Quebec Entreprise Registration 2026: NEQ Number, $35 Annual Declaration, French-Language Rules

$35 vs $95: Registration Fees by Business Type

Quebec's registration fees through the REQ online portal vary by business structure:

Sole Proprietorship (Entreprise individuelle) — $35

The simplest and cheapest registration. You register as an individual carrying on business in Quebec. The $35 fee covers your initial registration, and you receive your NEQ immediately upon completion. If you are operating under a name other than your own legal name, that name must comply with Quebec's French-language requirements (covered in the next section).

General Partnership (Société en nom collectif) — $55

If two or more people are carrying on business together in Quebec, you register as a general partnership. The $55 fee covers initial registration. All partners are listed on the REQ registry.

Corporation (Société par actions) — $95

Quebec corporations formed under the Quebec Business Corporations Act (QBCA) pay $95 for initial registration with the REQ. This is separate from the incorporation fee itself — the REQ registration fee is specifically for obtaining your NEQ and being listed on the public enterprise register. Note that federal corporations incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) that carry on business in Quebec must also register with the REQ, though their registration process is slightly different.

French-Language Business Name Rules Under Bill 96 (2026 Updates)

Quebec is unique in North America: the Charter of the French Language (originally Bill 101, significantly strengthened by Bill 96) requires that French be the primary language of business in the province. For business registration, the most immediate impact is on your business name.

Here are the rules as they apply in 2026:

Rule 1: Your Business Name Must Include French

The Registraire des entreprises will refuse to register a business name that is exclusively in a language other than French. If your business name is in English, you must also provide a French-language version. The French version must be given at least equal prominence in all public-facing uses — signage, websites targeting Quebec consumers, advertising, and commercial documents.

Rule 2: Trademarks No Longer Get a Free Pass

Before Bill 96, businesses could use a registered trademark in any language without a French equivalent, as long as the trademark was registered under the federal Trademarks Act. Bill 96 changed this. As of the 2025–2026 implementation phases, an English-language trademark used as a business name in Quebec must be accompanied by a French generic descriptor or a French-language version of the name. For example, a company using the trademark "Blue Sky Solutions" would need to add a French descriptor like "Services Blue Sky Solutions" or provide a full French equivalent.

Rule 3: What Counts as "French"

The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) — the enforcement body — evaluates whether a business name meets French-language requirements. A name does not need to be exclusively French words; it needs to be understandable to a French-speaking person and comply with the Charter. Invented words, proper nouns, and technical terms that are the same in both languages are generally acceptable. What is not acceptable is a name that is clearly and exclusively English with no French element.

$35 Annual Declaration: Deadline and $250 Penalty for Late Filing

Every business registered with the REQ must file an annual declaration (mise à jour annuelle) to keep its registration active. This is Quebec's equivalent of an annual report in US states — a confirmation filing that keeps your public information current.

Deadline: Within 3 Months of Your Anniversary Date

Your annual declaration is due within 3 months of the anniversary date of your initial registration. This is different from Alberta's 6-month window tied to fiscal year-end. Quebec uses a straightforward anniversary-based system — similar to how most US states calculate annual report deadlines.

What the Declaration Asks For

Like Alberta's annual return, Quebec's annual declaration is a confirmation filing — not a financial report. You confirm or update:

• Business name and any trade names (must still comply with French-language rules)
• Principal business address in Quebec
• Names and addresses of directors, partners, or the sole proprietor
• Business activity description
• Number of employees (range, not exact count)

The $250 Late-Filing Penalty

If you do not file your annual declaration within the 3-month window, the REQ applies a $250 penalty. This is automatic — there is no grace period and no warning letter before the penalty kicks in. For a $35 filing, a $250 penalty represents a 7x multiplier on what should have been a routine compliance cost.

Beyond the penalty, persistent non-filing can result in your business being struck off (radié) the register. A struck-off business loses its legal capacity to operate — similar to administrative dissolution in US states. Compare this with British Columbia's $65 late-filing penalty, and Quebec's $250 starts to look steep. It is one of the harshest late-filing penalties in Canada.

US Corporations: Extra-Provincial Registration in Quebec

If your US corporation is "carrying on business" in Quebec — maintaining an office, hiring employees, regularly soliciting customers, or entering into contracts in the province — you must register as an extra-provincial company (société par actions de régime étranger) with the REQ.

This is conceptually similar to foreign LLC registration in California or other US states, but Quebec adds two requirements that catch most US business owners off guard:

Requirement 1: French-Language Business Name

Even if your US corporation has operated under an English name for 30 years, Quebec requires a French-language version of your business name for the REQ registration. You cannot register "Great Lakes Manufacturing Inc." without also providing something like "Fabrication Great Lakes Inc." or a fully French equivalent. This French name will appear on the public registry alongside your English name.

Requirement 2: Quebec Representative

You must designate a representative in Quebec — an individual or firm with a physical address in the province who is authorized to receive legal documents and official correspondence on behalf of your corporation. This is similar to the registered agent requirement in US states, but the terminology and filing process are different.

Extra-Provincial Registration Requires These Documents

• Apostilled Certificate of Existence from your home state (see next section)
• Certified copy of articles of incorporation — translated into French by a certified translator if the original is in English
• Resolution authorizing Quebec registration — a board resolution or member resolution authorizing the corporation to register in Quebec
• French-language business name — registered alongside your English name
• Quebec representative details — name and Quebec address of your designated representative

The registration fee for an extra-provincial company is $395. Once registered, you are subject to the same annual declaration requirement ($35 fee, 3-month deadline, $250 late penalty) as any Quebec-registered business.

The Document Most US Owners Forget: Apostilled Certificate of Existence

The single most common reason US corporations experience delays in their Quebec extra-provincial registration is the apostilled Certificate of Existence. This is a two-step document that many US business owners have never dealt with before.

Step 1: Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Existence)

Most US states call this a "Certificate of Good Standing" — it confirms that your corporation is registered and in compliance with the state. You request it from your home state's Secretary of State. Fees range from $10 to $50 depending on the state. Some states process these same-day; others take 1–2 weeks.

Step 2: Get the Apostille

An Apostille is a certification under the Hague Convention that authenticates a public document for use in another country. Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2024, which simplified this process — previously, you needed a more complex "authentication and legalization" chain through the US Department of State and the Canadian consulate.

To get the Apostille:

1. Obtain the Certificate of Good Standing from your home state's Secretary of State
2. Send the certificate to your state's designated Apostille authority — in most states, this is the Secretary of State's office, but some states delegate to other agencies
3. Pay the Apostille fee (typically $5–$25)
4. Receive the apostilled certificate — processing takes anywhere from same-day to 4–6 weeks depending on the state

The apostilled Certificate of Existence must be current — the REQ may reject certificates that are more than 6 months old. Do not obtain this document too far in advance of your planned registration date.

REQ Portal: How to Register Step by Step

The Registraire des entreprises operates an online portal where you complete your initial registration and all subsequent filings. Here is the process for a standard Quebec business registration:

1. Go to the REQ portal at the Registraire des entreprises website. The portal is available in French (default) and English
2. Select your business type — sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, or corporation
3. Enter your business name — the system will check for French-language compliance and existing name conflicts. If your name is refused, you will need to provide a compliant alternative
4. Provide business details — principal address in Quebec, nature of business activity, names and addresses of directors or partners
5. Pay the registration fee — $35 (sole proprietor), $55 (partnership), or $95 (corporation) by credit card
6. Receive your NEQ — upon successful registration, the system assigns your 10-digit NEQ immediately. You can use it right away for bank accounts and other purposes

For extra-provincial registrations (US corporations), the process is similar but requires uploading the apostilled Certificate of Existence and other supporting documents. The REQ may take additional time to review extra-provincial applications — allow 2–4 weeks for processing.

Quebec Business Registration Checklist

Use this checklist to register your business in Quebec correctly:

Quebec's business registration is straightforward if you prepare for the two things that trip up most US business owners: the French-language name requirement and the apostilled Certificate of Existence. The registration fees are among the lowest in Canada — $35 for a sole proprietor is hard to beat. But the $250 late-filing penalty on the annual declaration is one of the highest in the country, so set your calendar reminder on day one. Your NEQ is the key that unlocks everything else — banking, leasing, hiring, and government contracts — so do not treat registration as optional paperwork. It is the foundation of your legal presence in Quebec.