Register a Business Name

Name approvals

The first step in registration is the approval of a business name. If you are forming either a proprietorship, partnership, society or cooperative your business name search and registration can be completed at our CFDC office, or online using this form. The charge for this service is $40.00, and we can only approve business names in British Columbia, Canada. Within hours of submitting the request we can usually provide you with the results of the name search and name reservation. The results can take 2-3 days if submitted by Access Centre staff. Please note that there is a fifty six (56) day time limit for completing the business registration process. After that period your business name reservation will expire. Our staff can assist you with the final part of the registration process. If you would like more information on this service please call Nicole Pipes at 250-364-2595 ext 23.

Things to consider when choosing a business name:

Is it a corporation, partnership, proprietorship, society or cooperative? You have three choices for a business name in the Name Approval Request process. It is strongly suggested that you use all three choices. Please note the Ministry of Finance only examines the request until a name is approved -If your first choice is approved they do not search the remaining two. Therefore, putting your choices in order of preference is very important. Your business name must have two components. The first part of your name must start with a distinctive non-descriptive word or phrase: e.g. a geographical location, your name, a made up word or phrase, or initials. The second part of your name must describe what type of business you are in: e.g. hair salon, investments, car wash. A name that would meet the Government's criteria would be Lydia's Hair salon or Fruitvale Car Wash. Names that would not be approved are The Hair Store or The Car Wash. If you are incorporating a company you must add a third component called the corporate designation: e.g. Limited, Ltd., Corporation, Corp., Incorporated, Inc. If you are registering a sole proprietorship or partnership, a corporate designation is not used. For more instructions on researching your name request, see the 3 page PDF at the BC Ministry of Finance.

Until your company is incorporated, or your sole proprietorship or partnership is registered, you should not invest any money on the name, for example, signs, printing, advertising. The name is only on reserve and can be cancelled prior to incorporation or registration. Reserve your business name online using this form.