Incorporate as a Truck Driver or Owner-Operator for $35
Start your trucking corporation for $35, HST included, with government fees shown separately at cost. A CPA reviews your carrier agreement for Driver Inc and personal services business risk before we file.
Driver Inc is the practice of a carrier paying a driver through the driver’s own corporation with no source deductions, when the driver is really an employee. It is under active federal enforcement. Whether your arrangement holds up is decided by your carrier agreement, not by the fact that you incorporated. We prepare and file your trucking company for $35.00, HST included, and pass the registry fee on at cost. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
One carrier, payment by the mile and no right to send a substitute driver point to a personal services business. A Chartered Professional Accountant reads your agreement before anything is filed.
Why Truck Drivers and Owner-Operators Incorporate
Active business income inside the $500,000 federal business limit is taxed at 9% federally and 2.2% in Ontario from 1 July 2026, a combined 11.2%. An operator clearing $180,000 who lives on $95,000 leaves the rest taxed once, at that rate.
Freight income moves. A good year on a dedicated lane pushes a proprietor into the top bracket, and next year the lane is gone. A corporation lets you draw a level wage across both.
Most brokers and logistics companies want a business number, an HST number, a CVOR certificate and cargo cover in the company name before they set you up.
Our Official Partners
The Rules That Matter for a Trucking Corporation
Truck driving is not a regulated profession, so there is no college and no professional corporation. You incorporate an ordinary corporation. What matters instead is whether you are really a business, and your operating authority.
Read the agreement before you incorporate. A corporation does not change what you are. If the carrier controls your truck, hours and loads, the arrangement is employment, and incorporating only adds a reassessment. Our personal services business guide sets out the tests.
Typical Share Structure for a Trucking Corporation
| Share class | Who holds it | Voting | Dividend entitlement | Why it is there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class A common | The owner-operator | Yes | Discretionary | Control and growth |
| Class B common | A spouse running dispatch, invoicing and IFTA records | Yes | Discretionary | Dividend flexibility, if a split income exception is met |
| Class C non-voting common | An adult child or a second driver | No | Discretionary | A profit share without control |
| Class D preferred | The owner-operator | No | Fixed, redeemable | Freezes value before a partner buys in |
| Class E preferred | The owner-operator | No | Fixed, redeemable | Consideration on a section 85 rollover of the tractor |
Section 120.4 of the Income Tax Act decides whether the Class B share pays. The excluded shares exception fails where 90% or more of business income comes from services, and hauling freight is a service. Most trucking corporations therefore rely on the excluded business test, usually an average of 20 hours a week of work in the business.
A spouse who books loads, chases proofs of delivery and files the IFTA return can meet it, but only if the hours are recorded as they happen. Otherwise a reasonable salary is paid instead.
HST for Truck Drivers and Owner-Operators
Domestic freight is taxable, so a load moved within Ontario carries 13% once you are registered. International freight is zero-rated under Part VII of Schedule VI to the Excise Tax Act, and zero-rated still lets you recover input tax credits.
Common CRA Issues for Trucking Corporations
Personal services business
One carrier, payment by the mile, the carrier’s truck and plate, and no right to send a substitute. Under subsection 125(7) of the Income Tax Act the corporation loses the small business deduction, pays an extra 5% federal tax, and can deduct little beyond the driver’s salary, unless it employs more than five full-time employees.
Meal claims with no trip records
Flat-rate meals claimed for a year with no logbook, fuel receipts or dispatch records to prove the trips.
Unremitted source deductions
A second driver or a spouse paid on invoice while you direct their hours and routes, assessed for CPP, EI and income tax plus interest.
HST on the wrong loads
HST charged on a zero-rated cross-border movement, or input tax credits claimed on US fuel and tolls that never carried HST.
Shareholder benefits
A personal pickup, a home office or a family trip run through the corporation without a charge-back, taxed under subsection 15(1).
First-Year Compliance Calendar
| When | What is due | Who files it | What happens if it is late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before signing with a carrier | Classification and personal services business review | Your CPA | The reassessment risk is set for the year |
| Before the first load | CVOR certificate, trucks over 4,500 kg | The corporation, with the Ministry of Transportation | An offence under the Highway Traffic Act |
| Before crossing a border | IFTA licence and decals | The corporation, with the Ontario Ministry of Finance | Trip permits at the border, plus penalties |
| Within 60 days of incorporation | Initial Return under the Corporations Information Act, no fee | Us, in the Ontario Business Registry | Non-compliance under that Act |
| Week one to two | Business number and RC0001 corporate tax account | Your CPA | Nothing to file the T2 against |
| Before the first invoice | HST registration, required past $30,000 | Your CPA | Tax assessed on past sales, plus interest |
| 15th of the following month | Payroll source deductions | The corporation | Penalty of 3% to 10%, 20% on a repeat |
| 30 Apr, 31 Jul, 31 Oct, 31 Jan | IFTA quarterly return | The corporation | Penalty, interest and possible licence suspension |
| Within 53 weeks of incorporation | First fiscal year end chosen | Your CPA | Difficult to change afterwards |
| 2 or 3 months after year end | Corporate tax balance: 3 months with the small business deduction, 2 months without | The corporation | Interest at the prescribed rate |
| 6 months after year end | T2 return and Ontario Annual Return | Your CPA, and us | Late filing penalty, and non-compliance under the Corporations Information Act |
The first document we read is your carrier agreement, not the articles.
The carrier agreement
One carrier, payment by the mile, their truck and plate and no substitute driver is the pattern that loses the small business deduction. We tell you what would need to change.
HST by lane
Ontario loads at 13%, cross-border loads zero-rated, and registration before a truck purchase so the credit on the unit is kept.
Shares for the second truck
Voting common for you, non-voting common for a driver buying in, and a preferred class to freeze value.
The spouse
A spouse dispatching or doing the books is tested on hours worked under section 120.4, not on the share register.
Year end, pay and conversion
The year end, salary against dividends and RRSP room, whether a holding company is worth it yet, and a section 85 rollover if you already run a proprietorship.
AFFORDABLE Incorporation Pricing for Truck Drivers
Our fee is $35.00 with HST included. Every government fee is its own line, at the amount the government charges.
| Item | Amount | HST | Total | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incorporation preparation and filing | $35.00 | Included | $35.00 | Open Corporation for $35 |
| Ontario Articles of Incorporation, filed online | $300.00 | Not applicable | $300.00 | Ontario Business Registry |
| Federal Articles of Incorporation, filed online, if you choose federal | $200.00 | Not applicable | $200.00 | Corporations Canada |
| Ontario NUANS name search report, named company only | $25.00 | Included | $25.00 | Ordered through us |
| Ontario Initial Return and Annual Return | $0.00 | Not applicable | $0.00 | Ontario Business Registry |
| Federal annual return | $12.00 | Not applicable | $12.00 | Corporations Canada |
A numbered company needs no NUANS report. CVOR and IFTA fees are charged by the province and confirmed when we apply. Bookkeeping, payroll, HST, IFTA returns and the T2 are quoted on request.
Our Services for Truck Drivers
Our professional fees include HST. Government fees are separate, itemised and charged at cost with no mark-up.
NUANS Report for Truck Drivers
The Ontario name search for a named company. Many operators start with a numbered company and add a trade name later.
Incorporation Service for Truck Drivers
Articles filed under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), with share classes ready for a second truck and a second driver.
Address Service for Truck Drivers
A registered office address in downtown Toronto for the public register and corporate mail, separate from your home address.
Payroll Service for Truck Drivers
Payroll for your own salary and any drivers you hire, with source deductions remitted on time and T4 slips filed.
One Window Service for Truck Drivers
The articles, the business number, the HST and payroll accounts and the Initial Return set up in one engagement.
Corporate Annual Filing for Truck Drivers
The Ontario Annual Return filed in the Ontario Business Registry within six months of year end, with director and address changes kept current.
Corporate Tax Filing for Truck Drivers
The T2 with GIFI statements, prepared from books that reconcile settlements, fuel cards and US dollar revenue.
Federal Incorporation for Truck Drivers
A federal corporation suits a carrier working in several provinces. Ontario CVOR and IFTA are still required.
Holding Company Setup for Truck Drivers
A holding company that takes surplus or a second truck out of the operating company once it builds up.
The Bundle for Truck Drivers and Owner-Operators
After incorporation the ongoing work moves to Gondaliya CPA. We set the salary and dividend split, keep the books with settlements, fuel cards and US dollar revenue reconciled, separate cross-border and Ontario freight on the HST return, prepare the quarterly IFTA return, track meal claims against your logbook, run payroll, prepare the T2 and the annual return, and review each new carrier agreement before you sign.
Why Truck Drivers Use Us
Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation is registered with CPA Ontario under firm registration number 61330051. Our clients have left us 1,300+ five-star Google reviews, and we work from 13 Ontario offices, open 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday. We back every filing with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 60-day fee-matching policy, and we are a Xero Partner Award Winner 2026. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
- CPA Ontario firm registration number 61330051
- 1,300+ five-star Google reviews
- 13 Ontario offices
- Open 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 60-day fee-matching policy
- Xero Partner Award Winner 2026
Google Reviews
Free CPA Consultation for Truck Drivers and Owner-Operators
Case Studies: Truck Drivers and Owner-Operators
Three Ontario trucking files, each showing where the driver started and what changed before anything was filed.
Brampton Driver – Told to Incorporate by the Carrier
The problem: A company driver was told to incorporate before the next load but would keep driving the carrier’s truck on the carrier’s plate.
What we did: We read the agreement, explained in writing that this was employment and that incorporating would only add a reassessment, and the driver stayed on payroll.
The result:
- Driver Inc risk avoided
- No unnecessary corporation
- Advice in writing
Mississauga Owner-Operator – Own Tractor, Several Brokers
The problem: An owner-operator with a leased tractor hauled for three brokers and ran as a sole proprietor.
What we did: We incorporated, moved the tractor lease and trailer in with a section 85 rollover, registered for HST and IFTA, and split cross-border and Ontario revenue.
The result:
- Ontario corporation filed at $335.00
- No recapture on the transfer
- Cross-border loads zero-rated
Milton Operator – A Second Truck and a Spouse
The problem: An operator adding a second truck wanted a spouse who handles dispatch to share in dividends.
What we did: We recorded the spouse’s weekly hours, issued voting shares once the excluded business test was met, and set up payroll for the second driver.
The result:
- Split income test met
- Second driver on payroll
- Share classes ready for growth
Six steps from the intake form to a corporation a broker can pay.
Send the intake form
Your truck, who you haul for, the shareholders, and your carrier or broker agreement.
A CPA reviews the file
Driver Inc and personal services business risk, the HST split and how you plan to pay yourself.
The name
A numbered company needs no search. A named company is checked with a $25.00 NUANS report.
You approve the draft
You see the articles, the share classes and the registered office before anything is filed.
Filed online
The articles go through the Ontario Business Registry at $300.00, and you receive the certificate of incorporation.
Accounts and authority
Business number, HST and payroll accounts, then CVOR and IFTA in the corporation’s name.
Meet the Lead CPAs Behind Your Trucking Corporation
A Chartered Professional Accountant checks your carrier agreement and the HST position before anything is filed.
What Our Clients Say
These Google reviews belong to Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation and cover every service the firm provides. See all reviews.
Incorporating a Trucking Business Anywhere in Canada
We incorporate truck drivers and owner-operators from thirteen Ontario offices, and the filing is electronic, so no visit is needed. See also incorporation in Brampton and incorporation in Mississauga.
Trucking Incorporation FAQs
Do truck drivers need a professional corporation in Ontario?
What is Driver Inc?
Am I an employee or an owner-operator?
Do I need a CVOR certificate if I incorporate?
Do I need an IFTA licence?
How much can a truck driver claim for meals?
Do truck drivers charge HST?
Can I be a personal services business if I drive for one carrier?
Related Industries We Serve
Construction and Skilled Trades
- WSIB and T5018
- Subcontractor or employee
- Equipment
Import and Export
- Cross-border shipments
- Zero-rated exports
- Customs accounts
IT Consultants
- One-client contracts
- Personal services business risk
- HST on fees
Immigrants and Newcomers
- Starting a business in Canada
- CCPC status
- Banking and accounts
Read our Ontario incorporation service and the federal incorporation service for the wider rules.
Set Up Your Trucking Corporation Properly
Pay $35, HST included, and a Chartered Professional Accountant checks the carrier agreement, the shares, the HST treatment and the year end before anything is filed.
No legal advice. Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation is a firm of Chartered Professional Accountants licensed by CPA Ontario, firm registration number 61330051. It is not a law firm. We prepare and file corporate documents and we provide accounting and tax advice. Nothing on this page is legal advice, and reading it creates no solicitor and client relationship. For legal advice, including advice on a shareholder agreement before you sign it, consult a lawyer licensed in the province where your corporation carries on business.
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
