LaunchList
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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
NWT Corporate Registries — business names ↗

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. NWT Corporate Registries business names page on the entity types tab with the proprietorship description highlighted
    1. A proprietorship is owned by one person, with no legal distinction between you and the business, so you are personally liable.

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. The Northwest Territories' Corporate Registries describes a proprietorship as one where there is no legal distinction between you and the business. Insurance (step 6) is how you manage that risk.

Name

  • Only a business run under your exact legal name (for example "Jane Smith") is exempt from registration.
  • Any other name, even "Jane Smith Designs", must be registered in the next step.

Search the Corporate Registries online system before you settle on a name. A basic search is free.

Keep it practical

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

Your checklist