How to register a business in BC.

When you don't need to register in BC

The province's page on sole proprietorships and partnerships is direct about it, as of September 2026: "if you're going to do business under your name, you do not need to request a business name or register the business with the province."

So a dog walker who invoices as "Priya Sandhu" has nothing to file with BC Registries. If she wants "Priya's Pack Walks" on her invoices, van and website, she registers.

Not registering doesn't mean you aren't a business. You still report the income on Form T2125 with your personal tax return, may need a city licence, and have to register for GST once you pass $30,000 in taxable sales.

How to register a sole proprietorship in BC

Step 1: Request approval for the name ($30)

Submit a name request online. The fee is $30. Priority service (a decision in 1 to 2 business days) costs an extra $100, so $130 in total. Once it's approved, the name is reserved for 56 days.

Tips that save a second $30:

• Make it distinctive and descriptive. "Cedar Paws Dog Walking" beats "Dog Walking Services". Approved names usually combine a distinctive part with a part describing what you do.
• No "Ltd." or "Inc." Those corporate designations are for incorporated companies.
• Check for conflicts first. The examiner only compares your name against BC's corporate register, and will reject one that's the same as or close to a corporation's name. Search the web and the BC registry yourself before you pay.

Step 2: Register the proprietorship ($40)

With your approved name request number, register the business on BC Registries and Online Services. You need a basic or premium BC Registry account and a credit card; registration is instant. You can also register in person at a Service BC office. Do it within the 56 days, or the name lapses and you start again.

Step 3: Keep the registration current

Changing your address or other details on a proprietorship registration is free. If you sell the business, BC's proprietorship information package says you dissolve your proprietorship and the new owner registers their own.

What it costs

Fees from BC's forms, fees and information packages, as of September 2026. GST isn't charged on these fees.

What registration does, and doesn't, give you

• It puts your name on the public record, so clients and suppliers can see who's behind the business, and lets you open a bank account in the business name.
• It doesn't protect the name. BC says "only incorporated companies, cooperatives or societies can guarantee exclusive use of their name." If the name matters to you long-term, look into a trademark.
• It isn't a tax number. Your BC registration number has nothing to do with GST. The CRA's business number is a separate step (below).
• It isn't a licence to operate. Business licences come from your municipality.

Partnership or incorporation?

A general partnership (two or more people in business together) registers the same way as a sole proprietorship, for the same $70. Each partner is normally personally responsible for the partnership's debts.

Incorporating a BC company costs $350 plus the $30 name request, and a company files an annual report every year ($43.39 as of September 2026) and its own corporate tax return. You can also incorporate federally through Corporations Canada ($200 online) and then register in BC. Incorporation gives you limited liability and name protection, at the cost of more paperwork and an accountant's bill. Most one-person service businesses start as a sole proprietorship; talk to an accountant before incorporating.

Municipal business licences in BC

BC Registries doesn't issue business licences. Its information package puts it plainly: "business licences are only issued under municipal authority." What that means in practice:

• Your home city. Most BC municipalities require a licence for businesses based there, including home-based ones such as a tutor teaching from the kitchen table or a cleaner whose office is a laptop. Fees depend on the city and the business type.
• Cities you work in. Some cities also expect a licence from businesses that come in from outside to work there. A dog walker or cleaner covering several cities should check each one.
• Inter-municipal licences. Several regions run a single licence valid across participating cities, but they're narrow. The Fraser Valley program described by Pitt Meadows, for example, covers construction-related trades and home-visit health care providers, for $250 a year on top of your home city's licence. Most pet care, cleaning and tutoring businesses don't qualify, so ask each city.

Search "[your city] business licence" and read the city's own page; that's the only reliable source for your fee.

After you register

1. GST, when you need it. Once your taxable sales pass $30,000 in a calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, register for GST with the CRA and start charging 5%. The business number guide explains how, and the GST/HST guide covers the threshold. BC's PST is a separate provincial registration; check gov.bc.ca for whether it applies to what you sell.
2. A separate bank account for business money.
3. Insurance. Liability cover, and bonding if you hold clients' keys. See small business insurance in Canada.
4. Invoices with your new name. How to write an invoice covers what goes on one; the free invoice generator makes one now.
5. 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, renewed every 5 years) and how to register a business in Alberta (through a registry agent).

Common questions

Do I need to register my business in BC if I use my own name?

No. The BC government says a sole proprietorship or partnership doing business under a personal name does not need to request a business name or register with the province. You may still need a municipal business licence, and a GST/HST account once you pass $30,000 in taxable sales.

How much does it cost to register a sole proprietorship in BC?

$70 in government fees as of September 2026: $30 for the name request and $40 to register the proprietorship through BC Registries. Priority name review costs an extra $100 ($130 for the name request). Changing the registration later is free.

How long is an approved business name held in BC?

56 days from approval. If you don't register the proprietorship within those 56 days, the reservation lapses and you have to submit (and pay for) a new name request.

Does registering a business name in BC protect it?

No. BC says only incorporated companies, cooperatives and societies can guarantee exclusive use of a name. The name approval stops you registering a name too close to an existing corporation, but it doesn't give you ownership of your proprietorship's name. A trademark is the tool for that.

Is my BC registration number my GST number?

No. BC's own registration package says the number the Registrar gives you has nothing to do with GST. A business number and GST/HST account come from the Canada Revenue Agency and are a separate, free registration.

Do I need a business licence in BC?

Business licences are issued by municipalities, not the province. Most cities require one for businesses based in or working in the city, including home-based businesses. Check your city's website; some regions offer an inter-municipal licence, but it usually covers construction trades and home-visit health professionals, not every mobile business.

Can I register a sole proprietorship in BC online?

Yes. Submit the name request online, then register the proprietorship on the BC Registries website with a basic or premium BC Registry account and a credit card. You can also register in person at a Service BC office.

Related guides

• Business number in Canada and when you need GST/HST
• Small business insurance in Canada
• How to write an invoice
• T2125 explained, line by line
• GST/HST guide for small businesses