Register your business name, simply.
A Master Business License is Ontario’s official registration for anyone operating under a name other than their own — sole proprietors, trade names, and general partnerships. It’s the fastest, lowest-cost way to legally open a bank account and start invoicing under your business name, without incorporating.
registration types
- New registrations & renewals, same-day filing
- Name search included so your name is clear to use
- Business Identification Number issued in minutes
One filing, three ways to legally operate under a business name.
Whether you’re a single owner, using a trade name, or going into business with a partner, a Master Business License registration covers it — new or renewed.
Sole Proprietorship (New or Renew)
Trade Name (New or Renew)
General Partnership
Register the business name for two or more people going into business together as partners.
From business name to registered in one sitting.
Confirm your structure
Tell us if you’re a sole owner, using a trade name, or registering a partnership.
Name search
We confirm your business name is available and clear to register.
Registration filed
Filed with the Ontario business registry the same day your details are confirmed.
BIN issued
Your Business Identification Number and registration document delivered, ready for banking.
Operating under an unregistered name is against the law in Ontario.
Ontario’s Business Names Act requires anyone carrying on business under a name other than their own legal name to register it.
Banks require a registered business name and BIN before they’ll open a business bank account or process business payments.
Minutes, not weeks
A registration is often issued in minutes, far faster than incorporating a company.
Expires every 5 years
Registrations lapse after five years — we track and remind you before yours does.
Low cost to start
A fraction of the cost of incorporating, ideal for testing a business idea.
What each registration type covers.
Sole Proprietorship (New or Renew)
If you’re running a business on your own under a name other than your legal name — like “Jane Smith Consulting” instead of just “Jane Smith” — Ontario law requires you to register it. We handle new registrations and renewals for existing sole proprietors whose five-year term is expiring.
- Covers both brand-new registrations and renewals of an existing registration
- Required before opening a business bank account under your business name
- Issued fast, typically the fastest way to legally start operating
Trade Name (New or Renew)
A trade name lets an existing sole proprietor, partnership or corporation operate a specific line of business under a different public-facing name than their registered legal name. This is common for businesses running multiple brands or divisions. We register new trade names and renew existing ones before they lapse.
- Lets an existing business operate under an additional public-facing name
- Available to sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations alike
- Renewal reminders sent before your five-year term expires
General Partnership
When two or more people go into business together without incorporating, Ontario requires the partnership’s business name to be registered, listing every partner involved. We prepare and file the registration, and can help coordinate a partnership agreement with your legal advisor.
- Registers the business name and lists all partners on file
- Required before the partnership can open a business bank account
- A partnership agreement is strongly recommended alongside this registration
Master Business Licenses, explained.
Do I need a Master Business License if I use my own legal name?
No. If you operate strictly under your own personal legal name with no additions, you don’t need to register. The moment you add anything to it — like “Jane Smith Photography” — registration is required.
What’s the difference between a sole proprietorship and a trade name registration?
A sole proprietorship registration is for an individual starting to operate a business under a name for the first time. A trade name registration is for an existing business — sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation — that wants to operate an additional brand or division under a different name.
How long does a Master Business License registration last?
Can I incorporate later if I start with a Master Business License?
Yes. Many businesses start as a registered sole proprietorship or partnership, then incorporate once they’ve validated the business and want liability protection or tax planning advantages.
Do partners in a general partnership need to register separately?
How fast can I get my Business Identification Number?
Most registrations are processed the same day, often within minutes once your name search clears, so you can move straight to business banking.