How to Register a Business in BC: Steps, Costs & Timelines
Updated: July 2026. Government fees and processing information were checked against BC Registry Services and federal government pages in July 2026.
Starting a business in British Columbia usually means choosing a structure, reserving a name and registering with BC Registry Services. For a typical named sole proprietorship, budget $70 in government fees. A named BC limited company normally costs $380 before professional help or ongoing expenses.
The structure decision matters more than the form. A sole proprietorship is inexpensive and easy to run, but you and the business are the same legal person. A corporation creates a separate legal entity, then adds annual reports, corporate records and a T2 tax return.
Do you need to register a business in BC?
If you operate a sole proprietorship using only your personal name, you don't need to request a business name or register the business provincially. Jamie Chen can operate without a BC registration; Jamie Chen Consulting normally cannot.
You generally need to register when you:
- operate a sole proprietorship or partnership under a business or trade name;
- incorporate a BC company;
- use a “doing business as” (DBA) or operating name for an existing company; or
- carry on business in BC through a federal or out-of-province corporation.
Provincial registration is separate from municipal business licensing, CRA accounts and industry permits. One filing doesn't complete the others.
What is the BC Business Registry?
BC Registry Services records businesses and incorporated companies in the province. The BC Business Registry handles online registrations for sole proprietorships and general partnerships, while most traditional BC limited companies use Corporate Online.
If your goal is to confirm an existing business rather than start one, use BC's business and organization records guidance. Registry documents are public records, although access and document fees vary.
The registration process is province-wide. The same provincial steps apply whether you are in Vancouver, Prince George or northern BC; municipal licences and zoning are where the local differences begin.
How much does it cost to register a business in BC?
These are the main government fees most owners encounter. A name request is separate unless you use only your personal name as a sole proprietor or choose a numbered company.
| Filing | Government fee | Ongoing registry fee |
|---|---|---|
| Name request | $30 | New request required if the 56-day reservation expires |
| Priority service | Additional $100 | Per priority request or filing |
| Sole proprietorship or general partnership | $40 | No annual BC Registry filing fee |
| Limited partnership | $165 | Check the current fee schedule for later filings |
| Limited liability partnership | $275 | Check the current fee schedule for later filings |
| BC limited company | $350 | $43.39 annual report |
| BC unlimited liability company | $1,000 | $43.39 annual report |
| Federal corporation | $200 federally | $12 federal annual return |
| Federal or other extraprovincial company registered in BC | $350 | $43.39 BC annual report |
That makes the usual setup totals $70 for a named sole proprietorship, $380 for a named BC limited company, and at least $550 for a federal corporation registered in BC, before any BC name request that applies. A federal corporation operating in BC also has two annual registry filings: $12 federally and $43.39 in BC.
Companies formed in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba may qualify for fee exemptions under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement. Check the current process rather than assuming the normal $350 extraprovincial fee applies.
Government fees are still the small part of incorporation. Expect a basic professionally prepared T2 return to run around $1,500 even with the bookkeeping already done. Formation documents, bookkeeping, insurance, payroll and licences add to the real annual cost.
How long does BC business registration take?
The name request is usually the bottleneck. BC's incorporated-company guidance says to allow 7–14 days, while its live processing page listed five business days for names as of July 2026. The queue changes, so check current BC Registry processing times before making a bank appointment or promising a contract date.
Priority name service costs an additional $100 and targets one to two business days. Once approved, the name is reserved for 56 days. If you miss that window, you need another name request and another $30 fee. An online incorporation can take effect immediately after a successful filing; mailed or pickup copies of the documents may take another two to three working days to prepare.
Choose the right BC business structure
For most owner-operated businesses, the real choice is between a sole proprietorship and a corporation.
| Structure | Usually a fit when | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship | You are testing an idea, freelancing alone or want the least administration. | You are personally responsible for the business's debts and obligations. |
| General partnership | Two or more owners are operating together. | Partners can bind the partnership and generally have unlimited liability; use a written agreement. |
| BC limited company | You need a separate legal entity, expect investment or want to retain profits in the company. | Higher setup and annual costs, plus corporate records and tax filings. |
| Federal corporation | Canada-wide corporate-name protection or moving the registered office between provinces matters. | It still needs BC registration, creating two registry records and two annual filings. |
BC also permits benefit companies, community contribution companies and unlimited liability companies. Those are specialist choices, not default versions of a small business. A ULC in particular has different shareholder-liability and cross-border tax consequences; the $1,000 filing fee is the least important reason to get professional advice.
How to register a sole proprietorship in BC
This part is straightforward once the name is approved.
- Decide whether you need a registered name. If you use only your personal name, you can skip the provincial name request and business registration. Otherwise continue.
- Check the proposed name. Search the registry and the Canadian Trademarks Database. A BC sole-proprietorship registration doesn't give exclusive name protection.
- Request the name. Submit up to three choices through the BC name-request service. The regular fee is $30.
- Create a BC Registries account. You need a basic or premium account to register online.
- Register and pay $40. Complete the sole-proprietorship registration in the BC Business Registry. You can also register at a Service BC location.
- Save the registration documents and Business Number. Keep them with your tax, banking and licensing records.
A company that wants to operate under another name can register a DBA or operating name. BC describes this as a “doing business as” registration. A sole proprietorship doesn't register a second DBA on top of itself; its registered business name is already the name it uses.
Should you incorporate in BC or federally?
Both structures can operate beyond BC, but both must register wherever the applicable provincial law requires. Federal incorporation doesn't replace BC registration.
| BC limited company | Federal corporation operating in BC | |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporation fee | $350 plus a name request if needed | $200 federally, then $350 for BC registration |
| Annual registry fees | $43.39 | $12 federally plus $43.39 in BC |
| Director residency | No Canadian-residency requirement | At least 25% of directors must be resident Canadians; if there are fewer than four, at least one must be a resident Canadian |
| Corporate name | Approved in BC | Broader Canada-wide corporate-name protection |
| Administration | One corporate registry | Federal and BC registry records |
A BC company is usually the simpler choice when BC is the home base, particularly for an all-non-resident director team. Federal incorporation can still make sense when the name rights or ability to move the registered-office province justify the extra administration.
The provincial route requires Articles, an Incorporation Agreement, a Notice of Articles, a BC registered office and records office, and post-incorporation records. The full process is in How to Incorporate in BC.
How do you get a Business Number in BC?
The Business Number (BN) is a nine-digit federal identifier issued through the CRA system. A corporation's cover sheet includes its BN after incorporation. BC Registry Services also issues a BN with completed sole-proprietorship and partnership registrations.
Do not confuse these numbers:
- CRA Business Number: nine digits, such as
123456789. - CRA program account: the BN plus a program identifier and reference number, such as
123456789 RT 0001for GST/HST. - BC incorporation or registration number: the identifier BC Registry Services assigns to the provincial record.
A BN does not mean every CRA account is active. Add GST/HST, payroll or import/export accounts only when they apply.
Which tax accounts does a BC business need?
- GST/HST: most businesses must register once taxable revenue exceeds $30,000 in one calendar quarter or across four consecutive calendar quarters. BC has 5% GST rather than HST.
- PST: register if you sell or lease taxable goods, software or services unless an exemption applies. The small-seller exception is narrower than a simple $10,000 threshold: among other conditions, you must be located in BC, have no established commercial retail premises, and stay at or below $10,000 of eligible retail revenue for both the previous and next 12 months. Use BC's small-business PST guide for the full test.
- Payroll: register before you need to withhold and remit payroll deductions.
- WorkSafeBC: most businesses that hire workers need to register. Confirm your status directly with WorkSafeBC.
Corporate income tax is reported through the federal T2 return; PST remains a separate provincial registration with its own returns.
For incorporated owners deciding whether they need payroll for their own compensation, use Ribbon Business's salary vs dividend calculator for Canada to compare immediate cash, CPP and RRSP room.
Do you need a BC business licence or permit?
Business registration is not a business licence. The province creates the legal or registered business record; a municipality or regulator decides whether you can carry on a particular activity or operate at a location.
Start with BizPaL, then check your municipality. A Vancouver restaurant, a Prince George contractor, a home-based consultant and an online retailer can have very different licensing, zoning, health, building and industry requirements. Municipal fees vary too much to give one useful “BC business licence cost.”
Stay compliant after registration
For a sole proprietorship, keep financial records, report the income on your T1 return, file any GST/PST/payroll returns, keep licences current and update the registry when the business information changes.
For a corporation, add the following:
- file the $43.39 BC annual report within two months after the incorporation anniversary;
- file a T2 corporate tax return every tax year, including inactive years;
- hold the required shareholder and director meetings or document written resolutions;
- maintain Articles, registers, minutes, share records and a BC transparency register;
- keep the registered office, records office and directors current; and
- file returns for every active CRA or provincial tax account.
In a 2023 Ribbon Business study, 10.5% of 190 letters sent to newly incorporated federal corporations in Atlantic Canada came back return-to-sender. It was an Atlantic sample, not a BC study, but the operational lesson travels: use an eligible address that is actually monitored and update it when you move.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register a BC business if I live outside the province?
BC says you don't need to be a BC resident to start a sole proprietorship or partnership. Account access and identity-verification options can differ for people outside Canada. A BC company also has no Canadian-resident-director requirement, but it still needs eligible BC registered-office and records-office addresses.
Is a trade name the same as a corporation?
No. A trade name, business name, DBA or operating name is a name used by a business. Registering it doesn't create a separate legal entity or give a sole proprietor limited liability.
Does a BC business name expire?
An approved name request is reserved for 56 days. Complete the registration or incorporation within that window. The business registration itself is different from the temporary name reservation.
Is a Business Number the same as a business licence?
No. The BN identifies the business in participating government systems. A licence or permit authorizes a particular activity or location.
The practical next step
If you're testing a one-person business, a $70 sole proprietorship is often enough. If you're adding owners, retaining profits, seeking investment or taking on larger contractual risk, compare incorporation before registering the sole proprietorship—you can't convert one into the other later by checking a box.