REGISTER/RENEW A BUSINESS

Who Can Register?

You can register a business as long as you are 18 years of age and have no criminal convictions. Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents and, in most circumstances, landed immigrants are also able to register. If you are new to Canada, it is best to consult your immigration consultant to ensure you are able to register.

Registering your business can be completed by one person (Sole Proprietorship or Proprietorship), multiple people (General Partnership or Partnership) or to operate a business name under your existing corporation (trade name under your existing corporation).

What do I Need to Register?

The business name and a business address within the Province you wish to operate. This address can be a rental location or a home based business address and cannot be a postal box address. Your personal legal name/s, business activity and personal address is required. The personal address can be inside or outside of Canada.

What Registering a Business Offers You

Registering a business is a great starting point for starting a business in Canada, and you can register inexpensively. The Business Registration or Master Business Licence provides you the ability to operate a business name. With a business registration, you are personally liable and personally taxed for the business revenues.

Should I Search my Business Name?

Registering a business does not provide name protection. In all of the Provinces, we can complete a NUANS preliminary search to see if your business name is available in comparison to existing businesses, corporations and trademarks throughout most of Canada. In British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, a name reservation is required as part of the registration process. We also include this as part of our service commitment to you.

Where to Register?

To make it simple, you register in whichever Province your business will operate within. Your personal address is not required to be within the same Province or even within Canada.

Sole Proprietorship

A Sole Proprietorship is under the classification of setting up a business known as Master Business Licences. The Sole Proprietorship specifically is designed for the single business owner. This establishes a small business with 1 individual as the business owner and operator.

Details about Registering a Sole Proprietorship

• Owned by 1 individual
• Registration exists for 5 years and is renewable
• Taxation for the business is included in individuals' tax return filing
• Easy to establish and cancel
• Inexpensive to start

Things to Consider when Completing a Sole Proprietorship

• No name protection for the name of the business
• Personal liability where if there is personal or property damage due to the activities of the business, the individual Sole Proprietorship may be held responsible
• Taxation - depending on earned income from the business revenues filing under the individuals' personal tax return may be higher than if the business was incorporated
• Inflexible - the Sole Proprietorships are limited to changes where the only changes available are address changes of business or individual and business activity.
• Limited access to credit
• Viewed as a small organization by other businesses and suppliers
• Restrictions on wording of Sole Proprietorship to ensure the registration is not viewed as more than one person. Words which are not permitted include group, associates, consultants and any wording where it may be confusing to the business being owned by one single person
• Another business cannot operate under a Sole Proprietorship.

Why do Individuals Register Sole Proprietorships?

A Sole Proprietorship is a useful tool to start a business whether the business is a grass roots organization, a part time business or a way to see how the world views your business idea with little cost to establish the business.

The main things to keep in mind when registering a Sole Proprietorship are:

• How important is name protection to the business?
  If you are spending what you consider to be a fair amount of money for promotional material, advertising, social media whereas the business name is going to be viewed by a larger segment of the population, name protection for the business may be an important aspect of protecting the brand you want to establish with your business. If you are spending money to promote the business and are concerned about protecting the name or brand of the business, incorporating the business where name protection is available may suit your needs.
• How important is liability protection?
  When registering a Sole Proprietorship, the business is not a separate entity from you as it is when you incorporate a business. If the business you are operating is, in your mind at higher risk for personal or property damage from the activities associated with the business, it may be a good idea to view incorporation as an alternative where the business is a separate entity from yourself as an individual. You may also want to speak with your insurance broker or insurance company regarding obtaining business insurance in the event of risk.
• What about taxation? A Sole Proprietorship taxation is filed under the personal taxes of the individual who operates that business. If the revenues associated with the business are or will be higher than the needs of the individual owner, it may be an option to look at incorporation or at minimum a conversation with an accountant or tax expert to advise you on what would work best for you in your specific circumstance.

Register your business today!
Ontario Online Registration/Renewal of a Business Licence

If you wish to view an Ontario incorporation as an alternative to registering a Sole Proprietorship, here is the link to do so:

INCORPORATE IN ONTARIO ONLINE TODAY

The information Ontario Business Central provides is solely to be used as an informative guide. We do not offer legal or accounting advice.
You may wish to obtain either legal or accounting advice prior to proceeding with the Sole Proprietorship Registration.

General Partnership

A General Partnership is under the classification of setting up a business known as Master Business Licences. The General Partnership specifically is designed for 2 or more individual owners, or 2 or more Corporations registered in Ontario.

Details About Registering a General Partnership as 2 or more Individual Owners:

• Owned by 2 or more individuals
• Registration exists for 5 years and is renewable
• Taxation for the business is included in the 2 or more individuals tax return filing
• Easy to establish and cancel
• Inexpensive to start
• No name protection for the business name
• Personal Liability for the business by the individual owners
• Taxation is under the individual owners
• Inflexible to making changes to details of registration
• Limited access to credit
• Viewed as a small organization by other businesses and suppliers

Details to register as a General Partnership between 2 or more corporations

• Owned by 2 or more corporations
• Registrations exists for 5 years and is renewable
• Taxation for the General Partnership belongs to the corporations establishing the partnership
• Easy to establish and cancel
• Inexpensive to start
• No name protection for the business name
• Liability reverts to each corporation involved in the General Partnership
• Taxation reverts to each corporation
• Inflexible to make changes to the details of registration wording where it may be confusing to the business being owned by one single person
• Another business cannot operate under a Sole Proprietorship.

Why do Individuals Register a General Partnership?

A General Partnership is a useful tool to start a business whether the business is a grass roots organization, a part time business or a way to see how the world views your business idea with little cost to establish the business.

The main things to keep in mind when registering a General Partnership are:

• How important is name protection to the business?

  If you are spending what you consider to be a fair amount of money for promotional material, advertising, social media whereas the business name is going to be viewed by a larger segment of the population, name protection for the business may be an important aspect of protecting the brand you want to establish with your business. If you are spending money to promote the business and are concerned about protecting the name or brand of the business, incorporating the business where name protection is available may suite your needs.

• How important is liability protection?

  When registering a General Partnership as 2 or more individuals, the business is not a separate entity from you as individuals. If the business you are operating is, in your mind at higher risk for personal or property damage from the activities associated with the business, it may be a good idea to view incorporation as an alternative where the business is a separate entity from yourself as an individual. You may also want to speak with your insurance broker or insurance company regarding obtaining business insurance in the event of risk.

• What about taxation?

  A General Partnership as 2 or more individuals is filed under the individuals' personal taxes of the individuals who operates that business. If the revenues associated with the business are or will be higher than the needs of the individual owners, it may be an option to look at incorporation or at minimum a conversation with an accountant or tax expert to advise you on what would work best for you in your specific circumstance.

If after consideration, you would like to proceed to register a General Partnership in the Province of Ontario, here is the link to do so:

Ontario Online Registration/Renewal of a Business Licence

If you are registering a General Partnership between 2 or more corporations, please contact our office for assistance at:
1-800-280-1913 or 416-599-9009 in Toronto

If you wish to view an Ontario incorporation as an alternative to registering a General Partnership, here is the link to do so:

INCORPORATE IN ONTARIO ONLINE TODAY

The information Ontario Business Central provides is solely to be used as an informative guide. We do not offer legal or accounting advice. You may wish to obtain either legal or accounting advice prior to proceeding with the General Partnership registration.

Tradename Under a Corporation

A Tradename also known as a DBA or carrying on business name is under the classification of setting up a business known as Master Business Licences. The Tradename is specifically designed for registering a secondary business name under an existing corporation already registered in Ontario.

Details About Registering a Tradename

• Owned by an existing corporation either incorporated or registered as a corporation within the Province of Ontario
• Registration exists for 5 years and is renewable
• Taxation for the business is included under the corporate tax return filing
• Easy to establish and cancel
• Inexpensive to start
• No name protection for the business name
• Inflexible to making changes to details of registration

Why do Individuals Register a Tradename?

• A Tradename is a useful tool to operate a secondary business name outside of the corporate name.
• To use the business name without the legal ending for signage or advertising. Example ABC Holdings Inc. adding a tradename ABC Holdings.
• To add a secondary business name under the corporate name to highlight a specific section to a business. ABC Holdings Inc. adding a tradename DEF Landscaping.

The Main Things to Keep in Mind when Registering a Tradename under a Corporation are:

• How important is name protection to the business?

  If you are spending what you consider to be a fair amount of money for promotional material, advertising, social media whereas the business name is going to be viewed by a larger segment of the population, name protection for the business may be an important aspect of protecting the brand you want to establish with your business. If you are spending money to promote the business and are concerned about protecting the name or brand of the business, incorporating the business where name protection is available may suite your needs.

• How important is liability protection?

  When the business is registered as a tradename under an existing corporation, the corporation has liability protection which is carried forward with the tradename operating under the corporation.

• What about taxation?

  A tradename is taxed under the taxation of the corporation and any revenues generated from the secondary business. Any tax accounts including HST, Payroll etc will also be considered under the corporate umbrella of the existing corporation the tradename is registered under.

If after consider, you would like to proceed to register a tradename under a corporation in the Province of Ontario, here is the link to do so:

Ontario Online Registration/Renewal of a Business Licence

If you wish to view an Ontario incorporation as an alternative to registering a tradename under an existing corporation, here is the link to do so:

INCORPORATE IN ONTARIO ONLINE TODAY

The information Ontario Business Central provides is solely to be used as an informative guide. We do not offer legal or accounting advice. You may wish to obtain either legal or accounting advice prior to proceeding with the tradename registration.