The short answer
Working under your own name? A sole proprietor has nothing to register with Alberta. Using any other name ("Chinook Paws", "Jordan Lee Cleaning Co.")? File a Declaration of Trade Name at a registry agent within 6 months of first using it.
The government fee is $10.61; the agent adds its own service fee, which varies. There's no renewal. Fees as of September 2026.
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Do you need to register at all?
Alberta's rule is in section 110 of the Partnership Act. A sole proprietor has to file a Declaration of Trade Name if they use as their business name:
- a name other than their own ("Chinook Paws", "Bow River Tutoring"), or
- their own name plus a word that suggests more than one person ("Jordan Lee and Company").
If you work as plain "Jordan Lee", there's nothing to file. Alberta's own guide to registering a business name (checked September 2026) describes a trade name the same way: it's "used when an individual does business under a name other than their own personal name."
One wrinkle: the Act's wording covers people in business "for trading, manufacturing, contracting or mining purposes." Most service businesses that use a trade name register it anyway. It's cheap, banks usually want the registration before they'll open an account in the business name, and it removes any doubt.
Registered or not, you're self-employed. You report business income on Form T2125 with your personal tax return.
How to register a trade name in Alberta, step by step
- Choose the name. Alberta's rules are loose: trade names don't have to be unique, but a name that's the same as or close to an existing business, corporation or trademark can land you in court. You can't end it with "Limited", "Incorporated", "Corporation" or their abbreviations; those are for companies.
- Search it (optional). Alberta recommends, but doesn't require, a Business Name Report from a NUANS provider, which lists similar business, corporation and trademark names. At minimum, search the web and social media for the name.
- Fill in the Declaration of Trade Name. Alberta publishes a sample form, or you can bring the same information: your name and address, the trade name, and a statement that no one is in partnership with you.
- Take it to a registry agent (an authorized Corporate Registry service provider) with valid ID and payment. Use Alberta's registry agent finder. Once it's entered in the Corporate Registry, you get a proof of filing.
- Watch for your business number. Alberta says you'll get an email when your federal business number is issued, unless you already have one.
A partnership follows the same steps with a Declaration of Partnership, signed by the partners.
What it costs
| Filing | Government fee | Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Register a trade name | $10.61 | The agent's service fee |
| Register a general partnership | $10.61 | The agent's service fee |
| Dissolve a trade name or partnership | $0 | The agent's service fee |
| Current trade name search | $1.06 | The agent's service fee |
| Incorporate an Alberta corporation | $291.75 | The agent's fee, and a NUANS report for a word name |
Government fees from Alberta's Registry Agent Product Catalogue, effective September 1, 2026. Service fees for these products are set by each registry agent and aren't regulated, so the total varies from office to office. Ask for the all-in price before you go.
What registration does, and doesn't, give you
- It isn't ownership of the name. Alberta says registering "does not grant any right of ownership of the name. It is simply proof that the name is being used by a particular business." A trademark is the tool for protecting a name.
- It isn't a separate legal entity. You remain personally responsible for the business's debts.
- It doesn't expire. Unlike Ontario's 5-year renewal, the catalogue has no renewal product for trade names. The Act does require an update within 30 days if your address changes.
- It isn't a licence to operate. That comes from your city (below).
Filing late, or not at all
The Act says the declaration is due within 6 months of first using the name. A late filing is still accepted, but not filing is an offence with a fine of up to $500 (section 112). The practical risk is section 113: a business that should have registered can't pursue a lawsuit in Alberta, such as suing a client over an unpaid invoice, until it files.
Partnership or corporation instead?
| Structure | What you file | Government fee | Who's on the hook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship, your own name | Nothing to register | $0 | Just you. Unlimited personal liability. |
| Sole proprietorship, a trade name | Declaration of Trade Name, at a registry agent | $10.61 + the agent's service fee | Just you. Unlimited personal liability. |
| General partnership | Declaration of Partnership, at a registry agent | $10.61 + the agent's service fee | Two or more partners, each liable for the partnership's debts. |
| Alberta corporation | Articles of incorporation, at a registry agent | $291.75 + the agent's fee, plus an Alberta NUANS report for a word name | A separate legal entity with limited liability. |
To incorporate in Alberta with a word name, you need an Alberta NUANS report that's less than 91 days old; a numbered company ("123456 Alberta Ltd.") skips that step. A corporation limits your personal liability but files its own tax return and annual return every year. Most one-person service businesses start as sole proprietors, and good business insurance covers the everyday risks. Talk to an accountant before you incorporate.
City business licences in Alberta
Registering a trade name with the province doesn't license you to operate. Business licences come from your municipality, and the rules differ:
- Calgary doesn't require a licence for some business types, but says on its page of businesses not requiring a licence that every business operating in Calgary still has to register and get a Business ID, and every business location needs land use approval, as of September 2026.
- Edmonton licenses home-based businesses, with the fee set by the business category and a choice of a one- or two-year term.
- Smaller cities and towns set their own rules. If you work across several, ask each one whether a business from outside needs a licence to work there.
Search "[your city] business licence" and use the city's own page; it's the only reliable source for your fee.
After you register
- GST, when you need it. Alberta has no provincial sales tax, so you only deal with the 5% GST. Registration becomes mandatory once your taxable sales pass $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters. The business number guide covers adding a GST account to your BN, and the GST/HST guide explains the threshold.
- A separate bank account, opened in the trade name with your proof of filing.
- Insurance. Liability cover, and bonding if you hold clients' keys. See small business insurance in Canada.
- Invoices in your new name. How to write an invoice walks through what goes on one; the free invoice generator makes one now.
- Set money aside for tax. The self-employed tax calculator estimates your 2026 income tax and CPP.
Registering in another province?
See how to register a business in Ontario ($60 on the Ontario Business Registry, renewed every 5 years) and how to register a business in BC (a name request, then BC Registries).
Common questions
Do I need to register my business in Alberta if I use my own name?
No. Alberta's Partnership Act only requires a Declaration of Trade Name when a sole proprietor uses a name other than their own, or their own name plus a word like "and Company". A dog walker who invoices as "Jordan Lee" has nothing to register with the province, though a city business licence may still apply.
How much does it cost to register a trade name in Alberta?
The government fee is $10.61, from the registry agent product catalogue effective September 1, 2026. Registry agents add their own service fee on top, which the province doesn't regulate, so the total you pay depends on the agent. Call two or three agents and ask for their all-in price.
Can I register a trade name in Alberta online?
Not directly with the province. Alberta's instructions are to take your trade name information, ID and payment to an authorized Corporate Registry service provider, which in practice means a registry agent. Some registry agents and private filing services take the details online and file for you, for their own fee.
Do I need a NUANS report for an Alberta trade name?
No. For a trade name, Alberta says a Business Name Report (NUANS) is recommended but not mandatory. An Alberta NUANS report is required when you incorporate a company with a word name, and it must be less than 91 days old when you file.
Does an Alberta trade name expire?
Alberta's registry agent catalogue lists no renewal fee for trade names, and the Partnership Act has no renewal cycle for them, unlike Ontario's 5-year renewal. You do have to file an update within 30 days if your address changes, and you can file a declaration when you stop using the name.
Does registering a trade name give me a business number?
Usually, yes. Alberta says you get an email when your federal business number (BN) is issued after you register, unless you already have one. The BN on its own doesn't register you for GST. You add a GST account when you need one, usually once you pass $30,000 in taxable sales.
What happens if I use a trade name and don't register it?
The Partnership Act says a declaration must be filed within 6 months of first using the name. Failing to file is an offence with a fine of up to $500, and a business that should have registered can't pursue a court action, for example against a client who won't pay, until it does.