LaunchList
← All Nova Scotia steps

Step 1 of 12

Choose your structure and business name

Decide how the business is set up and what it is called.

Time
1–2 hours
Cost
Free
Nova Scotia — choose a legal structure ↗

Choose your structure and business name: step-by-step guide

Screenshots use a made-up example business. Official sites change, so yours may look slightly different.

  1. Nova Scotia choose a legal structure page with the sole proprietorship description highlighted
    1. Read Nova Scotia's guide to legal structures. A sole proprietorship is a business owned by one person and not incorporated.

Screenshots captured 2026-10-18. See something different? Report a problem

Structure

Start as a sole proprietorship. It is the cheapest and simplest option, and you can incorporate later if the business grows.

The trade-off is that you are personally liable for the business. Creditors can take your personal assets to pay business debts. Insurance (step 6) is how you manage that risk.

Name

  • If you trade under just your personal name (for example "Jane Doe"), you do not have to register.
  • Any other name, even "Jane Doe Consulting", must be registered in the next step.

The name has to be approved first, and the approval includes a paid name search, so settle on the name before you apply.

Keep it practical

Choose a name you are comfortable seeing on a bank statement, a licence and a shipping label.

Your checklist