Everything entrepreneurs, accountants, and lawyers ask us most.
A NUANS report is an official name search report generated through the Newly Upgraded Automated Name Search (NUANS) system operated by the Government of Canada. It screens a proposed business or trademark name against existing corporate names, business names, and trademarks across the country.
No. A NUANS report reserves your proposed name for 90 days and lists similar existing names and trademarks — it doesn't certify the name is risk-free. Reviewing the results and deciding whether a conflict exists is up to you. If you'd like help with that, we offer an AI Name Clearance Review: a full analysis of your results by our custom-tuned AI system, for $150.
Yes. If you're incorporating an Ontario business under a specific name — rather than a numbered company — a current NUANS report is required as part of your Articles of Incorporation.
Yes. A named federal corporation under Canada's Corporations Act also requires a current NUANS name search report as part of the incorporation filing.
A NUANS report is valid for 90 days from its issue date. Your incorporation or trademark filing needs to happen within that window, or you'll need a new report.
Turnaround is usually within an hour or two, between 2pm and 8pm ET, once payment is received. Reports are delivered by email as a PDF.
No. Name Search is operated by David Michaels, an Ontario Business Registry Agent and Corporations Canada Registered Intermediary. It is not a law firm or paralegal firm, and nothing on this site is legal advice.
Yes — accountants and lawyers regularly order NUANS reports on behalf of clients who are incorporating or filing a trademark application.
Our NUANS Trademark Search is a fast, automated search of the NUANS database — available as a short or long form report. It's a helpful first screen, but it isn't the same as a full trademark search performed by a trademark agent or lawyer, which typically also covers all Canadian Intellectual Property Office trademark classes, common-law (unregistered) marks, and international registrations that an automated NUANS search doesn't catch. For a final go/no-go decision on registering a trademark, consider pairing our NUANS search with a professional legal opinion.
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In-depth guides on business names, incorporation, and trademarks in Canada.