It is required by law that all businesses in Nova Scotia are to be registered with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies. There are exceptions to this, however, and they are:

• Businesses registered in New Brunswick - there is a reciprocal agreement between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick which states that business that are registered and active in New Brunswick may operate in Nova Scotia without registering and vice versa
• Business operating under personal names without a descriptive element such as 'and Associates' or 'Group'
• Partnerships with the sole purpose of farming or fishing
• Grist or saw mills

• There are two steps in this:
  • Name Reservation - is a two day process where the requested name is submitted, the report is reviewed and either the business name is reserved or rejected. Once a business name is reserved, it is held for 90 days, if this time period laps, the another search will have to be conducted.
  • Once the business name has been reserved, the name has to be registered. The different types of registration (as noted in the Business Structures section):
    • Sole Proprietorship
    • Partnership
    • Business Name on Behalf of an Incorporation
    • Incorporation