In Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, a side hustle under your own exact legal name needs no territorial name registration, there is no territorial sales tax, and GST (5%) applies only after the $30,000 small-supplier test. What does apply more often than in the provinces is a business licence: Whitehorse requires one for home-based businesses, and the NWT issues licences either through the territory or the local community. Minimum wages for employees are $18.51 in Yukon, $17.20 in the NWT and $20.17 in Nunavut. This guide suits anyone in the North starting a service, selling crafts, or freelancing online.
The territories are grouped here because the rules are short; the side hustle rules by province hub compares them with every province. For depth, read registering a sole proprietorship, how to get a CRA business number, and GST/HST registration.
| Rule | Yukon | Northwest Territories | Nunavut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name registration | Own name exempt; reservation $40 online or $60 in person, declaration $25, valid 3 years (Yukon) | Exempt only under your exact legal name (NWT) | File within 60 days of first using a name other than your own (Nunavut) |
| Sales tax | 5% GST, 0% territorial | 5% GST, 0% territorial | 5% GST, 0% territorial |
| Business licence | Whitehorse requires one for home-based businesses (Whitehorse) | Territory or community, with WSCC proof (GNWT) | Check with your community and the territory |
| Minimum wage | $18.51 from April 1, 2026 (Yukon) | $17.20 from September 1, 2026 (GNWT) | $20.17 from September 1, 2026 (Nunavut) |
Do you need to register a side hustle business name in the territories?
Only if you use a name other than your own, and the NWT reads “own name” strictly.
- Yukon: you file a declaration of business name for a trade name. The Yukon page lists a name reservation at $40 through the Yukon Corporate Online Registry or $60 in person, then $25 to file the declaration, valid for three years and renewable.
- Northwest Territories: the NWT registry says you are only exempt if you use your own, exact legal name. “John Smith Consulting” requires registration because “Consulting” is not part of the legal name.
- Nunavut: anyone who uses a business name other than their own must file a registration within 60 days after the name is first used.
None of the three issues a CRA business number automatically on registration; the CRA lists Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut among the places where you register for a BN separately.
Do territorial side hustlers charge sales tax?
Only GST, once registered. The CRA rate table shows all three territories at 5% GST with 0% provincial or territorial sales tax. You register once worldwide taxable sales exceed $30,000 in a calendar quarter or four consecutive quarters (CRA). Once registered, the rate follows the CRA’s place-of-supply rules, so an online freelancer in Whitehorse billing a client in an HST province may have to charge that province’s HST rather than 5% GST.
Illustrative example
A teaching sketch with assumed numbers. A Yellowknife web designer bills $2,000 a month, all to clients in the NWT: $24,000 a year, under $30,000, so no GST registration. At $2,800 a month ($33,600) registration is required, and a $1,000 local project becomes $1,050 with 5% GST.
Which business licences do side hustles need in the territories?
Licensing is more common in the North than in many provinces.
Step 1: Whitehorse and other Yukon municipalities
Whitehorse says anyone conducting any kind of endeavour for profit or gain within the city needs a business licence, including home-based businesses, which also need a home-based business development permit. Garage sales, temporary fundraising and registered charities are exempt.
Step 2: NWT communities and the territory
The GNWT business licensing page says the territory issues licences to businesses outside community boundaries and in communities that do not issue their own; all other communities issue their own. Applicants fill out an application, pay a fee and provide proof of Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission coverage.
Step 3: Nunavut communities
Ask your hamlet or city office first, then the Government of Nunavut, before you start selling to the public.
Is there a minimum wage for gig app workers in the territories?
No platform-specific rule. The territories set employee minimum wages: $18.51 in Yukon from April 1, 2026, $17.20 in the NWT from September 1, 2026, and $20.17 in Nunavut from September 1, 2026, the highest in Canada. These apply to employees, not independent contractors.
What are the common side hustle mistakes in the territories?
- Adding “Services” to your name and skipping registration. In the NWT that requires registration.
- Missing the Whitehorse licence. Home-based businesses need one.
- Assuming 5% applies to every client. Once registered, check the place-of-supply rules for out-of-territory clients.
- Forgetting WSCC proof in the NWT. It is part of the licence application.
Which tax rules apply to side hustles in the territories?
Report profit on Form T2125 with your T1, pay both halves of CPP on net self-employment earnings, and territorial income tax is calculated on the same return. How much tax to set aside helps you save for it. Wealthsimple Tax is one online option that handles T2125.
This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice. Confirm the rules with your territory, community and the CRA.
Which guides sit next to the territorial side hustle rules?
Compare side hustle rules in B.C. and side hustle rules in Alberta, or return to the province-by-province hub. Remote freelancers should read side hustles for introverts and selling handmade goods on Etsy.
What are the common questions?
Do I need to register my side hustle in Yukon?
Only if you use a trade name. Yukon lists a name reservation at $40 online or $60 in person, then $25 to file a declaration of business name, valid for three years. Whitehorse also requires a city business licence for home-based businesses.
Is there a sales tax in the territories besides GST?
No. The CRA's rate table shows Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut at 5% GST and 0% territorial sales tax. You only charge GST once registered, after $30,000 in taxable sales.
Who issues business licences in the Northwest Territories?
The GNWT issues licences to businesses outside community boundaries and in communities that do not issue their own. Other communities issue their own licences. Applicants pay a fee and show proof of WSCC coverage.
What are the minimum wages in Yukon, the NWT and Nunavut?
$18.51 in Yukon from April 1, 2026, $17.20 in the Northwest Territories from September 1, 2026, and $20.17 in Nunavut from September 1, 2026. They apply to employees.
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.
- 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
- When you need a BN — Canada Revenue Agency
- GST/HST calculator (and rates) — Canada Revenue Agency
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- Business License — City of Whitehorse
- Business licensing — Government of the Northwest Territories
- Find minimum wage in the Yukon — Government of Yukon
- NWT minimum wage set to increase Sept 1, 2026 — Government of the Northwest Territories
- Nunavut's minimum wage increases September 1 to $20.17 per hour — Government of Nunavut
- Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency