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A) You can get a form by:
(1) downloading from our website;
(2) visiting any Access Nova Scotia Centre; or
(3) calling, writing or visiting the Registry of Joint Stocks office listed above.
B) You can apply online. To do this, you must be able to pay by Visa, MasterCard or American Express Credit Card. We cannot accept any form of Debit cards at this time.
If you wish to apply online, click here.
The completed application is submitted to the Department, along with the applicable fee (see Price below).
When applications are sent in by mail, the fee for the Business Name Reservation must be paid in advance and is not refundable.
Applicants who want to reserve a business name are advised to have several alternatives. It is fairly common that first or second choices cannot be registered because (a) they are already in use, or (b) they are so similar to some name already in use that it could easily cause confusion.
The name reservation process has two stages: (1) a preliminary search of the Registry database of business names in use in Nova Scotia, and (2) a second, more exhaustive search by NUANS (an independent agency specifically responsible for federal and provincial name searches) of business names in use in the Atlantic provinces, plus federally incorporated companies and trademarks. (This is important because there is a reciprocal agreement between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which allows businesses properly registered in New Brunswick to carry on business in Nova Scotia without having to register again in Nova Scotia [and vice versa]. A business name registered in New Brunswick will not show up in the first, preliminary search.)
Preliminary Search: This search can be requested over the phone or in person, at the Registry head office or an Access Nova Scotia Centre, and is free. If the search reveals a conflict with a name already in use in Nova Scotia, another name can be searched without charge. However, this search is "preliminary" and while it identifies many potential conflicts, it does not catch them in every single case (because, as mentioned above, it does not include the names in use in New Brunswick.) This is why the more exhaustive NUANS search is important.
The procedures for dealing with applications sent in by fax or by mail are different: there is no free preliminary search. The fee for the Business Name Reservation must be paid in advance and is not refundable.
NUANS Search: If the preliminary search of the Registry database of business names in use in Nova Scotia does not reveal a potential conflict, the applicant then submits a formal "Business Name Reservation Request", along with one name and the required fee (the fee is good for only 1 name search). This can be done over the phone if the caller has a Visa, MasterCard or American Express. If applying in person, the applicant can pay by cash, cheque, money order, Visa, MasterCard or American Express or debit.
The proposed name is then forwarded for the detailed NUANS search. This usually takes 3 business days.
Federal Search: If you intend to use your business name outside of the Atlantic provinces, NUANS also offers an option of searching all of Canada for potential conflicts. This is called a "Federal" search, and also usually takes 2 business days.
It is your responsibility as the applicant to contact the Registry (or Access Nova Scotia) to get the results of that search.
The decision of the NUANS staff conducting the search is usually final. If, in their opinion, the use of the proposed name would create a conflict, that name will not be registered for use in Nova Scotia by the Registry. However, if an applicant disagrees with a NUANS decision, they may write to the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies explaining why they think the name should be allowed.
The proposed business name will be reserved for 90 days (only) if, once it has been searched, there is no conflict in use. During this 90 days, the applicant can proceed with Business Name Registration. After 90 days, the reservation expires and the applicant will have to repeat the application procedure, including paying another fee.
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