the beginning. To be truly compliant, you also need:

• signed organizational resolutions;
• a shareholder register and issued share certificates;
• your initial declaration filed with the REQ within the prescribed deadline;
• your tax numbers and payroll accounts, if applicable;
• a shareholder agreement if there is more than one of you.

Our article on what to do after your company is incorporated walks through every post-incorporation step.

FAQ about incorporating online

How long does it take to incorporate online?

Federal online filings are often processed within 1 to 2 business days. Provincial filings in Quebec generally take a few business days depending on REQ volumes. Legal platforms add document preparation time, usually a few extra days.

Do I have to report business income under 30,000 dollars?

Yes. All business income must be reported to the CRA and Revenu Québec, whatever the amount. The 30,000 dollar threshold only determines when GST/QST registration becomes mandatory, not whether you owe income tax.

Can I incorporate by myself, without a platform or a lawyer?

Yes, directly with the REQ or Corporations Canada. You will, however, be drafting your own share structure, articles, and organizational resolutions, documents with lasting legal and tax consequences.

Do I need a licence to sell online in Canada?

There is no general licence for selling online, but your business may need permits depending on your industry and location, and you must register for GST/QST once your sales exceed 30,000 dollars over four consecutive quarters.

Incorporate online, without cutting legal corners

Incorporating online is now the norm, not the exception. The real question is not whether to do it online, but with which documents and whose legal review. With Lexstart, you incorporate at a fixed price, entirely online, with articles, a share structure, and a minute book prepared and validated by Barricad's lawyers. Answer the questionnaire, and we take care of the rest.