Unincorporated
Business Name
(Master Business License)
To Start doing business in Ontario, you must first register
your business. Ontario Business Registration (known as Master Business
License) is the least expensive way to set-up your business. This
registration is valid for 5 years. While registering your business you may
also apply for the other government programs such as:
- Vendor Permit (Retail Sales Tax)
Every business selling taxable goods or services
requires a Vendor's Permit (P.S.T. License)
Complete the basic information required, as outlined on
Business Name Registration form, and the Retail Sales Tax Office will be advised
of your request. They will contact you within a few weeks.
- Employer
Health Tax (EHT)
All Ontario employers are required to pay this tax
through monthly or quarterly installments based on their total calendar year
gross payroll. The first $400,000 of the payroll is exempt from the
Employer Health Tax.
Complete the basic information required, as outlined on
Business Name Registration form, and the Employer Health Tax Office will be
advised of your request. They will contact you within a few weeks.
Once registered the employer will receive an EHT
account number.
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
If you employ workers on a full-time or part-time basis
in an industry or business covered under the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act,
you must register with the WSIB within 10 calendar days of employing your first
worker.
Complete the basic information required, as outlined on
the Business Name Registration Form, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance
Board will contact you within a few weeks.
Types of Business Name Registrations - Sole Proprietorship ( a
single individual)
- Partnership ( two or more individuals)
( A
corporation can be a
partner)
- Corporation ( doing business under another name
referred to
as "Style Name")
New Registration Required If: - Name of Business is
changed
- Business type is changed, such as:
∙
"Partnership" changes to "Sole Proprietorship"
∙ "Sole
Proprietorship" changes to "Partnership"
Amendments to Registration Accepted If: - Change of your
personal address
- Change of your business address
- Change of Partners of a Partnership
( one of the original Partners
must remain)
Ontario Business Name Renewal
Registration is valid for 5 years. You will
NOT receive any advance notice from the government. Renewal
requires the same information as Registration and is valid for 5 years.
Use same form as registration, indicating Renewal.
After you have submitted your renewal, you will receive your New Master Business
License by mail, within 10 days, directly from the Ontario Government.
Name Protection
Trademark
A Trademark is the most secure form
of Name Protection. The process of registering a trademark is very lengthy
and very expensive. Corporation Name
A Corporate Name must be distinctive
from all other corporations (Ontario or Federal) and will be granted exclusive
use if this is verified by a current NUANS® report
(see NUANS®
report section)
Ontario Business Name
The Ontario Government requires that
you register if you are operating a business under a name other than your own
name.
If you do use the same name as another business, you
may experience problems with customers confusing the entities.
If you use the same name as an existing corporation,
you will have to change your name when you Incorporate.
Further, even though the Business Name Act permits you
to use the same name as a registered trademark, the owner of the trademark could
contact you and request that you stop using their name.
You do not have to do a Business Name Search BUT it may be wise to spend some time making your choice of a name.
See Ontario Business Name Search Reports.
