You've picked the name. You've told your friends. Now you need to make it official — and in British Columbia, that means two separate steps with BC Registry Services: first you get the name approved, then you register the business under it.

Most people trip up because they expect one form. It's two, they cost $30 and $40, and there's a 56-day clock in between them. Here's the whole process, in order, with the links you'll actually need.

Step 1: Decide your structure first

The name process is the same either way, but what you're registering under it isn't:

• Sole proprietorship — you and the business are the same legal entity. Cheapest and fastest to set up. Total government cost to register: $70.
• Corporation — the business is its own legal entity, with liability protection and more paperwork. Incorporating in BC costs $350 in filing fees, and your name picks up a designation: "Virgo Advisory" becomes "Virgo Advisory Inc."

One thing worth knowing: name approvals are structure-specific. An approval for a sole proprietorship can't be reused if you decide to incorporate later — you'd file a fresh request. So make this call before Step 2, not after.

Step 2: Get the name approved ($30)

Before BC lets you register anything, a name examiner has to approve your name. You submit the request through Name Requests Online.

Here's how it works:

1. Choose your business type (sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation).
2. Submit up to three name choices, in order of preference. The examiner only looks at your second and third choices if the first one fails — so always give all three.
3. Describe what the business does.
4. Pay $30 by credit card. It's non-refundable, even if all three names are rejected.

A BC name needs two parts: a distinctive element (a coined word, a place, a surname — something that sets it apart) and a descriptive element (what the business does). "Virgo Advisory" works because "Virgo" is distinctive and "Advisory" describes the service. "Vancouver Consulting" would struggle — there's nothing distinctive in it.

Before you pay, use the free name research tool on the same site to check for similar names already registered. Five minutes there can save you a rejected application. The province's name approval page lists the full rules.

Timing: standard processing runs about 2–5 business days. If you're in a hurry, priority service costs an extra $100 and returns a decision in 1–2 business days.

Step 3: Register the business ($40)

Approval comes by email with a Name Request (NR) number — and a deadline. Your approved name is reserved for 56 calendar days. Register before it expires or you're back at Step 2 paying another $30.

To register:

1. Go to BC Registries and create a BC Registry account (you'll sign in with the BC Services Card app or a BCeID).
2. Open My Business Registry, find your approved name request, and select "Use this Name Request Now."
3. Fill in the business details: name, start date, nature of business, and your BC business address.
4. Add yourself as proprietor, review everything, and pay the $40 registration fee.

You'll receive a registration number (sole proprietorships start with FM) and a Statement of Registration. Save both somewhere safe — your bank will ask for the statement when you open a business account, and you'll need the number for years.

Prefer doing it in person? Any Service BC location can handle both steps for the same fees.

Step 4: Get your CRA business number (free)

Provincial registration done, one federal step remains: a Business Number (BN) from the Canada Revenue Agency. It's free and issued instantly through Business Registration Online.

Your BN is the umbrella number for your CRA program accounts:

• GST — mandatory once your revenue passes $30,000 in a 12-month period. Many businesses register voluntarily from day one so they can claim input tax credits and look established on invoices.
• Payroll — only if you'll have employees.
• Corporate tax — corporations only.

Step 5: Licences and loose ends

• Municipal business licence — most BC cities require one to operate, applied for through your city. Budget for an annual fee.
• PST — if you sell taxable goods or certain services in BC, you must register to collect Provincial Sales Tax. Pure consulting usually isn't PST-taxable, but check your exact services.
• WorkSafeBC — required before employees start work.

The total bill

Step	Cost
Name approval	$30
Priority name service (optional rush)	+$100
Business registration	$40
CRA business number	Free
Total	$70 (or $170 with the rush)

Three mistakes we see constantly

1. Letting the name reservation expire. The 56 days go faster than you think, especially if you're waiting on a logo, a lease, or a partner. Register first, polish later.
2. Submitting only one name choice. If it's rejected for being too similar to an existing business, you start over and pay again. Backups are free insurance.
3. Assuming registration protects your brand. It doesn't. A BC name registration is not a trademark — it only prevents identical registrations in BC. If the brand becomes valuable, a federal trademark through CIPO is the step that actually protects it.

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Registering a business is the easy part — setting it up right is what saves you money and headaches later. If you're starting a business in BC and want a second pair of eyes on the structure, the name, and the setup, book a free consultation with Virgo Advisory and we'll walk through it with you.