Professional Corporation

Incorporate with AMQ Legals and get your Certificate and Articles in just two business hours. Designed exclusively for regulated professionals — doctors, lawyers, accountants, dentists, and more — across all Canadian provinces.

⚡ Ready in 2 Hours

✓ All 13 Provinces & Territories

🔒 Legal Counsel Review Included

★ 5,000+ Incorporations Filed

Professional Corp. Package

Starting from

$ 10

+ applicable government fees

Certificate of Incorporation
Articles of Incorporation
NUANS Name Search Report
Regulatory Body Name Approval
Corporate Bylaws & Resolutions
In-House Legal Counsel Review
Post-Incorporation Support

Questions? Chat with us

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Ready in 2 Hours

Certificate and Articles delivered to your inbox within 2 business hours with our Express Service.

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Regulatory Approval Included

We obtain name approval from your professional governing body as part of every package.

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Legal Review on Every File

A corporate law specialist reviews your application before submission — no errors, no rejections.

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All Provinces Covered

Ontario, BC, Alberta, Quebec, and every province and territory — we file everywhere in Canada.

Select Your Jurisdiction

Choose Your Province to Get Started

Professional Corporations are regulated at the provincial level. Select the province where you are licensed to practise — each province has its own governing Act and regulatory requirements.

Who Qualifies for a Professional Corporation?

Medical Doctors & Physicians
Lawyers & Notaries
Dentists & Dental Surgeons
Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA)
Engineers & Architects
Optometrists & Chiropractors
Veterinarians
Pharmacists
Other Licensed Professionals

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Ontario Professional

description here.

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BC Professional

Business Corporations Act (BC)

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Alberta Professional

Business Corporations Act (ABCA)

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Quebec Professional

description here.

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New Brunswick Professional

description here.

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Saskatchewan Professional

Business Corporations Act (SK)

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Manitoba Professional

Corporations Act (Manitoba)

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PEI Professional

Business Corporations Act (PEI)

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Newfoundland Professional

Corporations Act (NL)

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Nunavut Professional

Business Corporations Act (NU)

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Nova Scotia Professional

Companies Act (Nova Scotia)

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NWT Professional

Business Corporations Act (NWT)

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Yukon Professional

Business Corporations Act (YK)

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Extra-Provincial Registration

For existing Canadian corporations

Everything Included

What’s in Your Professional Corp. Package

Certificate & Articles of Incorporation

Official government-issued Certificate of Incorporation and professionally prepared Articles of Incorporation filed directly with the provincial registry.

NUANS Name Search Report

Full NUANS report to confirm the availability of your proposed corporate name across Canadian databases, plus provincial name search where required.

Regulatory Body Name Approval

Professional Corporations require name approval from your governing regulatory body (e.g., CPSO, LSOC, CPA Ontario). We obtain this approval on your behalf as part of every package.

Corporate Bylaws & Initial Resolutions

Professionally drafted corporate bylaws, organizational resolutions, share issuances, and officer appointments — all tailored for professional practice requirements.

In-House Legal Counsel Review

Every application is reviewed by a corporate law specialist before submission — ensuring accuracy, compliance with the applicable Act, and adherence to your regulatory body’s rules.

Post-Incorporation Support

After incorporation, AMQ Legals remains your compliance partner — helping with annual returns, notices of change, director updates, and CRA account setup.

What You Need to Get Started

Your Professional Licence Details

Your active professional licence number and the name of your governing regulatory body (e.g., CPSO for physicians, LSOC for lawyers). Confirm your eligibility before applying.

Desired Corporate Name

Your preferred name must comply with your regulatory body’s naming rules — typically including your full surname and professional designation (e.g., “Jane Smith Medicine Professional Corporation”).

Director & Shareholder Information

Full legal name, address, and date of birth for each director. In a Professional Corporation, all voting shares must be owned by the licensed professional — no third-party shareholders allowed for voting shares.

Registered Office Address

A valid address in the province of incorporation is required. This can be your practice address. AMQ Legals also provides registered address services in Ontario if needed.

Business Activities Description

A brief description of your professional services. The corporation’s activities must be restricted to the practice of your regulated profession and related activities permitted by your governing body.

Key Advantages

Why Incorporate as a Professional Corporation?

A Professional Corporation offers significant financial and structural advantages for regulated professionals. Here’s why thousands of Canadian professionals incorporate each year.

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Corporate Tax Deferral

Retain earnings inside the corporation at the lower small business tax rate (as low as 9% federally) rather than paying full personal income tax rates of up to 53%. The deferred income can be reinvested and grows tax-efficiently inside the corporation.

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Income Splitting

Pay reasonable salaries or dividends to family members who are shareholders (subject to current TOSI rules), potentially reducing the overall tax burden for your household. Your tax advisor can help structure this effectively.

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Pension & Retirement Planning

Use corporate funds to make RRSP contributions, pay shareholder bonuses, or purchase investments within the corporation. This provides greater flexibility in building wealth for retirement compared to practising as a sole proprietor.

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Limited Liability for Business Debts

While a Professional Corporation does not protect you from personal liability for professional malpractice, it does protect your personal assets from the corporation’s general business debts — such as lease obligations, equipment financing, and staff payroll.

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Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption

When structured correctly, shares of a qualified Professional Corporation may be eligible for the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE) upon sale — potentially sheltering significant capital gains from tax. Speak with a CPA to confirm eligibility.

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Corporate Credibility & Growth

Operating as a corporation with “Professional Corporation” in your name signals to patients, clients, and partners that you run a formal, structured practice. Corporations also have a perpetual existence, making succession and transition planning much simpler.

AMQ Legals vs Government Portal

More Than Just Government Filing

Filing a Professional Corporation through a government portal leaves you to navigate complex regulatory approval requirements alone. AMQ Legals handles everything — including your regulatory body approval — in one streamlined package.

Feature

AMQ

Gov't

Government Incorporation Filing

NUANS Name Search Report

Regulatory Body Name Approval

Corporate Bylaws & Resolutions

Share Structure & Minute Book Setup

In-House Legal Counsel Review

Express 2-Hour Rush Filing

Post-Incorporation Support

Simple Process

Get Incorporated in 3 Easy Steps

No legal jargon, no unnecessary delays. Our streamlined process handles everything from name search to filing.

Choose & Submit

Select your province and complete our simple online form. Provide your professional licence details, desired corporate name, director information, and practice address. Takes under 10 minutes.

Expert Preparation

Our legal team reviews your submission, runs the NUANS search, secures name approval from your governing body, prepares your Articles of Incorporation, and files directly with the provincial registry.

Receive Your Certificate

Your Certificate of Incorporation, Articles, bylaws, and all corporate records are delivered to your inbox within 2 business hours of government approval — ready to use at your practice immediately.

Understanding Professional Corporations

What Is a Professional Corporation?

A Professional Corporation is a specialized type of corporation available exclusively to regulated professionals such as doctors, lawyers, dentists, accountants, engineers, and other licensed practitioners. These corporations must follow specific rules set by both the provincial Business Corporations Act and the regulatory body governing the particular profession.

It is important to understand that incorporating as a Professional Corporation does not protect individuals from personal liability for professional malpractice — regulated professionals remain fully accountable for their own professional acts and omissions. However, the corporation does protect your personal assets from the company’s general business debts and obligations.

The corporation’s activities are restricted to the practice of the regulated profession and related permitted activities. All or substantially all of the voting shares of a Professional Corporation must be held by the licensed professional — this is a key regulatory requirement in most provinces.

AMQ Legals can guide you through the key distinctions between a Professional Corporation and a Standard Business Corporation, and help you choose the right structure and province of incorporation for your practice goals and tax planning objectives.

At AMQ Legals, we are authorized agents of Corporation Canada and provincial registries, offering expedited corporate registration services through official channels across all provinces and territories.

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Medical Professionals

Physicians, surgeons, specialists, and other CPSO-regulated practitioners can incorporate in Ontario and most provinces. The corporation name must include your surname and typically “Medicine Professional Corporation” or similar designation per your regulatory body’s rules.

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Legal Professionals

Lawyers and paralegals regulated by the Law Society can form Professional Corporations. The Law Society must approve the proposed corporate name. AMQ Legals manages this approval process as part of your incorporation package.

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Accounting Professionals

Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) can incorporate under provincial CPA Acts. The corporation name requires CPA regulatory approval. We obtain this directly from CPA Ontario, CPA Alberta, or the relevant body in your province.

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Dental & Other Health Professionals

Dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, and other regulated health professionals are eligible in most provinces. We confirm eligibility with your regulatory body before proceeding with your application.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Professional Corporation?

A Professional Corporation is a specialized corporate structure available only to regulated professionals such as doctors, lawyers, dentists, accountants, and engineers. It operates under the applicable provincial Business Corporations Act and the rules of the professional’s governing regulatory body. Unlike standard corporations, voting shares must be held by the licensed professional, and the corporation’s activities are restricted to the practice of the regulated profession.

Who can own shares in a Professional Corporation?

In most provinces, all voting shares of a Professional Corporation must be held by the licensed professional. However, non-voting shares (such as preferred shares) can often be held by family members for income splitting purposes, subject to the Tax on Split Income (TOSI) rules and your regulatory body’s specific requirements. AMQ Legals will advise you on the share structure options available in your province.

How fast can I incorporate my Professional Corporation?

With AMQ Legals, your Professional Corporation can be incorporated and your documents delivered within 2 business hours of your application — with our Express Service. The timeline includes the regulatory body name approval, NUANS search, and provincial filing. Standard service is typically completed same-day. Note that some regulatory bodies may have their own review timelines, which can vary by province and profession.

Can I incorporate federally as a Professional Corporation?

Professional Corporations are generally governed at the provincial level and must be incorporated in the province where you are licensed to practise. Federal incorporation is not typically used for Professional Corporations because professional licensing is provincial. If you practise in multiple provinces, you may need extra-provincial registrations in each additional province. AMQ Legals can assist with extra-provincial registration as well.

Does a Professional Corporation protect me from malpractice claims?

No. A Professional Corporation does not shield you from personal liability for professional malpractice or negligence. You remain fully personally liable for your own professional acts and omissions. The primary benefits of incorporating are tax deferral, income splitting opportunities, and protection from the corporation’s general business debts — not from malpractice. Maintaining adequate professional liability insurance remains essential regardless of your corporate structure.

How is a Professional Corporation name approved?

The proposed name must first be approved by your professional governing body (e.g., CPSO for physicians, Law Society for lawyers, CPA Ontario for accountants) before the provincial registry will process the incorporation. The name must typically include your surname and a designation indicating the profession. AMQ Legals manages this regulatory approval process on your behalf as part of every Professional Corporation package — it’s included at no extra charge.

What are my obligations after incorporating?

After incorporating, you must file an Initial Return within 60 days, maintain a registered office in the province, file Annual Returns each year, and report changes to directors, officers, or your address. You must also remain in good standing with your regulatory body — the corporation’s status is tied to your active professional licence. AMQ Legals offers all post-incorporation compliance services to keep your corporation current and in good standing.

What is the difference between a Professional Corporation and a standard corporation?

A standard corporation can be used by any business, has no restrictions on shareholders, and can carry on any lawful business. A Professional Corporation is restricted to regulated professionals, requires regulatory body approval of the name, limits voting shares to the licensed professional, and restricts business activities to the regulated profession. Professional Corporations are also subject to the rules of the governing regulatory body in addition to corporate legislation. The tax advantages (deferral, income splitting) are the same — the structure is just more regulated.

Ready to Incorporate Your Professional Corporation?

Fast, compliant, and fully guided — including regulatory body approval. Get your Certificate of Incorporation within 2 business hours.