A sole proprietorship in Canada is simply you, doing business on your own account. You do not create one by filing anything: the moment you sell a service or product regularly, you are a sole proprietor. What you may have to register is the business name. In most provinces and territories, if you trade under your exact legal name (“Priya Shah”) you do not need to register, but if you add anything (“Priya Shah Design”, “Northside Dog Walking”) you register that name with the provincial or territorial registry, usually for roughly $60 to $130 in government fees, including any name reservation, depending on where you live. The Government of Canada’s sole proprietorship page lists the registries and notes that Newfoundland and Labrador has no provincial registration for sole proprietorships.
This guide is the first step of the admin set. After it come getting a CRA business number (only if you need one), opening a business bank account, and reporting the income to the CRA.
Do you have to register a sole proprietorship in Canada?
Usually only if you use a business name other than your own legal name. Federal law does not require a sole proprietor to register; the requirement comes from each province or territory, and the federal overview says that “in some cases, sole proprietorships operating under the name of the business owner do not need to register.”
Ontario is a clear example. Section 2(2) of the Business Names Act says no individual shall carry on business or identify the business to the public under a name other than their own name unless the name is registered. The Northwest Territories registry page puts it more bluntly: you are only exempt if you use your “own, exact legal name”, so “John Smith Consulting” needs registration because “Consulting” is not part of the legal name (NWT business names).
Registering is still worth considering when you trade under your own name if a bank asks for registration documents before opening a business account. That is covered in how to open a business bank account.
Where do you register a sole proprietorship in each province and territory?
Each province runs its own registry. Fees and terms below are from the official pages on October 4, 2026; confirm the live fee before you pay, because registries change them.
| Province or territory | Own-name exemption stated by the registry? | Where to register | Government fee and term (as listed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Yes (Business Names Act s. 2(2)) | Ontario Business Registry | $60 online, valid 5 years; renewal $60 (Ontario fees) |
| British Columbia | Yes (BC) | BC Registries | $30 name request, then $40 registration; name approval lasts 56 days |
| Alberta | A trade name is used when an individual does business under a name other than their own personal name (Alberta) | Through a registry agent or service provider | Government fee plus the provider’s service fee; see the registry agent product catalogue |
| Saskatchewan | Check with the registry | ISC Corporate Registry | $50 name reservation, $65 registration, $60 renewal (ISC fee table) |
| Manitoba | Check with the registry | Companies Office | $45 name reservation (for a “named” business), then $60 registration (Manitoba) |
| Quebec | Yes: registration applies if the name does not include your family name and given name (Québec) | Registraire des entreprises | Fee shown when you file; register within 60 days of starting |
| New Brunswick | Check with the registry | Service New Brunswick Corporate Registry | $112 ($100 plus $12 Royal Gazette publication), within two months of starting; renew every 5 years for $62 (SNB) |
| Nova Scotia | Yes (Nova Scotia) | Registry of Joint Stock Companies | $68.55 registration, after a name reservation |
| Prince Edward Island | Yes (PEI name rules) | Online Corporate and Business Names Registry | $40 name search, $90 registration, $75 every 3 years (PEI) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | No provincial registration for sole proprietorships (Canada.ca) | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Yukon | Yes (Yukon) | Corporate Affairs | Name reservation $40 online or $60 in person; declaration $25; valid 3 years |
| Northwest Territories | Yes, exact legal name only (NWT) | Corporate Registries | See the registry’s fee schedule |
| Nunavut | Registration needed for a name other than your own (Nunavut) | Legal Registries | File within 60 days of first using the name; see the registry’s forms and fees |
How do you register a business name step by step?
The order is the same almost everywhere: pick a name, check it, reserve it if your province requires that, register, then deal with tax accounts.
Step 1: Decide whether you need a name at all
If your clients will pay “Priya Shah” and your invoices, website, and social accounts use your legal name only, many provinces do not require registration. If you want a brand name, plan to register it. The rule is about how you identify the business to the public, so a logo, sign, or Instagram handle using a brand name counts.
Step 2: Search and reserve the name
Several provinces require a name reservation first: Saskatchewan, Manitoba (for a “named” business), Nova Scotia, PEI, and Yukon list reservation fees in the table above. B.C. calls it a name request. Ontario lets you search the registry for free before you register. A registered business name is not a trademark, and Alberta’s page warns that registering a name “does not grant any right of ownership of the name.”
Step 3: Register online with your province
Most registries take online filings with a credit card. Have your legal name, home and business addresses, a short description of the activity, and the name reservation number if you have one.
Step 4: Save the certificate and note the renewal date
Ontario and New Brunswick registrations last five years, PEI and Yukon use three-year cycles, and Saskatchewan lists a renewal fee. Put the renewal date in your calendar now. In Ontario, if you do not renew within sixty days after the registration expires, you must file a new registration and get a new Business Identification Number (Ontario notice of expiry).
Step 5: Check whether you now have a CRA business number
The CRA says you receive a BN automatically when you register or incorporate with Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, or Saskatchewan, and that you register separately in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Quebec, and Yukon (When you need a BN). The older federal sole-proprietorship page lists a shorter set of provinces, so if you are unsure, follow the CRA page and the steps in how to get a CRA business number.
What does registering a sole proprietorship not do in Canada?
Registering a business name does not limit your liability, does not register you for GST/HST, and does not change how you pay income tax.
- Liability: Alberta’s registry says a business name “does not have a legal existence in its own right,” so the sole proprietor is personally responsible for the debts and obligations of the business (Alberta). Insurance, not registration, is what protects you from a claim; see side hustle insurance.
- Income tax: you still report the profit on Form T2125 with your personal return. How to report side hustle income walks through it.
- GST/HST: registration depends on the small supplier test, not on your business name. See when you need to register for GST/HST.
- Permits and licences: the federal page points to BizPaL for municipal licences. Dog walkers, food sellers, and contractors in particular should check their city.
What mistakes do new sole proprietors make with registration?
The common ones are registering when they did not need to, and not registering when they did.
- Adding a word to your name and assuming it is still “your name.” “Smith Consulting” is a business name in Ontario and the NWT.
- Thinking the registration is a trademark. It is proof of use on a provincial register, not exclusive rights.
- Missing the renewal. Ontario, New Brunswick, PEI, Yukon, and Saskatchewan all have renewal cycles.
- Registering a GST/HST account early by accident. Business Registration Online lets you add a GST/HST account in the same session. Only do that if you intend to register; read the GST/HST guide first.
- Mixing money. Once you have a name, open a separate account; separating business and personal money covers the habits.
Which tax rules apply after you register a sole proprietorship?
None change because of the registration itself. A sole proprietor reports business income and expenses on Form T2125, pays both portions of CPP on net self-employment income, and registers for GST/HST once taxable sales pass $30,000 in four consecutive calendar quarters (rideshare drivers register from the first fare). If you later want software to track all of it, free and cheap bookkeeping tools compares the options, including FreshBooks TODO-AFFILIATE.
This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice. Confirm fees and requirements with your provincial registry.
Which guides sit next to registering a sole proprietorship?
The rest of the admin set: how to get a CRA business number, opening a business bank account, how to invoice clients, and simple freelance contracts. For taxes, start with how much tax to set aside. If you’re turning professional experience into consulting, see side hustles for retired professionals and side hustles for accountants.
What are the common questions?
Do I need to register my side hustle as a sole proprietorship in Canada?
Usually only if you use a business name other than your exact legal name. Ontario, B.C., Quebec, Nova Scotia, PEI, Yukon and the Northwest Territories all state an own-name exemption, and Newfoundland and Labrador has no provincial registration for sole proprietorships. Check your registry.
How much does it cost to register a business name in Ontario?
The Ontario government lists $60 to register a sole proprietorship business name online, valid for five years, and $60 to renew. Service providers may charge extra.
Does registering a business name give me a CRA business number?
In some provinces, yes. The CRA says a BN is issued automatically when you register or incorporate with Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, PEI or Saskatchewan. Elsewhere you register for a BN separately if you need one.
Does a registered business name protect me from liability?
No. A sole proprietorship is not a separate legal entity, so the owner is personally responsible for business debts and obligations. Insurance or incorporation are the tools for that, not name registration.
Is a registered business name the same as a trademark?
No. Alberta's registry says registering a business name does not grant any right of ownership of the name. It records that the name is being used by a particular business.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Registering a sole proprietorship or partnership — Government of Canada
- When you need a BN — Canada Revenue Agency
- Business Names Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. B.17 — Government of Ontario
- Cost and time required to register, change or search for a business name, corporation or not-for-profit — Government of Ontario
- Business Names Act notice: renewal and expiry — Government of Ontario
- Sole proprietorships and partnerships — Government of British Columbia
- Register a business name — Government of Alberta
- Corporate Registry fees table (effective April 15, 2026) — Information Services Corporation (Saskatchewan)
- Business Names: starting a business name — Manitoba Companies Office
- Immatriculer une personne physique exploitant une entreprise individuelle — Gouvernement du Québec
- Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act: general information — Service New Brunswick
- Register a sole proprietorship — Government of Nova Scotia
- New Sole Proprietorship — Government of Prince Edward Island
- Guide to Corporate and Business Name Rules — Government of Prince Edward Island
- File a declaration of business name — Government of Yukon
- Business names — Government of the Northwest Territories
- Partnerships and Business Names — Government of Nunavut, Legal Registries