Canada (federal)
In Canada, the federal company registry is Corporations Canada, with a free search of federal corporations.
- Official company register
- Corporations Canada – Search for a Federal Corporation
- Free online search
- Yes
- Company identifier
- Corporation number, digits plus a check digit (e.g. 327514-1); the CRA Business Number is also searchable.
- Who can see beneficial owners
- Public
- Data access for developers
- Free API
- Company search
- ised-isde.canada.ca
- Checked on
Search federally incorporated Canadian companies for free on Corporations Canada, which shows directors, registered office and individuals with significant control, with the corporate profile and uncertified copies at no charge. A Certificate of Compliance costs C$10 online, and certified copies cost C$40 per document. ISC data for CBCA corporations has been public since 22 January 2024 but cannot be searched by an individual’s name. Corporations are identified by a corporation number; provincial companies are in provincial registries.
- Region
- Americas
- Run by
- Corporations Canada (ISED)
- Registry website
- ised-isde.canada.ca
- Visible for free
- Corporate name, corporation number, business number, status, registered office address, directors' names and addresses, individuals with significant control (CBCA corporations), corporate profile and uncertified copies of corporate documents.
- Paid documents and fees
- Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Existence C$10 online, C$20 by email or mail; certified copies C$40 per document (email or mail); uncertified copies for cooperatives C$5 per document; corporate profile and uncertified copies free online.
- Beneficial ownership register
- Individuals with significant control (ISC) register, Canada Business Corporations Act
- Beneficial ownership access in detail
- Since 22 January 2024 CBCA corporations file individuals with significant control (ISC) data, and each ISC's full legal name, start and end dates, description of control and address for service (or residential address if none) are public in the federal corporation search. The search cannot be run by ISC name.
- Beneficial ownership register website
- ised-isde.canada.ca
- API or data service
- https://api.ised-isde.canada.ca/en/docs?api=corporations (Federal Corporation API, public plan 60 hits/minute, login to subscribe); bulk dataset at https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/0032ce54-c5dd-4b66-99a0-320a7b5e99f2
- Search interface languages
- English, French
- What an official extract contains
- Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Existence; corporate profile; copies of filed documents
- What to know before a KYB check
- Covers only federally incorporated corporations; provincially incorporated companies must be checked in provincial registries. ISC data will be incomplete until every corporation has filed through its annual return cycle.
- Sources
Page URL Corporations Canada – Search for a Federal Corporation https://ised-isde.canada.ca/cc/lgcy/fdrlCrpSrch.html Corporations Canada – Services, fees and processing times https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/corporations-canada/en/services-fees-and-processing-times Corporations Canada – How to find information about ISCs https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/corporations-canada/en/how-find-information-about-individuals-significant-control Corporations Canada – Public disclosure of corporate information https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/corporations-canada/en/business-corporations/public-disclosure-corporate-information Corporations Canada – Data services https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/corporations-canada/en/data-services ISED API Catalogue – Federal Corporation API https://api.ised-isde.canada.ca/en/docs?api=corporations - Verification
- All fields verified
Questions
How do I search a federal corporation in Canada?
How much is a Certificate of Compliance?
Is the Canadian ISC register public?
Are provincial companies in the federal registry?
Sources: each listing is compiled from the registry’s own website, the government body that runs it, official fee schedules and legislation, and the EU e-Justice portal. Every source is linked on the listing with the date it was checked. How we compile this reference