If you are looking to incorporate a company or register a small business, a NUANS name search report should be ordered in order to verify name availability. In certain provinces and territories across Canada the NUANS name search report is mandatory and must accompany incorporation documentation. NUANS® is an acronym for "Newly Upgraded Automated Name Search". It was developed in order for Industry Canada to search and maintain its ever-increasing corporate name file. The NUANS® report is necessary for incorporation in the following jurisdictions: Federal (Canada), Ontario, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

A NUANS® report is a five or six page document that includes a list of corporations, business names and trademarks that appear and sound similar to the name being proposed for a new corporation. When a NUANS® search is ordered on the proposed corporate name, that report has a life of 90 days from the date the report was issued. This date appears in the right-hand column beside the proposed name. If the articles are not filed and approved in the relevant jurisdiction within this 90-day period, another search must be requested.

Cyberbahn is pleased to offer preliminary searches—prescreens/quick searches for our clients in order to determine the suitability and availability of a proposed name. This search is a basic check, noting if the name already exists or if its distinctive element is already in use. Depending upon various factors such as strength of name and jurisdiction, Cyberbahn will provide a non-binding opinion as to the suitability of the proposed name for incorporation or registration purposes. The client will then decide as to whether they wish to order the actual NUANS® printout with a name reservation, which will be available in approximately 1 hour.