Registering a business in British Columbia starts with the legal form you plan to use.
For many small businesses, that means registering a sole proprietorship or partnership with BC Registries. If you plan to incorporate, that is a different process. If you need a municipal business licence, PST account, GST/HST account, payroll account, or industry permit, those are separate steps.
The registration step matters, but it is only one part of setting up the business properly.
Table of Contents
Know Whether You Need to Register
BC says sole proprietorships and partnerships have a registered business name for legal and tax purposes.
If you are going to do business as a sole proprietorship or partnership, you generally need to reserve a business name and register the business. BC also notes an exception: if you are doing business under your own name, you do not need to request a business name or register the business with the province.
That exception can be useful for a self-employed person who invoices under their legal name. If you want to operate under a business name, brand name, trade name, or partnership name, expect to go through the name request and registration process.
Choose the Right Structure First
A sole proprietorship has one owner. BC describes the sole proprietor as self-employed, responsible for business operations, and assuming all liabilities.
A partnership is operated by two or more parties. In a general partnership, partners are responsible for all aspects of the business, including the partnership’s debts. Limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships have their own rules and registration processes.
If you are unsure whether to use a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation, get legal or accounting advice before filing. Changing structure later may mean registering a new business and ending the old one.
Reserve the Business Name
For a sole proprietorship or partnership that needs a business name, BC requires you to request and reserve the name before registering.
The name request checks whether the proposed name conflicts with names already being used by corporations and other entities. BC notes that only incorporated companies, cooperatives, or societies can secure exclusive use of their name, so a registered proprietorship or partnership name does not give the same protection as incorporation.
Once the name request is approved, you receive a name request number. BC says the registration must be completed before the name request expires. Check BC Registries for current processing times, fees, and expiry rules before you file.
Register the Sole Proprietorship or Partnership
After the name is approved, you can register the sole proprietorship or general partnership through BC Business Registry or in person at a Service BC location.
You will need information about the business name, business start date, business address, mailing address, owners or partners, and other details required by the registry. Limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships use separate paper filing processes.
When registration is complete, BC says a copy of the Statement of Registration and business number will be mailed to you. Keep those records with your tax, banking, insurance, and licensing documents.
Understand the Business Number
A business number is not the same as the business name registration.
BC explains that the Canada Revenue Agency assigns a 9-digit business number to identify a business, incorporated company, or society. You may use that number for different government program accounts, depending on what the business needs.
The CRA’s business registration page explains that a business may need a business number or program accounts such as GST/HST or payroll. If you hire employees, collect GST/HST, incorporate, import or export, or need another CRA account, check CRA requirements rather than assuming the provincial registration covers everything.
Check PST, Licences, and Local Requirements
Business registration with BC Registries is different from a business licence.
BC says provincial business registration is not the same as getting a business licence, and business owners should check with their municipal or local government about licensing in the area where they live or want to do business.
You may also need to register for provincial sales tax. BC says you must register to collect PST if you are located in B.C. and sell or lease taxable goods, provide software, or provide taxable services in the ordinary course of business in B.C. Other rules may apply depending on what you sell and where your customers are.
Industry rules can also matter. Food, health, construction, childcare, transportation, cannabis, financial services, real estate, and other activities may have extra permits, approvals, or professional requirements.
Keep Registration Details Consistent
Once the business is registered, use the same public information across your records and profiles.
Your business name, address, service area, phone number, website, and customer-facing description should match your website, invoices, Google Business Profile, social profiles, directory listings, tax accounts, and banking records as closely as possible.
If you change the business name, ownership, address, structure, or key information, check whether BC Registries, CRA, PST, WorkSafeBC, your municipality, or other agencies need an update.
After Registration
After you register, you can start building the public-facing parts of the business.
Make sure customers can understand what you do, where you work, and how to contact you. If your business serves Canadian customers, you can request a listing in the Tech Help Canada Business Directory once your name, category, service area, website, and contact details are ready.
Sources
- https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/business/managing-a-business/permits-licences/businesses-incorporated-companies/proprietorships-partnerships
- https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/business/managing-a-business/permits-licences/businesses-incorporated-companies/business-number
- https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/sales-taxes/pst/register
- https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/business-registration.html
