How to Register a Business Name in Ontario
To register a business name in Ontario and receive the Master Business License, you can register online, mail in your completed registration application, go to a Service Ontario Centre to register in person or use a company that will register your business for you. Through this registration with the Ministry of Government Services, Companies and Personal Property Security Branch, you'll be issued your Master Business License with your business registration number.
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Instructions
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Choose a business name that complies with the Business Names Act and the Business Regulation Reform Act of 1997. If you are operating a sole proprietorship under your own name exactly, that name needn't be separately registered. But if your name is Jane Johnson and your business is Jane Johnson's Hair Salon, or a partnership called Jane and Al Johnson, then it must be registered. For full details of the requirements, see the Resources link to the Canada Ontario Business Services Centre.
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Use the online form with Service Ontario for efficient business name registration. This one-stop registration allows you to register your business name and simultaneously get registered with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Ontario Ministry of Revenue. This is how you can apply for the Retail Sales Tax Vendor Permit, if applicable to your business.
If you use the online system to register your new business name, you may be eligible to receive an electronic Master Business License in pdf format with a quick 2-business-day turnaround. Otherwise you'll get a hard copy of the Master Business License in the mail. -
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Find out if your business name is already taken in Ontario. Conduct a business name search in English or French using the Integrated Business Services Application module.
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Fill out the online Integrated Business Services Application form, indicating whether your business is a sole proprietorship, a partnership or an existing corporation. Complete the rest of the application, which will ask for information that depends on the type of business you're registering. Service Ontario advises you to clear your browser cache after completing the registration to preserve your privacy.
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Register separately for the federal Canadian Goods and Services Tax (GST) using the program called Business Registration Online, if applicable. See the Resources section for the link and see Tips for other things you need to know when you register a business name in Ontario.
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Tips & Warnings
The business name registration must be renewed again in 5 years. You may also be able to renew your business name online. You can pay the fee to register a business name in Ontario using your American Express, Visa or Mastercard if registering online, or you can pay with cash, check or money order if registering in person.
The online service will not allow you to register a limited partnership. If your name or business name contains accent marks, do not use letters formatted with accent marks when filling out the online form to register your business name.
