InfoPEIHOME / GOVERNMENT / GOVINFO / BUSINESS / STARTING A BUSINESS / REGISTERING YOUR BUSINESS / Business Name Registration - Sole Proprietorship How do I get information about registering a business name?To register the business name of a sole proprietorship, partnership or trade name for a corporation or to check the availability of a corporate name, please contact the Consumer, Corporate & Insurance Division of the Office of the Attorney General. To view business names on Prince Edward Island ONLY you may search the Corporate Registry Database.
Sole Proprietorship Liability arising out of business activity is borne entirely by the proprietor. All assets, whether business or personal can be legally taken and used to discharge the liability. A sole proprietorship can be operated under the individual's name without the need for registration. If a business name is used or plurality of ownership is implied by the use of "and Company" or some other such wording, a statutory declaration of this in writing must be filed with the Consumer, Corporate & Insurance Services Division of the Office of the Attorney General in compliance with the Partnership Act. The registration cost is $65.00. A business name should be registered before it is used, and stationery, signs, advertising, etc. should not be purchased until after the business name has been registered. The reason for this is that the business name selected may not be available for registration by the Consumer, Corporate & Insurance Services Division due to the prior registration of the same or similar business name. A person wishing to register a sole proprietorship is required to have the Consumer, Corporate & Insurance Services Division conduct a computerized name search of the proposed name prior to registration. The fee is $40.00. Often a person starting in business for the first time will operate as a sole proprietorship because there are fewer costs involved in organizing. Later if the business proves to be successful, the sole proprietor can incorporate a company and have the business carried on by a corporation. When a sole proprietor discontinues business, the business name can be removed from the business names data base maintained in the Consumer, Corporate & Insurance Services Division of the Office of the Attorney General. Removal of the name can be accomplished only by the registered owner of the business name. The cost of registering a Dissolution of Sole Proprietorship is $15.00. A business name registration is valid for three years from the date of registration. At that time the registration will expire and a renewal of registration must be completed by the sole proprietor or the business name will be removed. The fee to renew a Sole Proprietorship is $50.00. A notification of the registration or dissolution of a business name is published in the Royal Gazette. All cheques are to be made payable to the Provincial Treasurer PEI. Application forms are available at your nearest Access PEI site or from the Related Forms section of this page. Forms Form 01 - Declaration for Registration of a Business Name (Individual)
Form 04 - Notice of Dissolution (Individual)
Form 07 - Renewal of Registration of a Business Name (Individual)
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