The Alberta Nuans Name Search report has seven pages to it. The report is created from the Nuans name search system. The Nuans name search system will compare a proposed name for an Alberta company with the current database which contains all of the names that have been registered to date across Canada.
You must obtain an Alberta Name Search for the proposed name you intend to use for your company at the time you incorporate in the province of Alberta. This Nuans report allows the Alberta government to determine whether your name is available.
When registering an Alberta partnership or an Alberta trade name (sole proprietorship) it is not necessary to obtain an Alberta Nuans name search report. Anyone can register the same business name in Alberta respecting registration of Alberta sole proprietorships and partnerships. You need to still ensure that the name you are going to use is available and this can be done by doing a preliminary name search. A preliminary name search can let you know whether the business name you are thinking of registering is available for use without the need of ordering a full Alberta Name Search.
It is advisable to perform a preliminary name search for a proposed name to incorporate an Alberta company before you order a full Alberta Nuans name search report. Without first checking to see if the name is available and ordering an Alberta name search without a preliminary name search, this could result in your obtaining an Alberta name search for a name that has too many conflicts to be used. You will then need to pick a new name and order again.
Most reputable search houses will perform a preliminary name search for your proposed Alberta name as part of the service when you buy an Alberta Nuans name search from them. Beware of companies that charge an extra fee for this. The only time there should be a fee for a preliminary name search is in the case where you are registering an Alberta trade name, Alberta partnership or an Alberta sole proprietorship and an Alberta Nuans is not required but you still want to determine the availability of the name.
Even though you are not required to obtain a Nuans Alberta when registering an Alberta trade name or Alberta business name, an Alberta sole proprietorship or an Alberta partnership, you should still have the name you wish to use checked. There could still be a conflict with the name and you could be requested to stop using the name if you pick a name that is well known by the public for many years. In order to safeguard against this you should do a preliminary name search on any name you are going to use as an Alberta business or trade name, Alberta sole proprietorship or Alberta partnership.
It should be noted that when registering an Alberta corporation, it is a requirement that there be a legal element to the name (explained below) but for other registrations such as Alberta business names, this is not necessary.
Below is an explanation of how to pick a name for a corporation however the principles can be applied to business names with the exception of the legal element.
When deciding on a name for your corporation, you should consider three aspects of the name as follows: (1) the Distinctive Element (2) the Descriptive Element, and (3) the Legal Element.
If the name you choose to register is "Smith Carpentry Inc. , the distinctive element is the word "Smith", which is distinctive because it is a person's last name. Another type of a distinctive element in a name might be "Tobermory" as in "Tobermory Garden Supplies Ltd." which is distinctive because it describes a location. "Starling Dental Services Corp." has the distinctive word "Starling" in it to make it stand out from other dental service companies.
The descriptive element describes the type of business. In "Johnson Carpentry Inc.", the descriptive element is "Carpentry" which describes the nature of business. In "Toronto Garden Supplies Ltd." the descriptive element is "Garden Supplies" which describes the type of products this business sells. "Dental Services" is the descriptive element for "Treelight Dental Services Corp.".
The Legal Element is the word "Inc." which is a mandatory ending which recognizes the name as the name of a company. In Canada you can have the following endings for your company name: "Inc.", "Incorporated", "Ltd.", "Limited", "Corp.", "Corporation" and the French equivalents of "Ltee." "Limitee", "Inc." (same in English and French) or "Incorporee", The Legal Element distinguishes your name as a share corporation rather than a business name, sole proprietorship or non-share corporation.
You must obtain an Alberta Name Search for the proposed name you intend to use for your company at the time you incorporate in the province of Alberta. This Nuans report allows the Alberta government to determine whether your name is available.
When registering an Alberta partnership or an Alberta trade name (sole proprietorship) it is not necessary to obtain an Alberta Nuans name search report. Anyone can register the same business name in Alberta respecting registration of Alberta sole proprietorships and partnerships. You need to still ensure that the name you are going to use is available and this can be done by doing a preliminary name search. A preliminary name search can let you know whether the business name you are thinking of registering is available for use without the need of ordering a full Alberta Name Search.
It is advisable to perform a preliminary name search for a proposed name to incorporate an Alberta company before you order a full Alberta Nuans name search report. Without first checking to see if the name is available and ordering an Alberta name search without a preliminary name search, this could result in your obtaining an Alberta name search for a name that has too many conflicts to be used. You will then need to pick a new name and order again.
Most reputable search houses will perform a preliminary name search for your proposed Alberta name as part of the service when you buy an Alberta Nuans name search from them. Beware of companies that charge an extra fee for this. The only time there should be a fee for a preliminary name search is in the case where you are registering an Alberta trade name, Alberta partnership or an Alberta sole proprietorship and an Alberta Nuans is not required but you still want to determine the availability of the name.
Even though you are not required to obtain a Nuans Alberta when registering an Alberta trade name or Alberta business name, an Alberta sole proprietorship or an Alberta partnership, you should still have the name you wish to use checked. There could still be a conflict with the name and you could be requested to stop using the name if you pick a name that is well known by the public for many years. In order to safeguard against this you should do a preliminary name search on any name you are going to use as an Alberta business or trade name, Alberta sole proprietorship or Alberta partnership.
It should be noted that when registering an Alberta corporation, it is a requirement that there be a legal element to the name (explained below) but for other registrations such as Alberta business names, this is not necessary.
Below is an explanation of how to pick a name for a corporation however the principles can be applied to business names with the exception of the legal element.
When deciding on a name for your corporation, you should consider three aspects of the name as follows: (1) the Distinctive Element (2) the Descriptive Element, and (3) the Legal Element.
If the name you choose to register is "Smith Carpentry Inc. , the distinctive element is the word "Smith", which is distinctive because it is a person's last name. Another type of a distinctive element in a name might be "Tobermory" as in "Tobermory Garden Supplies Ltd." which is distinctive because it describes a location. "Starling Dental Services Corp." has the distinctive word "Starling" in it to make it stand out from other dental service companies.
The descriptive element describes the type of business. In "Johnson Carpentry Inc.", the descriptive element is "Carpentry" which describes the nature of business. In "Toronto Garden Supplies Ltd." the descriptive element is "Garden Supplies" which describes the type of products this business sells. "Dental Services" is the descriptive element for "Treelight Dental Services Corp.".
The Legal Element is the word "Inc." which is a mandatory ending which recognizes the name as the name of a company. In Canada you can have the following endings for your company name: "Inc.", "Incorporated", "Ltd.", "Limited", "Corp.", "Corporation" and the French equivalents of "Ltee." "Limitee", "Inc." (same in English and French) or "Incorporee", The Legal Element distinguishes your name as a share corporation rather than a business name, sole proprietorship or non-share corporation.
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Resources for Canadian Business Owners can assist you with an Alberta Company Search and Alberta Business Name along with other government and legal registrations.
