"I live in Alberta and want to start a small home based business. I would be applying as a sole proprietor, and using a name other than my own. I am a little confused...is registering a business and applying for a business license the same thing? I found the link on About.com for the "Declaration of Trade Name Form" and I also came across a "Home Based Business Application Form" on a local planning and development website. Do I need to apply for both of these?"
- "newbizgirl" in the About Small Business Canada ForumMy Reply
No, business registration and business licensing are not the same thing.
When I'm writing about registering a business, I'm referring to the process of registering a business name - a legal requirement of your province or territory. Which in your case, being in Alberta, involves filling out and filing a "Declaration of Trade Name Form". My article, Registering a Business in Alberta explains this process in detail.
Most businesses also need to get business licenses from their municipalities. So if your business is in Edmonton, you would need to get a business license from the city.
That being said, home businesses tend to be a bit of an exception. Many people run their home businesses "under the radar" without registering them with their towns. Whether or not that's a good idea for you will depend on where your business is and what kind of business it is.
More: Do You Need to Register Your Business Name & How to Register It If You Do
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