Registering a business name  is essential for various reasons. Beyond legal protection and preventing confusion with similar names, it adds a professional touch to your business, and if anything, builds trust among customers and partners.

A registered name is often a requirement for accessing business services, setting up an online presence, and engaging in contracts. It contributes to branding, giving your business a distinct identity and legal status in the market. In this article we’ll discuss how you can register your business name in British Columbia.

The steps are:

1. Go to BC Name Registry
2. Add your second and third choice
3. Add your personal information
4. Pay for registration (optional: Priority Request for faster service) 
5. Download and save receipt
6. Wait for email response
7. Create account with BC Registries and Online Services
8. Add your Name Request Number
9. Once approved, you can finally register business name

Go to BC Name Registry

In “Select an Action”, click the “Register or Incorporate a” option.

In “Select a Jurisdiction”, click the “British Columbia” option.

In “Select a Business Type”, click the “Sole proprietorship” option.

For “Enter a name”, enter a name for your business. Once you click “Check this Name”, it will see if the name is taken.

If it has been taken, you’ll have to redo it all over with a different name.

If it hasn’t been taken, you have passed the initial review check and you can continue. 

Add Second and Third Choice

You can provide two more names. You want to provide something that is similar, but different.

The order in which you provide matters, so if your first name was denied for whatever reason, your second choice will approve, and if that name was denied, it’ll go to your third choice.

Name Request

Add in your personal information.

Priority Request

You can pay $100 and get your name reviewed and a decision in 1-2 business days. But if you’re not in a rush, you’ll wait up to 22 days.

 

Confirm and Pay

You’ll have a chance to review everything. Make sure everything looks right and “Continue to Payment”. The costs to register a business name in BC should be $30.

 

Download Receipt

Once you’ve paid, make sure you download your receipt. In 22 days, you should get an email response telling you if the name is valid.

Check Email

You’ll get an email with the subject line like this NR 1234567 – Name Request Results from Corporate Registry.

Now you have to follow the steps and register your name before the expiry date.

 

Go Back to BC Name Registry

Click on “Register a business online”.

Scroll down go to the “Register or Incorporate” tab.

Click on “Go to My Business Registry”, and login to your BC Registries Account. You can either login with your BC Services Card, BCeID, or your IDIR account.

 

Create an account

Go to the top where your name is, and click on “Create account”.

Once you accept the terms, click on “Business Registry & Name Request”

Choose the basic option.

After that, enter your personal information.

 

My Business Registry 

Head back to My Business Registry. There you can add your Name Request Number.

Your Name Request Number is that NR 1234567 you got from the email response. Provide your phone number and click “add”.

 

Register Your Business

You should now have your business name approved. Now we have to register it.

Click “Register using this NR”. You then have to put in your personal information again.

 

There you go. Your business name should be registered.

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