What Is a Business Registration Number?

A business registration number is the identifier a provincial or territorial registry assigns to your business when you register it — for example, when you register a sole proprietorship under a business name. In Canada that number normally comes from the province or territory where you register, not from the CRA, and it is separate from a federal Business Number (BN). As of the current tax year there is still no single national registry that issues one number for sole proprietors and partnerships.

What a business registration number actually is

When you file a registration — online, by mail, or through a service provider — the registry creates a permanent record for your business and gives that record a number. The label changes from place to place: registries issue a business identification number, an enterprise number, a corporate access number, or simply a registration number. The function is the same everywhere.

• It identifies your business inside the registry that issued it.
• It usually appears on your registration certificate, business name registration, or Master Business Licence.
• Banks, insurers, and some suppliers may ask for it when you open accounts or apply for a licence.
• It is not a tax account, and it does not by itself let you charge GST/HST.

Business registration number vs Business Number vs tax accounts

These are the numbers most often mixed up. A registry number proves your business was registered in a province or territory. A CRA Business Number (BN) is your federal account identifier, typically a nine-digit root followed by a two-letter program identifier and a four-digit reference number. GST/HST, payroll (RP), and corporate income tax accounts are program accounts attached to the BN, not provincial registrations.

How to find a business registration number

If you registered recently, the number is on the confirmation email, certificate, or licence the registry sent you. If you cannot find it, these are the usual routes:

1. Sign in to the registry's online account, such as the Ontario Business Registry or BC Registry, and open your business record.
2. Search the registry's public database by business name or owner name — see how to search for a business name in Canada.
3. Check your Master Business Licence if you registered in Ontario — see what a Master Business Licence is.
4. Ask the accountant or service provider who filed the registration for you.
5. Contact the registry directly if the record is old or the name has changed.

People who need to find business registration details for another company can usually do so through the same public registry searches, although the information shown may be limited to the name, status, and registration date.

Do you need one as a sole proprietor?

Not always. In many provinces a sole proprietor who operates under their own legal name and does not use a separate business name may not have to register at all. Registration, and a registration number, is typically required when you:

• want to operate under a business name or trade name other than your own legal name;
• need to register to obtain a municipal or sector licence;
• want a business bank account in a business name; or
• are in a jurisdiction that requires all sole proprietors to register.

Registering for GST/HST is a separate decision. You must register once your revenues exceed the small-supplier threshold — confirm the current amount on the CRA website — and that registration produces a BN and a GST/HST account number, not a provincial registration number. See what a sole proprietorship is in Canada for the bigger picture.

How to get a business registration number

1. Confirm whether registration is required where you live, and whether your business will be provincial or federal — see federal vs provincial business registration in Canada.
2. Search the name first, and order a NUANS report or the search your registry requires for a name registration — see what a NUANS report is.
3. File the registration through your provincial or territorial registry, an authorized service provider, or a registry agent.
4. Receive your registration number and certificate, and store both with your business records.
5. Apply separately for a CRA Business Number and program accounts if you need them — see how to register a business name in Canada.

Keeping your number current

Requirements differ across jurisdictions. Some ask sole proprietors to renew or file periodically, while others keep the registration active until it is cancelled or the business closes. If you change your address, business name, or structure, update the registry so your record stays accurate and notices still reach you. Renewal cycles and fees vary by province and territory, so confirm the current rules and amounts with your registry.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your obligations with the CRA and your provincial or territorial registry before you file.