Registering your enterprise

In Québec, the majority of enterprises must, at the time of their establishment, register with the enterprise register and declare their legal form. There are several legal forms of enterprises.

The “Entreprises” section of the Portail gouvernemental de services provides information that will help you choose the legal form of your enterprise.

Who must register?

• Natural persons who operate a sole proprietorship in Québec under a name that does not include their surname and given name. However, a natural person who operates a tobacco retail outlet under a name that includes his surname and given name must register;
• General and limited partnerships constituted in Québec;
• Business corporations that are not constituted in Québec if they engage in an activity there, including the operation of an enterprise, or that possess there a real property right other than a priority or a hypothec;
• Legal persons established for a private interest that are constituted under the laws of Québec;
• Legal persons established for a private interest that are not constituted in Québec (federal, other provinces or countries) or those constituted in Québec that have continued their existence pursuant to a jurisdiction other than Québec but that maintain in Québec their domicile (head office), engage in an activity there including the operation of an enterprise, or possess there a real property right other than a priority or a hypothec.

Notion of an activity in Québec

An enterprise engages in an economic activity in Québec if it:

• possesses an address in Québec or if, of itself or through a representative acting pursuant to a general mandate, it possesses an establishment or a post office box in Québec;
• has a telephone line;
• engages in an act with a view to profiting from it.

Special case

• A natural person who operates a sole proprietorship under a name that includes his surname and given name. However, a natural person who operates a tobacco retail outlet under a name that includes his surname and given name must register;
• A non-profit association that is not a legal person;
• Bodies recognized as being legal person established in the public interest.

Note

You can register voluntarily to make public the existence of your enterprise. You will then have the same rights and obligations as an enterprise that is legally bound to register.

Where should you register?

The enterprise registrar offers an online service to register your enterprise. You can also register at one of our points of service to obtain additional information on the registration procedures pertaining to each legal form of an enterprise.

You must register to obtain a Québec Enterprise Number (NEQ). 

This unique identifier enables you to register for the programs and services of the gouvernement du Québec.

Note

The inclusion of the name of your enterprise in the enterprise register does not confer any right on the name nor does it guarantee the exclusivity of the name.