The staff was very professional, I was able to get questions answered quickly with out any issues. Thank you
Tax account setup for your Canadian business, same day.
Tax account setup for your Canadian business, same day.
Submit your business name, business type, jurisdiction, corporate number if known, and contact information.
From $62.14.
Pay by credit card.
Your documentation is emailed to you once completed.
The foundation for all your federal tax accounts
A Business Number (BN) is the unique 9-digit identifier the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issues to identify your business across all federal tax accounts (HST, Payroll, Corporate Income Tax, Import/Export). The BN is the foundation for HST registration, Payroll accounts, import/export accounts, and corporate income tax filings. All registrations and incorporations receive a BN after completion. Once you have your BN, you can add tax accounts (HST, Payroll) to it as your business needs them.
Your unique 9-digit identifier with the CRA, the foundation for all tax accounts.
Required when you earn $30,000+ in 4 consecutive quarters. Voluntary below that.
Required when you hire employees, even if it's just one part-time worker.
Ontario Business Central handles the registration with the CRA on your behalf, so you don't need to navigate the CRA's Business Registration Online portal yourself.
Have these ready before you start the form
After registration, you'll need to file a PD7A Summary monthly and remit CPP, EI, and income tax to the CRA.
What we handle depends on your business type
Single-owner business registered under your personal name or tradename.
BN Registration
Apply directly to the CRA. We can't register a BN for sole proprietorships because the CRA system requires the owner's personal authentication.
HST + Payroll
Once you have your BN, we can register HST and/or Payroll accounts on your behalf.
General Partnership (2+ owners) or a trade name registered under a corporation (DBA).
BN Registration
We register your BN with the CRA on your behalf, then add tax accounts to it.
HST + Payroll
We register HST and/or Payroll accounts at the same time, in one transaction.
An Ontario, BC, Federal or other Canadian incorporated business.
BN Registration
Already done. Your BN was assigned automatically when your corporation was registered.
HST + Payroll
We register HST and/or Payroll accounts using your existing BN.
As of November 3rd, 2025, The Canada Revenue Agency stopped accepting new Business Number and tax account registrations over the phone. All registrations must now go through the CRA's Business Registration Online (BRO) portal, which can be confusing for first-time business owners.
Ontario Business Central handles the entire BRO process for you. We submit your registration, communicate with the CRA on your behalf, and email you the confirmation once your tax accounts are active. No portal navigation, no waiting on hold.
Triggers that make each account mandatory
Triggered by: any registered business that needs a tax account, or corporations (auto-assigned at incorporation).
Sole Proprietorships and partnerships need a BN before opening HST or Payroll accounts. Corporations already have one.
Triggered by: $30,000 in worldwide taxable revenue across 4 consecutive quarters
Below $30,000, registration is voluntary. Above it, you must register within 29 days. Many businesses register voluntarily to claim tax credits
Triggered by: hiring your first employee, even part-time
You're required to remit CPP, EI, and income tax to the CRA monthly using a PD7A summary. Owners drawing dividends instead of wages don't need this.
Quick answers to the most common questions about Canadian tax account registration
As of November 3, 2025, the Canada Revenue Agency stopped accepting Business Number and tax account registrations over the phone. All registrations must now go through the CRA's Business Registration Online (BRO) portal. The portal can be confusing for first-time business owners and requires you to navigate multiple program account selections, which is why many businesses choose to have a service like Ontario Business Central handle the registration on their behalf.
You must register for HST when your worldwide taxable revenues exceed $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters. You have 29 days from the date you exceed the threshold to register. Below $30,000, registration is voluntary, though many small businesses choose to register early to claim input tax credits on business expenses they incur before they hit the threshold.
Yes. When you incorporate a business in Canada (federally or in Ontario, BC, etc.), the CRA automatically assigns a Business Number to your corporation. The BN is used for corporate income tax filings. However, HST and Payroll accounts are not automatic. You need to register them separately when your business needs them. The BN itself stays the same, with new program accounts added to it.
No. The CRA's online portal requires the sole owner to authenticate personally to register a BN. However, once you've obtained your BN directly from the CRA, we can register your HST and Payroll accounts on your behalf.
The main reason is input tax credits (ITCs). When you're HST-registered, you can recover the HST you pay on business expenses (rent, supplies, equipment, professional services). Without an HST account, you pay HST on those expenses but can't recover it. If your business will incur significant pre-revenue expenses, voluntary HST registration often pays for itself. Voluntary registrants are required to charge HST to their customers, file returns, and remit collected HST.
You need a Payroll account as soon as you hire your first employee, even if it's a single part-time worker. The Payroll account lets you remit employee deductions (CPP, EI, federal and provincial income tax) to the CRA monthly using the PD7A Summary form. Business owners who pay themselves dividends instead of salary do not need a Payroll account.
GST (Goods and Services Tax, 5%) is the federal sales tax across Canada. PST (Provincial Sales Tax) is added by certain provinces (BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec). HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) is what you get when GST and PST are combined into a single tax in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. In Ontario, HST is 13% (5% federal + 8% provincial). When you register for HST through the CRA, you're registering for one combined account, not two separate ones.
Most BN, HST, and Payroll registrations are completed and confirmed the same business day, provided your form is submitted with all required information before mid-afternoon. Complex registrations (foreign-owned corporations, multiple program accounts, businesses with previous CRA issues) can take 1 to 2 business days. We email you the confirmation and your account numbers as soon as the CRA processes the registration.
If your corporation already has a Business Number from when you incorporated, we can add an HST or Payroll program account to it without registering a new BN. The same applies to any business that already has a BN.
If you exceed $30,000 in worldwide taxable revenue and don't register within 29 days, you become liable for HST on all sales above the threshold from that point forward, even if you didn't collect HST from your customers. The CRA can assess back-HST plus penalties and interest. If you think you may have crossed the threshold without registering, contact us or the CRA right away to limit your exposure.
Have a different question? Speak with an agent or call 1-800-280-1913
Other options you may be looking for
Retrieve BN Number For Existing Ontario, BC or Federal/Canada Corps
Christine Chapman
The staff was very professional, I was able to get questions answered quickly with out any issues. Thank you
Helen Ambas
Ontario Business Central was very user friendly and easy to use. Upon submission of your request, the information was sent almost immediately to you. It was a very quick and seamless process. I would recommend using Ontario Business Central to anyone that requires company information.
Pratapsinh Pathak
Great service.. Very professional, no fuss, superfast. Highly recommend!
350,000+