How to apply

Cost

Service providers will charge a government fee and a service fee to register your business name.

Registry agent product catalogue (PDF, 25 pages)

Step 1: Choose a business name

Although there are few restrictions on a business name, you should choose your name carefully.

• business names don’t have to be unique; duplicate business names may exist
• but, if you choose a name that is the same as, or similar to, an existing business name, corporation name, or trademark, the owners could take your business to court. You may have to change your name or pay damages to the owners
• you can’t use the words 'limited', 'incorporated' or 'corporation' at the end of your business name, since that would imply you are running a corporation
• you also can’t use the abbreviated forms of these words - Ltd., Inc., or Corp., or the French forms/abbreviations of those words
• if you’re registering a limited liability partnership, you need to include 'limited liability partnership' or the abbreviation 'LLP' at the end of the name, or you can use the  French terms 'Société à Responsabilité Limitée' or 'SRL'

Step 2: Get a Business Name Report

This step is recommended, but not mandatory.

The report contains registered business, corporation and trademark names that are similar to your proposed business name.

The report is provided by authorized NUANS members.

Find a NUANS service provider

Step 3: Fill out the forms

You can use the sample forms shown below to collect the required information or you can create your own forms.

Trade name/sole proprietorship

If you are registering a trade name or sole proprietorship, use the Declaration of Trade Name. (PDF, 2 pages)

Partnership

If you are registering a partnership, use the Declaration of Partnership (PDF, 2 pages) and, if needed, the Special Authority to Execute a Declaration. (PDF, 2 pages)

Other partnership types

If you are registering other partnership types, you can use one of our sample forms below or prepare your own form.  If you prepare your own form you need to make sure it contains all of the required information.

Limited partnership (LP)

• Application for Alberta/Extra-Provincial Limited Partnership (PDF, 5 pages)
• Special Authority to Execute a Registration (PDF, 2 pages)
• (optional) Register your Alberta LP in BC (PDF, 3 pages)
• (optional) Register your Alberta LP in Saskatchewan (PDF, 4 pages)

Limited liability partnership (LLP)

• Application for Alberta/Extra-Provincial Limited Liability Partnership  (PDF, 2 pages)
• permission from the Alberta governing body of the profession (such as law, accounting)
• extra-provincial LLPs must also provide proof of active registration in their home jurisdiction, and copies of their original registration documents
• (optional)  Register your Alberta LLP in BC (PDF, 4 pages)
• (optional) Register your Alberta LLP in Saskatchewan (PDF, 4 pages)

If your LP or LLP home jurisdiction is in British Columbia or Saskatchewan, there are special processes to register your business. Contact your home jurisdiction registry office for more information.

BC Corporate Registry

Saskatchewan Corporate Registry

Step 4: Take your Alberta registration information to a service provider

Go to an authorized Corporate Registry service provider. You’ll need to take:

• your business name information
• Business Name Report (if used)
• valid ID
• fee payment

If your information meets the requirements, it’ll be entered into the Corporate Registry and you’ll get a proof of filing. 

Find a service provider

If you want to register your Alberta LP or LLP in BC or Saskatchewan, send the registration statements directly to Alberta Corporate Registry by fax or e-mail:  (780) 422-1091 or corp.reg.gov.ab.ca  We will send your forms on to BC or Saskatchewan for no-charge registration in that province.

Note: To download a PDF document, right-click and select 'save as' and save to your computer.