How to register a business in BC: the steps and the fees
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Registering the name comes first, then the CRA accounts, the city licence and a separate bank account.
Short answer: a sole proprietorship or general partnership is registered with BC Registries for CAD 40, after the business name is approved for CAD 30 (a priority name review is CAD 100 and takes one to two business days). A BC limited company costs CAD 350 plus a CAD 30 charge, CAD 380 in all. After that come the CRA business number and accounts, the city business licence and a separate bank account.
What are the steps?
- Choose a structure: sole proprietor, partnership or company. The sole proprietor or corporation guide covers the tax side of that choice.
- Get the business name approved, and check it does not conflict with an existing corporation name.
- Register: a sole proprietorship or general partnership online through BC Registries or at a Service BC office; a company is incorporated through the registry.
- Get a CRA business number and the accounts you need: GST, payroll, and corporate income tax for a company.
- Apply for the city business licence where you operate.
- Open a separate business bank account and keep the books from day one.
What does the registry charge?
| What | Fee |
|---|---|
| Name approval | CAD 30 (priority review CAD 100, in one to two business days) |
| Register a sole proprietorship or general partnership | CAD 40 |
| Incorporate a BC limited company | CAD 350 plus CAD 30, CAD 380 in all |
| Limited partnership | CAD 165, paper filing only |
| Limited liability partnership | CAD 275, paper filing only |
Fees for lawyers or other helpers, and city licence fees, are extra and vary. The registry services are also being moved to a new BC Registry application, so check the current page for the form to use.
What comes after registering?
Registering the name does not set up any tax account. GST registration is required once taxable sales pass CAD 30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters or in a single quarter, and many owners register earlier. The GST registration guide has the detail. Payroll and PST are separate registrations. Cities such as Vancouver, Richmond and Port Coquitlam each have their own licence rules.
What your books need to show
- The registration fees and any legal costs, recorded as start-up expenses with the dates.
- A separate bank account and card from the first day, so the opening balance is clean.
- The business number and the date each account (GST, payroll, PST) started, so returns are filed from the right period.
How much does it cost to register a business in BC?
The province lists CAD 40 to register a sole proprietorship or general partnership, CAD 30 for name approval (CAD 100 for priority review) and CAD 380 to incorporate a BC limited company.
Do I need a business name approved first?
Yes, for a business name. The province requires the name to be approved, to confirm it does not conflict with a corporation name. An owner who plans to use only their own legal name should check the province’s page on whether registering is needed at all.
Is a business number the same as registering with BC?
No. BC Registries registers the business. The CRA business number and the GST, payroll and corporate tax accounts are set up separately.
Can I register it myself?
A sole proprietorship or general partnership can be registered online or at Service BC. Whether to incorporate, and how to set up the shares, is a question for a lawyer or tax adviser.
Sole proprietor or corporation? →
GST registration and input tax credits →
Want this handled for you
This is the work we do for clients every month. Tell us what you sell and where your books stand, and a written plan and a fixed monthly price follow within one business day.
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