Business Registration in Ontario

Who Must Register Under the Business Names Act?

The Ontario Business Names Act administered by the Companies and Personal Property Security Branch applies to:

Sole proprietorships (one owner) carrying on business under a name other than the individual’s full name;
Partnerships carrying on business under a firm name other than the full names of the partners;
Corporations carrying on business under a name other than their corporate name;
An existing general partnership or limited partnership registering a business name different from the registered firm name;
Limited liability partnerships;
Extra-provincial limited liability partnerships; and
Extra-provincial limited liability companies

The Ministry fee for registering a business name:

Through Service Ontario, $60
At any Service Ontario or the Leeds & Grenville Small Business Centre office the cost is $60 plus $8-$26 (depending on the report selected) for a Title Search (optional); however some Service Providers change a separate service fee. Please contact the Service Providers directly for information about the fees they charge for the immediate online service they provide.

To search for, register or a renew a business name you will need:

A printer to print the Receipt, Summary Registration, Profile Summary, Master Business Licence and/or the Enhanced Business Name Report
A valid credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express)

Business Identification Number (BIN) and Business Number (BN)

The Companies and Personal Property Security Branch assigns a Business Identification Number (BIN) when a business name is registered in Ontario. It should not be confused with the federal Business Number (BN) assigned by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for federal programs, including Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST), Import/Export Accounts, Payroll Deductions and Corporate Income Tax.

Contact us to find out more information on how to properly register, renew or cancel your business registration.