Transfer $20,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account, buy shares, options or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) within 6 months of your transfer and we'll refund up to $150 plus taxes of the transfer fees (refunded 1 week after the transaction).
Open a brokerage account
Take advantage of $0 commission on all online stock and ETF transactions
Open an account Resume an application
Select your direct brokerage account
- Frequently opened accounts
- Accounts for legal entities
Fill out the secured online form and take advantage of our fully digital experience to open one or more accounts at the same time.
Good to know: you can continue your form where you left off at any time by entering the request number and the password created during your first connection.
Registered savings plans
Grow your savings tax-free and start preparing for your medium and long-term projects.
TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account)
A simple way to invest your savings tax-free.
RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan)
Invest tax-free and reduce your taxable income with each contribution. We also offer spousal RRSP.
FHSA (First Home Savings Account)
Tax-free savings towards the purchase of your first home.
Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
Invest in this tax-sheltered account to help finance your children's post-secondary education.
Retirement and pension savings accounts
Open a Locked-In Retirement Account (LIRA) or a Locked-In Retirement Savings Plan (LRSP) and easily transfer your provincial or federal pension plans.
RRIF (Registered Retirement Income Funds)
Your RRIF acts as an extension of your RRSP. When you retire, funds from your RRSP are transferred to your RRIF for withdrawal.
Life Income Funds (LIFs)
Transfer your savings from a retirement plan (LIRA), pension fund (SPP) or Life Income Fund (LIF) to receive recurring payments for your retirement.
Non-registered accounts
Non-registered accounts don't offer tax benefits, but they can provide more flexibility such as no contribution limits. You can choose to open an individual or joint account depending on your financial needs.
Cash account
Use available cash from your account to buy securities.
Margin account
Leverage the value of your securities to borrow money.
Margin/Short-selling account
Sell a borrowed security with the intention to buy it back later for less.
You will need a photo ID and your banking information to complete the form.
Discover our other accounts
Company account
Sole proprietorship account
To open one of these accounts, call us at 1-800-363-3511
FHSA
The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is an ideal choice for first-time homebuyers. If you're looking to open a savings account but aren’t sure which type is right for you, compare the benefits and differences between the RRSP, the TFSA, and the FHSA.
The fine print
For brokerage accounts:
- Your full name (as it appears on official identity documents)
- Your date of birth
- Your full home and mailing address
- Your job title and the full address of your employer
- Telephone numbers where we can reach you
- Your social insurance number (SIN)
- Your bank account information (provide a void cheque). You can also link a bank account held at another financial institution.
For accounts with spousal contributions (RRSP or RRIF):
- The full name of your spouse (as it appears on official identity documents)
- His or her date of birth
- His or her social insurance number (SIN)
For RESP accounts:
- The full name of the beneficiary (as it appears on official identity documents)
- The beneficiary's date of birth
- The beneficiary's home address
- The beneficiary's social insurance number, to apply for federal grants and provincial ones in certain provinces (an RESP cannot be opened without the beneficiary's SIN)
For special accounts:
Consult our forms and call us at 1-800-363-3511.
For your account opening application to be processed, please send
us the following within 25 days:
- The appropriate forms for your account type, duly signed.
- A copy of both sides of a recognized identity document: driver's licence, health insurance card (except for residents of Ontario, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island), permanent resident card, Canadian passport or birth certificate (if under 21 years of age).
You can send us the documents in two ways:
- Mail them to:
National Bank Direct Brokerage
800 Saint-Jacques Street, Office 16281
Montreal, QC H3C 1A3
- Bring them to the National Bank branch of your choice. Find a branch.
N.B.: The opening of a brokerage account is subject to certain terms and conditions and must be approved by National Bank Direct Brokerage.
The time it takes to open an account will depend on the type of account you choose.
For personal and joint accounts |
One business day (24 hours), if the information received is in order. If your bank account is not held at National Bank, your brokerage account will still be opened within 24 hours, but it will not be activated until all verifications are completed. |
For margin accounts and/or accounts with option trading |
3 business days (72 hours) following the receipt of the original, duly completed and signed account opening documents. Procedure: If you apply to open a margin account, a cash account will be opened pending receipt of the signed account opening documents. Once your margin account is opened (after verification), any cash and securities held in your cash account will be transferred to your margin account. |
For Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) |
You will not be able to make your first contribution until we have received all grant application forms. |
For personal and joint accounts |
One business day (24 hours), if the information received is in order. If your bank account is not held at National Bank, your brokerage account will still be opened within 24 hours, but it will not be activated until all verifications are completed. |
For margin accounts and/or accounts with option trading |
3 business days (72 hours) following the receipt of the original, duly completed and signed account opening documents. Procedure: If you apply to open a margin account, a cash account will be opened pending receipt of the signed account opening documents. Once your margin account is opened (after verification), any cash and securities held in your cash account will be transferred to your margin account. |
For Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) |
You will not be able to make your first contribution until we have received all grant application forms. |
N.B.: The opening of a brokerage account is subject to certain conditions and must be approved by National Bank Direct Brokerage.
New client?
Contact one of our Technical Support Specialists at 1-800-363-3511 - option 4 - Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (ET) to get a username and password.
Already a client?
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