Work & Business
Starting a Business in PEI: Registration and Licensing, Step by Step
Registering a business in PEI runs through one online system, the OCBR, whether you're a sole proprietor or incorporating. Here is the exact sequence, fees, and how long each step takes.
1. Pick Your Structure First
| Structure | Liability | Registration Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship (under your own legal name) | Personal, unlimited | No |
| Sole proprietorship (under a business name) | Personal, unlimited | Yes, under the Partnership Act |
| Partnership | Personal, shared among partners | Yes, within 3 months of forming |
| Corporation | Limited to the corporation | Yes, Articles of Incorporation |
If you're operating strictly under your own name with no added prefix or suffix, you technically don't need to register at all. The moment you add anything to that name, e.g., "John Smith Consulting," registration becomes mandatory.
2. The Registration Sequence Through the OCBR
Everything runs through the Online Corporate and Business Names Registry (OCBR):
- Search the OCBR and the Canadian Trademarks Database for name conflicts
- Create an OCBR account
- Submit a Name Reservation Request ($40 fee for Atlantic Canada; typically processed within 5 business days)
- Once approved, you'll receive a Company PIN and Key by email
- Log back into the OCBR, select your business structure, and click "Start Registration" using that PIN and Key
- Complete the application and pay the registration fee
3. Fees and Renewal Cycles
| Structure | Registration Fee | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship / partnership | $90 | Every 3 years |
| Corporation | $250 | Annual return required |
Corporate names must end with a legal element: "Limited," "Incorporated," "Corporation," or the abbreviations "Ltd.," "Inc.," or "Corp." Sole proprietorship and partnership names carry no such requirement.
4. NUANS: The Step That Trips People Up
For corporate names specifically, the Corporate Registry Office runs your requested name through the federal NUANS database to check for conflicts with existing trademarks and business names across Canada. If NUANS flags a conflict, you'll need to pick a different name, sometimes with an additional search fee, so it pays to run an informal search yourself before submitting.
5. After Registration: The Business Number
Once registered, you'll need a federal Business Number from the Canada Revenue Agency, which covers corporate income tax, HST, and payroll deductions in one registration. The Charlottetown Tax Services Office (1-800-959-5525) handles this for PEI-based businesses. Provincial incorporation under PEI's Companies Act is sufficient if you're only operating within the province; if you plan to do business in other provinces, federal incorporation under the Canada Business Corporations Act may be worth the extra step.