Step 10: Complete Other Registrations
Last updated on December 9, 2024
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Local government business licence
Your business requires a local government business licence to operate. Please check with your local government or First Nation to find out about licence and zoning requirements in your area.
You can also access BizPaL, a convenient web-based service that allows business clients to easily generate a customized list of the permits and licenses needed from all levels of government by answering some simple questions about their business. For more information about BizPaL, please refer to Step 12 of this guide or visit Home - BizPaL.
The Canada Revenue Agency also provides a summary of information for small businesses, explaining federal requirements for GST, payroll deductions, importing/exporting and corporate income tax. Go to Checklist for Small Businesses - Canada.ca or call: 1-800-959-5525for more information.
The Canada Revenue Agency also offers free Liaison Officer services to owners of small businesses and self-employed individuals to help them understand their tax obligations. A visit from a Liaison Officer is 100% confidential: the information you choose to discuss with them will not be shared with other areas of the CRA, or anyone else. For more information visit: Liaison Officer service - free tax help for small business owners and self-employed individuals - Canada.ca. You can find copies of all B.C. laws at: www.bclaws.ca
You can purchase official print versions of B.C. Statutes and Regulations by phone call: 250-387-6409 or e-mail BC.Laws@gov.bc.ca.
In addition to a business license, you may need to complete other provincial, federal, or local government registrations:
A. If you plan to hire employees
If you're thinking about hiring employees, there are two things you need to do:
- Sign Up with WorkSafeBC: This means you let WorkSafeBC know that you're starting a business and will be hiring staff.
- Pay WorkSafeBC Insurance Premiums: You'll also need to pay a fee to WorkSafeBC to make sure costs are covered if someone gets hurt while working for you. The base rate for 2024 is 1.55% of the employers’ assessable payroll (consistent since 2018)
Employers, regardless of size, must ensure the health and safety of their workers. WorkSafeBC has resources for small business owners that can quickly help you understand what is required to meet your legal obligations, including registering your business and applying for coverage, managing claims, and meeting your responsibilities for health and safety. Generally, you need coverage if you:
- Employ and pay workers on a regular, casual, or contract basis.
- Come from another province or country to do work in B.C.
- Work in the commercial fishing or trucking industries.
Contact information for WorkSafeBC is:
Call: 604-244-6181 (Lower Mainland)
Call toll free: 1-888-922-2768 (Canada)
B. If you are paying a salary to your employees
CRA Payroll Deductions Account
If you are hiring employees and you are paying them salary, wages, bonuses, vacation pay or tips, or providing them with another benefit such as housing or boarding, you will need to register with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for a payroll deductions account.
Your CRA account will allow you to make the required Income Tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) payments. For more about payroll deduction accounts, or more about payroll deduction accounts:
Employer Health Tax (EHT)
The employer health tax is an annual tax on an employer's B.C. remuneration paid to employees. If your total remuneration paid to employees exceeds the exemption amount, you will also need to pay an Employer Health Tax.
To learn if your business must register and how to register for the employer health tax, visit the Employer health tax website.
C. If your business is incorporated
If your business is incorporated, or you are a non-resident corporation operating in Canada, you will need to register for a Corporate Income Tax account with the Canada Revenue Agency at:
D. If you have a restaurant
If you have a restaurant and will be serving food as the focus of your business, instead of liquor, you can apply for a restaurant liquor license through the Liquor and Cannabis Licensing Portal at:
E. If you need to change your business address
If you need to change your business address through the BC Business Registry or plan to use other government e-services regularly, you will need a business BCeID. You can apply for a business BCeID through:
A BCeID is an online service that makes it possible for you to use one login ID and password to sign in securely to any BCeID participating provincial government website. For a complete list of government e-services that use BCeID, visit the Online Service Directory at:
F. If you plan to import/export goods
If you are going to import or export goods, you will need to register with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). For more information about importing and exporting, go to the CBSA’s site at:
If you have not made up your mind about importing or exporting, Trade and Invest BC introduces you to the benefits of exporting, provides a list of resources to help you get started exporting, and centralizes the various export programs available for B.C. businesses. Learn more about Trade and Invest BC’s trade and export services at:
Export from Canada | BC Export Tools | Trade and Invest BC (britishcolumbia.ca)
Exporting - Exporting is the action of selling goods or services to other countries.
Importing - Importing is the action of buying goods from other countries and bringing them to Canada.
Incorporation - Incorporation is the legal process of forming a corporation, which is a type of business entity that is separate from its owners (shareholders).