Registering a business in Canada means formally notifying the federal, provincial, or territorial government that you intend to operate, and it’s a separate step from incorporating or getting a tax number. The exact process depends on your business structure and location, but most businesses follow a similar path: choose a structure, pick and search a name, register with the right government body, and then set up your Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) accounts. Registration builds a paper trail that protects your business name and lets you open bank accounts, get insurance, and accept payments under that name.
Do You Actually Need To Register?
If you’re running a sole proprietorship under your own legal name, or a partnership using the partners’ legal names, you generally don’t need to register a business name. Registration becomes necessary once you operate under any name other than your own legal name — including adding a descriptor like “consulting” or “designs” to your name. Corporations are a separate case: registering as a corporation involves incorporating, getting a federal business number and tax account from the CRA, and registering as an extra-provincial or extra-territorial corporation everywhere else you plan to do business.
Choose Your Business Structure
Your structure affects your liability, taxes, and paperwork, so it’s worth deciding this before you register.
- Sole proprietorship – you and the business are legally the same, so you’re personally liable for its debts.
- Partnership – similar to a sole proprietorship but shared between two or more people.
- Limited partnership (LP) – requires at least one general partner who manages the business and carries unlimited liability, plus one or more limited partners whose liability is capped at what they’ve invested.
- Limited liability partnership (LLP) – common among regulated professions such as lawyers or accountants, where partners aren’t liable for each other’s mistakes but remain liable for their own.
- Corporation – a separate legal entity that limits your personal liability to what you’ve invested, can issue shares, and continues operating even if ownership changes, though it comes with higher costs and more administrative work such as annual returns and a minute book.
Pick And Search Your Business Name
Once you’ve settled on a structure, search whether your desired name is already taken before you file anything. You can search Canada’s Business Registries for free, or run a paid Nuans report, which lists similar corporate names and trademarks across the country outside Quebec and stays valid for 90 days. A public record search is worth doing even if you’re fairly confident the name is free, just to confirm there’s no conflict. Name registration itself is handled provincially or territorially for trade names, though if you’re incorporating, name registration is typically included in that process.
Register With The Right Government Body
There’s no single process that applies to every business in Canada — it depends on your structure, where you plan to operate, and whether you’re registering as an individual or a corporation, though most of the steps can be completed online. For unincorporated businesses (sole proprietorships and partnerships), you typically register directly with your province or territory’s business registry — for example, Ontario businesses register through the Ontario Business Registry or ServiceOntario, with a name search costing up to roughly $13.80 and registration itself around $60 for a sole proprietorship or general partnership. For corporations, you first obtain your articles of incorporation through federal or provincial/territorial incorporation, then register as an extra-provincial or extra-territorial corporation in any other jurisdiction where you’ll operate, and apply for any permits or licences your business needs. Federal incorporation gives your name protection across the whole country, but you’ll still need to register separately in each province where you actually operate.
Set Up Your CRA Business Number And Accounts
Registering with the CRA is a separate step from provincial or territorial registration, needed when you require a Business Number (BN) for tax or payroll purposes. As of November 3, 2025, the CRA moved this process fully online: business number and program account registrations must go through Business Registration Online (BRO), and calling in to register is no longer available. Through BRO you can create a new BN, register for CRA program accounts, or add accounts to an existing BN, and you typically get your number instantly. You’ll also need a GST/HST number specifically if your gross revenue exceeds $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, which is a separate registration from your business name. Note that if you’ve already registered your business in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Saskatchewan, a CRA business number is often assigned to you automatically.
After You Register
With your registration confirmation and business number in hand, you can open a dedicated business bank account, apply for any licenses or permits your industry requires, and arrange business insurance. If you plan to hire employees, you’ll also need to set up a payroll account with the CRA. Keep your registration confirmation and BN somewhere accessible — you’ll need them for tax filings, bank applications, and most official dealings with government departments going forward.
Contact Information
Canada Revenue Agency – Business Registration Online
Website:
canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-services-businesses/register.html
e-Services Helpdesk (for technical issues with Business Registration Online):
1-800-959-5525
Ontario Business Registry (for provincial name and business registration):
ontario.ca/page/ontario-business-registry
Join The Discussion
If you’ve registered a business in Canada, what tripped you up — the name search, choosing a structure, or navigating between provincial and federal requirements? Share your experience, any provincial quirks you ran into, or advice for someone about to start the process for the first time.
