A Quebec enterprise register search is the quickest way to check who you are really dealing with before money changes hands. The register, kept by the Registraire des entreprises, is public and free to consult, and it shows whether a supplier legally exists, who directs it and whether its registration is in good standing. Here is how to search it well, what each field means and where the data stops.
What the Quebec enterprise register is for
The register is maintained by the Registraire des entreprises under the Act respecting the legal publicity of enterprises. Its goal is simple: make basic information about businesses active in Quebec public, so anyone can verify who stands behind a name. Corporations formed under Quebec's Business Corporations Act or the Canada Business Corporations Act, sole proprietorships operating under a name other than their owner's, partnerships, cooperatives and non-profits all receive an NEQ, the Quebec enterprise number, when they register.
The value is concrete. A subcontractor hands you a quote? Check that the name on the paper matches a registered business. A new client asks for 60-day payment terms? Look at how long the company has existed and who runs it. The law also makes registered information binding in favour of third parties in good faith, so in most cases you can rely on it in your dealings with the business.
Running an effective Quebec enterprise register search
The search tool is available online at no charge. There are three ways in: the business name, the NEQ or, since July 2024, the first and last name of an individual. We covered that last option in our article on searching the register by first and last name; it lists every entity a person is connected to in Quebec.
A few habits sharpen your results. If you have the NEQ on hand (it sometimes appears on invoices and contracts), start there: it is a unique identifier, so the match is instant. Searching by name, try several variations: with and without accents, with or without "inc.", or by partial keyword. Remember the "other names" field too: many companies trade under a name that differs from their legal name, and the register indexes those business names. To narrow your results further, it is possible to ask that only legal persons be displayed (for example if you already know the business is incorporated).
Reading a company file: the fields that matter
Each file, called a statement of information, gathers the data the business has declared. A few fields deserve close attention during a background check.
The registration status shows whether the business is registered or struck off. The legal form and governing statute tell you whether you are facing a Quebec corporation, a federal one, a partnership, a sole proprietorship or any other legal form. The head office address locates the company. The directors and officers sections name the people who control it in law; the file also lists the three main voting shareholders and, since March 2023, the ultimate beneficiaries, as a general rule the individuals who hold or control, directly or indirectly, 25 percent or more of the company, by value or by vote.
A concrete example: before paying a deposit to a renovation contractor, compare the name on the quote with the legal name and the declared other names, then confirm the person you are dealing with appears among the officers. A mismatch is not always a red flag, but it deserves a question.
What the register will not tell you
The register runs on a declaratory system: businesses supply the information themselves, and the Registraire does not systematically verify it. Between two annual updating declarations, a file can lag behind reality: a director who left, an address that changed.
You will not find financial statements, pending lawsuits or professional licences there either. A construction contractor's licence is checked with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec; court records live in the courts' dockets. And a "struck off" status deserves attention: the ex officio striking of a Quebec corporation, imposed notably after two consecutive missed annual declarations, has the effect of dissolving the corporation until its situation is regularized. The register is an excellent starting point, rarely the whole answer.
From the register to your own business project
The same search serves founders. Before incorporating, run your future name through the register to spot identical or similar names: a name that is confusingly close to an existing business can be refused or challenged. We devote a full article to checking business name availability in Quebec, and our guide to incorporating in Quebec walks through every step of the process, from choosing your governing statute to the articles of incorporation. For an overview of the services that surround the life of your corporation, see our page on corporate law in Quebec.
FAQ
Q: Is consulting the Quebec enterprise register free?
A: Yes, searching the register and viewing company files online is free. Fees apply only for certain documents, such as copies of instruments filed with the register.
Q: What does a "struck off" status mean?
A: The registration was cancelled, often ex officio after repeated filing defaults. In most cases, be careful before contracting with a struck-off business, as it could be legally dissolved.
Q: Can I rely on the information in the register?
A: Most of the information is binding in favour of third parties in good faith, but it is self-declared and can be out of date. Cross-check it against other sources before significant decisions.
Q: Do federal corporations appear in the Quebec register?
A: Yes. A corporation formed under the Canada Business Corporations Act that carries on activities in Quebec must generally register and declare the same information as a Quebec corporation.
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