Incorporate a Business in London for $35
Incorporate your London, Ontario business for $35.00, HST included, with the government fee on its own line at cost: $300 for an Ontario corporation or $200 for a federal one. London files are handled remotely by our Guelph office, and a CPA checks your share structure, your year end and whether the City will want a business licence before anything is filed. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
London Incorporation, Ontario or Federal, Reviewed by a CPA
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. We prepare and file your Ontario or federal incorporation for a professional fee of $35.00, HST included. Government fees are separate and billed at cost: $300 for Articles of Incorporation filed online with the Ontario Business Registry, or $200 for federal articles filed online with Corporations Canada. We do not have an office in London. Your file is handled by email and phone from our Guelph office, open 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday, and a CPA reviews your share structure and year end before anything is filed. Call 647-212-9559 or start the incorporation intake form.
London was Ontario’s fastest-growing city between the 2016 and 2021 censuses. Hospital physicians and nurses, Western and Fanshawe graduates, manufacturers and the trades building the region’s new plants are the people we see most often from here.
London Business Statistics
Every figure below carries its source and year. Statistics Canada supplies the census and labour figures, and the City of London publishes its sector profiles.
| Statistic | Figure | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Population, City of London | 422,324, up 10.0% from 383,822 in 2016 | Statistics Canada, 2021 Census |
| Population, London census metropolitan area | 543,551, up 10% from 494,069 in 2016 | Statistics Canada, 2021 Census |
| Growth ranking | Fastest-growing city in Ontario, 2016 to 2021 | Statistics Canada, 2021 Census |
| Manufacturing employment | 20,003 people, 9.2% of the workforce, in 434 establishments | City of London, Manufacturing Sector Profile, 2025, using 2023 data |
| Unemployment rate, London CMA | 8.4% in September 2026, against 6.5% nationally | Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted three-month moving average |
| PowerCo battery plant, St. Thomas | Production start moved from 2027 to 2029; construction continues | PowerCo, announced September 2026 |
| Short-term accommodation licence | $201 a year, plus one-time inspection fees of $351 | City of London, 2026 |
Why London Business Owners Incorporate
Health care and education are London’s largest employers. London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Health Care, Western University and Fanshawe College employ thousands between them. Physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists and other regulated professionals who incorporate here need a professional corporation with the right shareholders, not an ordinary company.
Manufacturing is the other anchor. The City counts 20,003 manufacturing workers in 434 establishments, and Volkswagen’s PowerCo battery plant in nearby St. Thomas is still under construction, though PowerCo moved the start of production from 2027 to 2029 in September 2026. Contractors and suppliers working on projects like that are usually asked for a corporation, a business number, an HST number and WSIB coverage in the company’s name.
Growth brings new founders. London added more than 38,000 residents between 2016 and 2021, and many Western and Fanshawe graduates start businesses here. A newcomer who incorporates in Ontario can be the sole director, because Ontario removed its resident director rule in 2021.
The City adds its own rules. Business Licensing By-law L.-131-16 licenses named activities such as food premises, personal services, many contractors, refreshment vehicles and short-term accommodation. The City asks for Articles of Incorporation or a Master Business Licence with the application, so the corporation should exist first.
Municipal Licence Requirements in London
The City of London licenses named business categories under Business Licensing By-law L.-131-16. Most offices, consultants and professional firms need no City licence. Fees below are the City’s 2026 amounts.
| Business type | Municipal licence required | Issuing body | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant, take-out or food store | Yes, food premises | City of London, Business Licensing | $243; the Middlesex-London Health Unit also inspects food premises |
| Hair, nails, aesthetics or tattoo | Yes, personal services | City of London, Business Licensing | $217 |
| Drainage, driveway, plumbing, sign or pool contractor | Yes, contractor licence | City of London, Business Licensing | $182 |
| Food truck or refreshment vehicle | Yes | City of London, Business Licensing | $256 or $512, depending on the class |
| Automotive service, second-hand goods or salvage yard | Yes | City of London, Business Licensing | Separate categories under By-law L.-131-16 |
| Pet shop, door-to-door sales or seasonal sales | Yes | City of London, Business Licensing | Separate categories under By-law L.-131-16 |
| Short-term accommodation | Yes, provider licence | City of London, Business Licensing | Individuals only, principal residence only, $201 a year plus $351 in one-time inspection fees |
| Taxi or limousine | Yes, under a separate by-law | City of London | Vehicle for Hire By-law L.-130-71 |
| Consultant, accountant, engineer or software firm | No | Not applicable | No category applies, but zoning still governs where the business may operate |
A London business licence and an Ontario or federal corporation are separate things, and one never replaces the other. The corporation is created under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) through the Ontario Business Registry, or under the Canada Business Corporations Act through Corporations Canada. The licence is the City’s permission to carry on one listed activity under By-law L.-131-16.
The order matters. The City asks for your Articles of Incorporation, or a Master Business Licence for an unincorporated business, when you apply. Incorporating first means the licence is issued once, in the company’s name.
A home-based business needs no general City licence, but it must follow the home occupation rules in Zoning By-law Z.-1, and it needs a licence if the activity falls in a licensed category. Short-term accommodation is licensed to individuals at their principal residence, not to corporations.
For free start-up help, the Small Business Centre at 900 King St, Unit 17, in The Grove at Western Fair District, offers consultations and workshops, and TechAlliance at 333 Dufferin Ave supports technology start-ups.
London Files Are Handled by Our Guelph Office
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
Gondaliya CPA, Guelph, 1155 Gordon St, Guelph, Ontario N1L 1S8. Phone 647-212-9559. Open 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday.
We do not have an office in London. Files from London, St. Thomas, Strathroy and the rest of Middlesex County are handled remotely, and you do not have to come in: every incorporation is prepared by email and filed electronically.
Our Services for London Businesses
Our professional fees include HST. Government fees are separate, itemised and charged at cost with no mark-up.
Incorporation Services in London
Incorporate in Canada for just $35, HST included, with a CPA review before filing.
NUANS Name Search and Report in London ($25)
A $25 NUANS report, checked by a CPA before you incorporate.
Address Service in London ($75)
A registered office address that keeps your home address private.
Annual Return Filing in London
Federal and Ontario annual returns filed on time to keep your corporation active.
Corporate Tax Filing in London (From $300)
Your T2 corporate tax return, prepared by a CPA, from $300.
Payroll Service in London
Payroll and CRA source deductions for owners and staff.
Incorporate in Ontario
Ontario incorporation for $35 plus the $300 government fee, often processed the same day.
Federal Incorporation
Federal incorporation for $35 plus the $200 government fee, with your name protected across Canada.
Holding Company Setup in London
A holding company for $35, structured by a CPA for tax-efficient dividends.
Industries That Incorporate Most in London
These are the groups we see most often from London, and what each has to settle when it incorporates.
| Industry | Why it incorporates here | Our matching page |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians | Hospital and clinic physicians incorporate as a professional corporation under College rules | Physicians |
| Nurses and nurse practitioners | A nurse practitioner’s corporation must meet College of Nurses of Ontario rules | Nurses and nurse practitioners |
| Manufacturers and suppliers | 20,003 manufacturing workers in London, and suppliers often bring in a partner | Manufacturing companies |
| Construction and skilled trades | Many London contractors need a City licence, plus WSIB coverage and an HST number | Construction and skilled trades |
| IT consultants and software developers | TechAlliance and Western’s start-up programs feed a growing tech community | IT consultants and software developers |
| International students and graduates | Western and Fanshawe graduates starting a business, with no resident director rule in Ontario | International students |
Free London Incorporation Consultation
Case Studies: London Incorporations
London Physician – Professional Corporation
The problem: A hospital physician billing OHIP wanted to incorporate and pay a spouse dividends.
What we did: We filed a professional corporation that met the College’s shareholder rules and tested the spouse’s dividends against the tax on split income rules before any share was issued.
The result:
- Professional corporation filed
- College requirements met
- Dividend plan tested
St. Thomas Electrician – Contractor Requirements
The problem: An electrician was offered subcontract work that would only pay an incorporated vendor.
What we did: We incorporated in Ontario, registered for HST and WSIB, and moved the existing van and tools across with a section 85 rollover.
The result:
- Articles filed online
- Equipment moved without tax
- HST and WSIB registered
Western Graduate – Not Yet
The problem: A software developer drawing everything they earned asked whether to incorporate.
What we did: We showed that the deferral would not cover the yearly cost of a T2 yet, and set a revenue point to revisit it.
The result:
- Honest advice
- No unnecessary corporation
- Plan to revisit
What It Costs to Incorporate in London
Our fee is the same everywhere. Government fees depend on whether you incorporate in Ontario or federally, and each one is shown on its own line at cost. See the full fee table or every 2026 government registry fee.
| Item | Amount | HST | Total | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incorporation prepared and filed | $35.00 | Included | $35.00 | Open Corporation for $35, a department of Gondaliya CPA |
| Ontario Articles of Incorporation, filed online | $300.00 | None | $300.00 | Ontario Business Registry |
| Federal Articles of Incorporation, filed online | $200.00 | None | $200.00 | Corporations Canada |
| Ontario NUANS report, named Ontario corporations only | $25.00 | Included | $25.00 | Ordered through us |
| Ontario Initial Return and Annual Return | $0.00 | None | $0.00 | Ontario Business Registry |
| Federal annual return | $12.00 | None | $12.00 | Corporations Canada |
A numbered Ontario corporation costs $335.00 in total and a named one $360.00. A federal corporation costs $235.00, because the federal online filing includes its own name search. City of London licence fees are set by the City and are separate. Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA.
The same checks run on every file. In London the answers usually turn on professional corporations, contractor requirements and newcomer founders.
Ontario or federal
Federal suits a business that trades across provinces under one protected name, but it needs 25 percent resident Canadian directors. Ontario has no such rule.
Share structure
One class of common shares suits a solo contractor. A manufacturer or supplier bringing in a partner needs separate classes from the start.
Who holds the shares
Dividends to a spouse are tested against the tax on split income rules before any share is issued, and professional corporations have their own shareholder limits.
Year end and HST
A year end away from your busiest season, and HST registration at the $30,000 threshold or earlier.
Salary or dividends
This decides RRSP room, Canada Pension Plan contributions and whether a payroll account is needed on day one.
Moving an existing business
Where a sole proprietorship is being converted, a section 85 rollover moves vehicles, tools and goodwill across without tax.
A London example. A London hair salon owner asked us to incorporate after holding a personal services licence in their own name for two years. Because the City asks for the Articles of Incorporation with a corporate application, the company needed its own licence. We filed the Ontario articles, registered the business number and HST account, and the owner applied for the new licence in the corporation’s name.
Why Choose Open Corporation for $35 in London?
Our Official Partners
London Incorporation FAQs
Do I need a City of London business licence as well as a corporation?
Should a London business incorporate federally or in Ontario?
Can I run my new corporation from my London home?
Can my corporation hold a short-term rental licence in London?
Is there free start-up help in London?
Do you have an office in London?
How long does it take to incorporate a London business?
Do I need a NUANS report to incorporate in Ontario?
Do I have to register for HST when I incorporate?
What does my corporation have to file every year?
Meet the CPAs Behind Your London Incorporation
A Chartered Professional Accountant reviews your shares, name and registered office 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.
Why Owners Trust 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. See incorporation services at Gondaliya CPA.
Start Your London Incorporation
Open Corporation for $35 is a department of Gondaliya CPA. Complete the intake form and a CPA will confirm whether you should incorporate in Ontario for $335.00 in total or federally for $235.00, both including our $35.00 fee with HST, and tell you whether the City will want a licence for what you do. Send payment by Interac e-Transfer to info@gondaliyacpa.ca with the security question set to “Not Applicable”, as auto-deposit is enabled. Card is also accepted. Questions first? Call 647-212-9559, 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, Monday to Sunday.
Where to Go Next
Incorporate in Ontario
OBCA filing, the $300 fee and the Initial Return.
Federal incorporation
CBCA filing, the $200 fee and the resident director rule.
Gondaliya CPA online incorporation services
The parent firm’s remote incorporation and accounting services.
Kitchener-Waterloo incorporation services
Incorporation for Waterloo Region.
Hamilton incorporation services
Our Hamilton office on Starling Drive.
Toronto incorporation services
Our Toronto office at 55 Queen St E.
All service areas · All incorporation and corporate filing services
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.
