Corporation Services BC: When will your business need a license, permit, or registration?

Corporation Services BC from Sparkcorpnet assist you in defining and obtaining the mandatory licenses, permits, and registrations. It must be hard for you to decide what type of license or permit your business must have to operate in BC. But let’s find out the types of licenses, permits, and registration, or if it’s too hard to make the right decisions, contact us for help. 

Beginning with the most important question: When will you register your business?

There is no licensing system at the federal or provincial levels for businesses, excluding a few cases of broadcasting or telecommunications. Some businesses are excluded from licensing or professional organization certification. On a municipal level, based on your activities, you may need licenses.

When your business grows, you may need to register or obtain operating licenses or permits.

Types of licenses, permits, and registrations

• Municipal Licensing:

Municipal licensing is required when a business opens an office or has an operation that impacts the residential neighbours, the business has to work only in the designated area.

The license is to make sure businesses strictly follow the zoning requirements. But in the case of home-based businesses, this is optional.

• Environmental and zoning permits:

Suppose your work impacts the environment or has to work with hazardous materials. Businesses must know their working area well to know which permits are needed.

• Business name registration:

Sole partnerships or partnerships usually voluntarily register with their provincial government to enhance their credibility. Registration is a step to protect your business from further potential conflicts due to the similarity or identical business name and trademarks.

• Provincial registration:

In most provinces, businesses must register provincial tax regimes and align with regulations to register in the province where businesses operate. Or need a certain income level to have provincial sales tax.

• Federal registration:

Businesses earning below $30,000 a year will not need to register for federal and provincial sales taxes (GST/HST). But remember to register with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). And if your business has employees, register with CRA also.

How to apply? A checklist for reference:

• Find out which authorizations are needed at the federal, provincial, or municipal levels
• Contact the issuing authorities for any relevant questions
• Have the necessary forms
• Gather necessary documents
• Fill out the applications
• Submit based on the indicated procedures
• Pay fee
• Submit the application

How do you know which one is the one you need?

There are tools for you to research, but to avoid wasting time preparing documents and deciding on the right licenses/permits, contact Sparkcorpnet for Corporation Services in BC. We offer an effective service with affordable fees to support SMEs and start-ups doing business in Canada.

Why is it important?

Licenses, permits and registrations are mandated for businesses to operate in Canada, if your business does have all the required licenses, permits, and registrations, it means your business is violating the law and may face consequences: a warning, a fine or even loss of your business.

Cre: bdc (n.d.)