Business registrations

If you operate a private business in the Northwest Territories under a name other than your own name, you must register the business name with Corporate Registries. Registering the business name defines your business as a legal entity; determining who can make decisions and who is liable for damages caused by the business.

Corporations conducting business in the Northwest Territories are not required to register a business name, and must register instead with Corporate Registries under the Business Corporations Act. Incorporation limits potential losses to the amount invested in the corporation and can confer tax advantages at higher revenue levels, but imposes additional regulatory requirements and makes the business more expensive to operate.

The incorporation of non-profit societies, co-operative associations and condominium corporations is governed by different legislation.

You can search for business names (sole proprietorships) and partnerships, territorial and extra-territorial corporations, non-profit societies, co-operative associations, and other entities registered in the Northwest Territories online using the Corporate Registries Online System.

Basic information such as the legal name, status, and type of organization is available free of charge. A full entity profile including scanned copies of documents filed by the organization can be accessed for a fee.

Submissions that are not completed correctly are available for retrieval at the Corporate Registries Office. The Government of Northwest Territories does not provide free postage to return submissions for correction. If a submitter requests the documents be mailed back to them, staff will process the mail for the submitter if a prepaid, self-addressed and trackable envelope is provided.

Payment Information

Fees can be paid by cash, cheque, Visa or Mastercard.

• Payments can be made in-person during business hours.
• Cheques/money orders must be made payable to: "Government of the Northwest Territories."
• Credit card information can be included with a cover letter or submission sheet.
• Failure to provide payment information will delay the processing of filings until payment information is provided.