Request business or organization records

• At a Service BC location 
  • Submit a search request in person
  • Payment options
    • Cash or debit
    • Cheque or money order payable to the Ministry of Finance
    •  Visa or MasterCard
• Using BC OnLine,  to search for corporations, limited partnerships and societies. You must have an account (this options is recommended only for completing multiple searches on a regular basis and cannot be created for a one-time search)
  • There is a $100.00 fee to set up a BC OnLine account
  • For paper-only filings, including Letters Under Seal, Certificates of Good Standing and others:
    • Email your request to BCRegistries@gov.bc.ca and
    • Include your BC OnLine account number
    • Document(s) will then be emailed to you
    • Check for Processing Times 
• Using Business Search, to search for benefit companies, active cooperative associations, sole proprietorships and general partnerships. You must have a Premium account in the new BC Registry application (this option is only recommended for completing multiple searches on a regular basis)
  • Letters Under Seal, Certificates of Good Standing and others can be paid for online and downloaded immediately

Benefit Companies and Cooperative Associations, Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships

• If you own this type of business, you can create and log into your BC Business Registry account to download your own business summary for free at any time.

To know the exact cost of your Search Request please call:

• BC Registries helpdesk: BCRegistries@gov.bc.ca or 1-877-526-1526 - Ext 2. option 4
  • Staff will pull the file and do a page count to give you an exact cost 

Prepare a letter that states the information you're requesting, please include:

• The company or society name or the registration, incorporation or business number
• A list of the items you're requesting and/or a Certificate of Good Standing Order form (PDF, 457KB)
• Your name, full return mailing address, phone number and email address

Send the letter along with a cheque or money order for the amount quoted (payable to the Minister of Finance) to:

BC Registries and Online Services
Courier: 200 - 940 Blanshard Street, Victoria, BC V8W 3E6
Mail: PO Box 9431 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9V3

Search results for these entities include:

• Status – whether the company or organization is active or not active
• Recognition/incorporation date – when they were incorporated, registered or amalgamated within B.C.
• When the last annual report was filed
• Previous name(s)
• Registered office address
• Records office address
• Names of directors and officers (which are often included in annual reports)
• Copies of annual reports that have been filed
• No record letter 

Sample current corporate or company summary report (PDF, 146KB) 

NOTE: Information about shareholders, members or share certificate details are not available. Contact the registered office of the company or organization for this information.

A Certificate of Status verifies that a company or a society is an active entity in the province of British Columbia.

• Is issued only to a BC Company, BC Society or BC Cooperative formed in B.C.

• All other entity types active and dissolved can request a Letter Under Seal instead.
  • Extraprovincial Companies
    • Cannot be issued for an extraprovincial company because BC Registries doesn't know the status of the company in its incorporating jurisdiction.
    • Request a Letter Under Seal which certifies that an extraprovincial company is registered in B.C.

A Certificate of Good Standing verifies that the entity is up-to-date with its fillings with the BC Registry. 

• Issued to an incorporated entity registered in BC, and is up-to-date with the annual report and required filings
• Form: Certificate of Good Standing Order Form (REG760)

 New West Partner Trade Agreement (NWPTA)

• Certificates of Good Standing are no longer issued to NWPTA Companies
  • Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
  • Must go to home jurisdiction for their Certificate of Good Standing

This letter certifies the registration type and status of the entity registered in the province of BC.

Any entity that has been registered in BC Registry, regardless of its status, can obtain this letter for a fee.

• General partnerships
• Limited partnerships
• Sole proprietorships
• Parish
• Cooperatives
• Incorporation
• Societies
• Library
• Extraprovincial (out-of-province) companies or societies