Registering your business with the Registrar of Enterprises (NEQ): 2026 guide

In short. In Quebec, registration with the Registraire des entreprises (Quebec Enterprise Registrar) is the legal starting point for most businesses. It assigns you a NEQ, a 10-digit Quebec enterprise number, and registers your business in the public register. The process is done online, generally within 60 days of starting operations, for fees ranging from about $40 for a sole proprietorship to approximately $400 to incorporate a Quebec corporation, which is automatically registered upon incorporation. This is followed by an annual update declaration, annual fees, and, since March 31, 2023, the declaration of beneficial owners. All amounts are in Canadian dollars.

Registering with the Quebec Enterprise Registrar is often the very first official step for a Quebec entrepreneur, and one of the most misunderstood. Many discover the NEQ (Quebec Enterprise Number) when opening a business bank account; others learn about the annual update declaration upon receiving a notice of default. This 2026 guide explains who must register, how to obtain your NEQ online, what it costs, and, most importantly, when exactly an accountant should be involved in your startup: before, during, and after registration. It complements our guides on the signs that it's time to hire an accountant and on the GST and QST in Quebec .

The NEQ and the Registrar of Enterprises: what are they for?

The Quebec Enterprise Registrar is the public body that maintains the Quebec business register, a directory that is freely accessible online to anyone. Registering a business involves entering its name, address, legal form, directors, principal shareholders, and, since March 31, 2023, ultimate beneficial owners. In return, you receive the NEQ, the 10-digit Quebec Enterprise Number, which identifies your business in its dealings with the Quebec government.

In practical terms, the NEQ serves three purposes:

• To exist legally under your company name. This is legal advertising: your customers, suppliers and creditors can verify who is behind a business name.
• Open your government files. Revenu Québec requires this for GST and QST registration and for source deductions; many permits, licenses and assistance programs also require it.
• Doing business with peace of mind. Banks, insurers, large corporate clients and public project owners systematically check the register before signing.

Who needs to register, and within what timeframe?

The registration requirement depends on your legal structure and the name under which you operate. The general rule is that registration must be declared within 60 days of the date the obligation arises, most often the start of your activities in Quebec. Here is the 2026 overview:

The most common pitfall concerns sole traders: as long as you invoice under "First Name Last Name," you are exempt; the day you add a business name, even "First Name Last Name Consulting," the obligation applies and the 60-day countdown begins. Another pitfall concerns federal corporations: incorporation with Corporations Canada does not replace registration in Quebec; they are two separate processes.

How to obtain your NEQ: the step-by-step process

Everything is done online, through the services of the Registrar of Enterprises. The process itself takes less than an hour once the file is ready; processing generally takes a few business days.

• 1. Choose and verify your name. Do a free search in the business registry to avoid confusion with an existing name and check the Canadian trademark database. The name must comply with the Charter of the French Language: a French version is required.
• 2. Prepare the information. Company address, description of your two main business lines, directors and officers, principal shareholders, and ultimate beneficiaries. As of March 31, 2023, identification is required for directors upon new registration.
• 3. Produce the online registration declaration , or file articles of incorporation if you are creating a French public limited company: it will be registered automatically, without a separate declaration.
• 4. Pay the fees. Expect to pay around $40 for a sole proprietorship, approximately $60 for a partnership, and around $400 to incorporate a Quebec corporation. Faster priority processing is available for an additional fee. These rates are indexed on January 1st of each year: check the official fee schedule before paying.
• 5. Receive your NEQ and display it in your files: it will be required for almost all subsequent procedures.

The precise moment when the accountant becomes involved in your startup

The classic mistake is to register first and consult later. However, the most tax-intensive decision of your entire business creation process—choosing between sole proprietorship and incorporation—must be made before filling out a single form for the Registrar. Here, step by step, is where an accountant can make a real difference:

Before registration: choosing a vehicle. A self-employed individual declares their business income on their personal tax return, T1 federally and TP1 in Quebec. A corporation files its own tax return, T2, with the tax authorities. Canada and CO-17 to Revenu Québec, which opens the door to tax deferral and flexible compensation, but adds permanent accounting obligations. Incorporating for the wrong reasons, or remaining a sole trader for an extra year, costs far more than the consultation that would have helped you decide: the accountant runs your actual figures in both scenarios.

D-Day: Choices that are hard to change. Share classes, distribution between spouses or partners, fiscal year-end: these parameters are set at the time of incorporation and are difficult to correct afterward. It is also the time to correctly declare the ultimate beneficial owners, that is, the individuals who hold 25% or more of the voting rights or the fair market value, or who exercise de facto control.

The first 30 days: setting up the tax system. With your NEQ (Quebec Enterprise Number) in hand, you need to connect your business to Revenu Québec: VAT files, mandatory once you reach $30,000 in taxable sales but often advantageous before then, and source deduction accounts from the first hire, the mechanics of which are detailed in our guide on the true cost of an employee in Quebec . It's in this window that the accountant configures the accounting system, while it's still empty.

The first 12 months: cruising speed. Tax rebates, advance payments, first company declarations and the decision on executive remuneration: our salary or dividend analysis shows why this question deserves a real calculation rather than a rule of thumb.

After registration: your ongoing obligations

Being registered is a commitment. Three obligations recur each year or as changes occur:

• The annual update declaration. Each year, you confirm or correct the information in the register. For many businesses, this is done at the same time as the income tax return submitted to the tax authorities, thus avoiding a separate procedure.
• Annual registration fees. These accompany the annual update: from a few tens of euros for a sole proprietorship to a little over a hundred for a public limited company, according to the scale indexed each year.
• The current update. Change of address, administrator, principal shareholder or ultimate beneficiary: the register must be corrected within 30 days, usually free of charge.

NEQ, federal business number, and tax numbers: three distinct identifiers

The NEQ is not your only identifier, and confusing them wastes time every time you call a government agency:

• The NEQ (10 digits) comes from the Registrar of Enterprises and is used for legal advertising in Quebec.
• The federal business number, or BN (9 digits), comes from the tax administration of the Canada and opens federal program accounts, such as payroll deductions and corporate tax.
• VAT numbers are obtained from Revenu Québec, which administers both taxes in Quebec: the VAT number ends with RT0001 and the VAT number with TQ0001, and both must appear on your invoices.

A Quebec company with employees is therefore juggling the three types of identifiers. The good news: properly configured from the start, this system hardly ever comes into contact afterwards.

Combien prévoir pour cet accompagnement ? L'entreprise type consacre une médiane d'environ 3 000 $ par année à sa comptabilité, la plupart des mandats se situant entre 500 et 6 000 $, basé sur les honoraires réels de 1 248 mandats conclus via Bankeo (2024-2026), sur plus de 15 000 demandes reçues; le Baromètre Bankeo ventile ces honoraires par service, du forfait de démarrage à la tenue de livres mensuelle. Vous pouvez aussi parcourir les comptables vérifiés du réseau Bankeo pour commencer à comparer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NEQ and where can I find it?

The NEQ, or Quebec Enterprise Number, is a 10-digit identifier assigned by the Registrar of Enterprises upon registration. It identifies your business in its dealings with the Quebec government and is required by tax authorities, banks, and many clients. You can find it in your registration statement, in your notices from the Registrar, or by searching for your business online.

Who is exempt from registration?

Primarily, this applies to individuals operating a sole proprietorship under a name consisting of their exact surname and first name. As soon as you operate under a different name, even a simple variation, registration becomes mandatory within 60 days. Certain sectors, such as tobacco retail or tanning salons, require registration even under one's own name.

How much does it cost to register a business in Quebec in 2026?

Expect to pay around $40 to register a sole proprietorship, approximately $60 for a partnership, and around $400 to incorporate a Quebec corporation, with an additional charge for priority processing. Annual registration fees are then added each year. These rates are indexed on January 1st: consult the Registrar's official fee schedule before paying.

Does a federally incorporated company need to register in Quebec?

Yes. Incorporation with Corporations Canada This does not replace Quebec registration: as soon as a federal corporation carries on business or has an establishment in Quebec, it must file its registration declaration within 60 days. It then obtains its NEQ (Quebec Enterprise Number) and becomes subject to the same annual update obligations and annual fees as a Quebec corporation.

What happens if we forget the annual update declaration?

The company is in default on its registration, which is publicly visible and can complicate financing or bidding on tenders. After two consecutive missed annual declarations, the Registrar can automatically deregister the company; for a French public limited company, this deregistration results in its dissolution. Rectification is possible, but it is best to mark the deadline on your calendar or entrust it to your accountant.

Should you consult an accountant before or after registration?

Avant, idéalement. Le choix entre entreprise individuelle et incorporation se prend avant l'immatriculation, et il détermine vos impôts, votre protection et vos obligations pour des années. Après le NEQ, le comptable branche l'entreprise sur la TPS-TVQ, les retenues à la source et la tenue de livres. Côté budget, la médiane se situe autour de 3 000 $ par année, la plupart des mandats entre 500 et 6 000 $, basé sur les honoraires réels de 1 248 mandats conclus via Bankeo (2024-2026), sur plus de 15 000 demandes reçues; le Baromètre Bankeo détaille ces fourchettes par service.

Official sources

1. Quebec Enterprise Registrar, Trade and Companies Register;
2. Quebec.ca, Starting a Business
3. Revenu Québec, VAT Registration
4. Revenue Agency of the | Canada Register your company with a company number
5. Quebec CPA Order