Incorporate an Import or Export Business for $35
Start your import or export corporation for $35, HST included. Government fees are separate. A CPA reviews your RM account, your HST position and your supplier relationships before we file.
Before your first shipment clears, the Canada Border Services Agency requires a business number with an import-export program account attached. We prepare and file the corporation those accounts hang from for $35.00, HST included, with the registry charge itemized at the government figure. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
Recovering the GST you paid at the border needs the Form B3-3 accounting document naming your corporation as importer of record, and zero-rating an export needs carrier evidence that the goods actually left Canada. A Chartered Professional Accountant sets up both records at the start.
AFFORDABLE Incorporation for Importers and Exporters
Active business income inside the $500,000 federal business limit is taxed at 9% federally and 3.2% in Ontario, a combined 12.2%. For a trader that rate is not academic, because the profit is already committed to the next container.
A business that turns $200,000 of margin into stock on the water never had the cash to draw. Funded from a sole proprietor’s after-tax income, the same purchase order costs more than 40 cents on the dollar.
The border works on entities. Before you import you need a business number with an import-export program (RM) account from the Canada Revenue Agency, and forwarders, brokers and bonded warehouses open files in a corporate name.
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Registrations That Apply to an Import or Export Corporation
Importing and exporting is not a regulated profession, so there is no college, no certificate of authorization, no professional corporation and no restriction on who may hold a share. You incorporate an ordinary corporation under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) or the Canada Business Corporations Act. Four registrations take the college’s place.
Typical Share Structure for an Import or Export Corporation
| Share class | Who holds it | Voting | Dividend entitlement | Why it is there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class A common | The trader | Yes | Discretionary | Control and growth |
| Class B common | A spouse working in purchasing, logistics or sales | Yes | Discretionary | Splitting where a TOSI exception is met |
| Class C preferred | A parent or investor who funded the first container | No | Fixed | Return of capital without giving up control |
| Class D common | A family trust or a holding company | No | Discretionary | Holds future growth and moves surplus cash out of trading risk |
Section 120.4 of the Income Tax Act taxes a dividend paid to a family member at the top marginal rate unless an exception applies. The excluded shares exception needs the shareholder to be 25 or older and to hold shares carrying 10% or more of the votes and 10% or more of the fair market value of all issued shares, and it requires that less than 90% of business income come from services.
A goods business normally clears that services test, which makes an import or export company one of the few structures where a family shareholding is worth building rather than avoiding. A CPA sizes each class, prices the shares on issue, and records the hours a spouse works so an exception can be evidenced later.
HST for Importers and Exporters
Registration is compulsory once worldwide taxable supplies exceed $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters, or within a single calendar quarter, under the Excise Tax Act. The Canada Revenue Agency treats a sale of goods in Canada as taxable at 13% in Ontario and 5% GST in a non-participating province.
Common CRA Issues for Importers and Exporters
Input tax credits claimed on a broker’s statement
Triggered by claiming the GST on a customs broker’s account without the Form B3-3 accounting document naming the corporation as importer of record. The credit is denied where the documentary requirements of the Excise Tax Act are not met.
Zero-rating with no proof of export
Triggered by charging 0% with no bill of lading, export declaration or carrier document showing the goods left Canada. The Schedule VI conditions are evidentiary, and the assessment converts the sale to 13%.
A transfer price that does not match the customs value
Triggered by declaring one price to the Canada Border Services Agency under section 48 of the Customs Act and deducting another in the T2. A low value saves duty and raises income tax, and the two agencies compare.
A transfer pricing adjustment or an unfiled T106
Triggered by non-arm’s length dealings with a related non-resident supplier. Subsection 247(2) lets the Minister reprice the transaction and subsection 247(3) adds a 10% penalty once adjustments exceed the lesser of 10% of gross revenue and $10,000,000, while Form T106 is separately due past CAN $1,000,000 of reportable transactions.
Foreign exchange and landed cost misstated
Triggered by netting currency movement on supplier payables into one line, or expensing duty and freight as paid. Exchange on a trade payable is fully taxable or deductible, not half, and subsection 10(1) requires inventory at the lower of landed cost and fair market value.
First-Year Compliance Calendar
| When | What is due | Who files it | What happens if it is late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Business number and RC0001 corporate income tax account | Your CPA, with the CRA | No account to file the T2 against |
| Week 1 to 2 | Import-export RM program account | Your CPA, with the CRA | Goods cannot be accounted for, shipments held at the border |
| Before the first shipment | CARM Client Portal registration and business account managers | The corporation, with the CBSA | No release, and no Release Prior to Payment privileges |
| Within 29 days of the effective date | HST registration, RT account | Your CPA, with the CRA | Tax assessed on sales already made, plus interest |
| Within 60 days of incorporation | Initial Return, Corporations Information Act | Us, Ontario Business Registry | Non-compliance under the Act. No fee |
| Within 53 weeks | First fiscal year end chosen, stock counted at landed cost | Your CPA | Hard to change once the first T2 is filed |
| 15th of each month | Payroll source deductions where anyone is paid | The corporation, to the CRA | Penalty of 3% to 10%, 20% on a repeat |
| One month after each period end | First HST return, monthly filer in a refund position | Your CPA, with the CRA | Refund delayed, late filing penalty and interest |
| 3 months after year end | Part I tax balance, CCPC claiming the small business deduction | The corporation, to the CRA | Interest from the next day |
| 6 months after year end | T2 return, Form T106 where reportable transactions pass CAN $1,000,000, and the Ontario Annual Return | Your CPA, and us | 5% of unpaid tax plus 1% per month, a separate T106 penalty, then cancellation |
| Within 60 days of the anniversary | Federal annual return, $12, where incorporated federally | Us, Corporations Canada | Administrative dissolution |
| First tax year | No corporate instalments | Nothing to file | Instalments begin in year two past $3,000 of tax payable |
Almost every import and export file registers for HST on day one, so we start there.
HST from day one
Exports are zero-rated, so most returns are refunds and a refund filer belongs on monthly returns. We also confirm the corporation is named as importer of record on Form B3-3, because a credit claimed on a broker’s statement alone is denied.
The corporation’s name
Customs, the bank and the carrier all have to see the same legal entity, so the name is settled before the articles are filed.
Share classes
An importer bringing in a supplier’s representative, a spouse or a second investor wants voting common, non-voting common and preferred in place from the start.
Family shareholdings
Tested under section 120.4 of the Income Tax Act, on hours worked in the business and on votes and value, before a dividend is declared.
The fiscal year end
Chosen against the shipping cycle and the inventory count, since foreign exchange on trade payables is fully taxable or deductible at that date.
Structure and money
Whether a related non-resident supplier creates a transfer pricing exposure and a T106 filing, whether a holding company earns a second return, salary against dividends, the shared $500,000 limit, and a section 85 rollover.
AFFORDABLE Incorporation Pricing for Importers and Exporters
Our fee is $35.00 with HST included. Government filing fees are passed through at cost with no mark-up, and every total below is final.
Ontario Provincial Incorporation
| Service | Final Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario named corporation – Government filing CAD 300 + NUANS CAD 25 + our incorporation fee CAD 35 | CAD 360 | One-time |
| Ontario numbered corporation – Government filing CAD 300 + our incorporation fee CAD 35 | CAD 335 | One-time |
| Our professional incorporation fee component | CAD 35 | One-time |
| NUANS name search | CAD 25 | One-time |
| Annual Virtual Registered Address Service Package | CAD 900 | Annual |
Federal Incorporation – Based in Ontario
| Service | Final Fee | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Federal named corporation based in Ontario – Government filing CAD 200 + NUANS CAD 38 + our incorporation fee CAD 35 | CAD 273 | One-time |
| Federal numbered corporation based in Ontario – Government filing CAD 200 + our incorporation fee CAD 35 | CAD 235 | One-time |
| Our professional incorporation fee component | CAD 35 | One-time |
| Federal NUANS name search based in Ontario | CAD 38 | One-time |
| Annual Virtual Registered Address Service Package | CAD 900 | Annual |
Our Services for Importers and Exporters
Our professional fees include HST. Government fees are separate, itemised and charged at cost with no mark-up.
NUANS Report for Importers and Exporters
The name search a named trading company needs, with your choices screened before one is bought. Customs, the bank, the freight forwarder and foreign suppliers all need to see the same legal name.
Incorporation Service for Importers and Exporters
Articles drafted for the owners, investors and holding company you expect, with the corporation in place before the first purchase order, letter of credit or container is booked.
Address Service for Importers and Exporters
A registered office address in downtown Toronto for the public register and corporate mail, useful where owners live abroad or the stock sits in a third-party warehouse.
Payroll Service for Importers and Exporters
The payroll account opened before the first hire, source deductions for warehouse, logistics and sales staff worked out each pay run, and T4 slips filed before the February deadline.
One Window Service for Importers and Exporters
The articles, the business number, the RM import-export account, the HST and payroll accounts and the first year of filings handled through one person, so the first shipment is not held up.
Corporate Annual Filing for Importers and Exporters
The Ontario Annual Return or the federal annual return filed on time, with director, officer and address changes reported, so the corporation stays in good standing for the bank and the CBSA.
Corporate Tax Filing for Importers and Exporters
The T2 with GIFI statements, prepared from books that carry inventory at landed cost and revalue foreign currency balances, with Form T106 where related non-resident dealings pass the threshold.
Federal Incorporation for Importers and Exporters
A federal corporation for a trader selling across Canada, with the name protected nationally and the director residency rule checked before filing, which matters where owners live abroad.
Holding Company Setup for Importers and Exporters
A holding company that takes surplus cash out of the trading company, away from supplier claims and product liability, with the $500,000 small business limit shared deliberately.
The Bundle for Import and Export Businesses
After incorporation the ongoing work moves to the parent firm. Gondaliya CPA keeps the books in Xero with purchases recorded at landed cost per unit, revalues foreign currency payables and receivables at year end on income account, separates zero-rated exports from Ontario taxable sales on the HST return, reconciles input tax credits back to the Form B3-3 accounting documents, and prepares the T2, Form T106 where the CAN $1,000,000 threshold is met, and the annual return. Where a related non-resident supplier is involved, the firm prepares the transfer pricing documentation and keeps the customs value and the tax deduction consistent.
Why Import and Export Businesses Use Us
Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation is registered with CPA Ontario under firm registration number 61330051. 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
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Free CPA Consultation for Importers and Exporters
Case Studies: Import and Export Business Incorporation
Three Ontario trading files, each showing where the owner started and what changed before anything went to the registry or the border.
Brampton Apparel Importer – GST Paid at the Border and Never Recovered
The problem: A Brampton owner had been bringing in clothing from India under his personal business number, with the customs broker paying the duty and GST and billing him for it. When he tried to claim the GST as an input tax credit, he had only the broker’s statements and no accounting document naming him as importer of record.
What we did: We incorporated a numbered Ontario company, opened its business number with the RM import-export account and the HST account, and registered it in the CARM Client Portal. The broker was re-appointed by the corporation, so every Form B3-3 from the next shipment named the company as importer of record.
The result:
- Numbered Ontario corporation filed at $335.00
- RM account and CARM in place before the next container
- GST at the border recoverable as input tax credits
Markham Electronics Distributor – Buying From a Brother’s Company Overseas
The problem: A Markham distributor was about to buy all of its stock from a company in Shenzhen owned by the founder’s brother. The plan was to declare a low price to customs to keep duty down while booking a higher figure in the accounts, without realising the two agencies compare them.
What we did: We explained that the relationship brings in section 247 of the Income Tax Act and section 48 of the Customs Act, and set one documented arm’s length price used for both customs value and the tax return. We also diarised Form T106 for the year related purchases pass CAN $1,000,000.
The result:
- One price for customs and for tax
- Transfer pricing file opened from the first order
- T106 threshold tracked each year
Windsor Auto Parts Exporter – Charging HST on Goods Going to Michigan
The problem: A Windsor owner selling machined parts to United States assemblers had been charging 13% HST on every invoice, which his customers kept disputing, and was filing quarterly while paying tax on material and freight. Sales were in US dollars, but the books converted everything at one rate a year.
What we did: We incorporated, registered for HST, and set the export sales up as zero-rated with the carrier documents kept for each shipment. The corporation was moved to monthly filing, and a US-dollar bank account was opened with foreign currency balances revalued at the year end.
The result:
- Exports invoiced at 0% with proof of export on file
- Monthly HST refunds instead of quarterly
- Foreign exchange recorded correctly in the T2
Six steps from the intake form to a corporation that can clear its first shipment, recover the GST paid at the border and open its bank and supplier accounts. You always know what is with us, what is with the registry and what comes next.
Send the intake form
Owners, shares, what you import or export and from where, whether a supplier is related to you, and the date of your first shipment. It takes about ten minutes.
A CPA reviews the file
Importer of record, HST timing, transfer pricing with related suppliers, director residency for a federal filing, and where the year end should fall. Questions come back the same working day.
Numbered or named
A numbered company needs no search. A named one needs a NUANS report, $25 for Ontario or $38 federally, and we screen your choices before paying for one.
You approve the draft
You see the articles, the share classes, the directors and the registered office before anything is submitted. Changes cost nothing at this stage.
Filed online
Ontario articles go through the Ontario Business Registry and federal articles through Corporations Canada. An online filing is processed on submission and the certificate is emailed to you.
Ready for the border
The business number with the RM import-export, HST and payroll accounts, CARM registration, the Initial Return within 60 days, and the minute book and registers.
Meet the Lead CPAs Behind Your Import or Export Corporation
A Chartered Professional Accountant checks the border accounts 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 an Import or Export Business Anywhere in Canada
We incorporate importers and exporters from thirteen Ontario offices and remotely across Canada. The filing is electronic, so no visit is needed. The RM account, CARM and the GST rules at the border are federal and apply in every province. A business outside Ontario is filed federally or in its own province, and we confirm that registry’s fee in writing first.
Import and Export Incorporation FAQs
How much does it cost to incorporate an import or export business?
Do I need a business number to import goods into Canada?
Do I pay GST on goods I import into Canada?
Do I charge HST on goods I export?
When must an import or export business register for HST?
What is CARM and do I have to register?
Do I need a customs broker?
Who should be the importer of record, me or my corporation?
Do transfer pricing rules apply to a small import company?
When do I have to file Form T106?
Can my corporation keep its books in United States dollars?
How is foreign exchange on supplier invoices taxed?
Can I pay my spouse or family members dividends from a trading corporation?
Related Industries We Serve
Wholesale Distributors
- Landed cost inventory
- Supplier payables in foreign currency
- Monthly HST refunds
Manufacturers
- Imported raw material and duty
- Zero-rated exports of finished goods
- Ontario manufacturing rate
Grocery and Specialty Food Stores
- Imported food and permits
- Zero-rated basic groceries
- Point-of-sale HST coding
Franchise Owners
- Royalties paid to foreign franchisors
- Part XIII withholding
- Imported equipment and fit-out
Set Up Before Your First Shipment
One form stands between you and a corporation set up properly. Pay $35 including HST, and a CPA checks the border accounts, the HST registration date, the shares and the year end.
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.
