Before you apply to incorporate or register a business in Saskatchewan, you need to do a name search. In this type of search, the name you choose for your business is checked against other names in the Corporate Registry. The purpose of the check is to make sure that:
- the name meets the requirements for businesses of that type; and
- the name is not too similar to those of existing businesses.
The Corporate Registry is a database of:
- Saskatchewan business corporations.
- Saskatchewan credit unions.
- Saskatchewan co-operatives.
- Saskatchewan non-profit corporations.
- Sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, joint ventures and syndicates.
- Extra-provincial corporations (those incorporated elsewhere but registered to do business in Saskatchewan).
- Corporations incorporated under special acts of the legislature.
- Corporations that have been struck off (removed from the register).
There are some naming rules that apply to all business entities and others that only apply to specific entity types. These rules are meant to benefit both you and your customers by:
- protecting you from having your business unfairly diverted to competitors; and
- protecting them from buying from or dealing with the wrong business.
The information in this document is meant to help you choose a usable name that meets the legal specifications for your business type and distinguishes your business from your competition. Use it in combination with:
- sections 2-7, 2-10, 2-11, 20-9, 20-5, 20-11 and 14-6 of The Business Corporations Act, 2021 along with Part 3 of The Business Corporations Regulations, 2022;
- sections 2-7, 2-10, and 2-11 of The Non-profit Corporations Act, 2022 along with Part 3 of The Non-Profit Corporations Regulations, 2022;
- sections 12 – 19 of The Co-operatives Act, 1996; or
- section 8 of The Business Names Registration Act, as appropriate.
For More Information on choosing a business name, please select from one of the options below.
Name Rules for All Entity Types
How Names are Evaluated
Name Protection
Name Rules for Specific Entity Types
If you have questions about choosing an appropriate name, ISC recommends consulting a legal professional for advice.