Receiving An Employer Id Number
One of the most essential parts of your federal registration is requesting an employer identification, or EIN. These numbers are tax identification numbers given by the IRS and are necessary for any business except for a sole proprietorship. EINs are easy and free to obtain, and you can file for and receive one immediately either by phone or online.
Your EIN will never expire, and that number will never be given to another entity. If you are a sole proprietor, you will use your social security number instead of an EIN. Business owners who do not have a social security number and are not residents of the U.S. will need to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or ITIN.
What Does It Cost To Get A Business Number
The Business Number itself is free of charge. However, a BN can only be obtained by registering for a government program that participates in the BN system. If a program has a registration fee for their services, youll have to pay this fee. Programs are not permitted to charge a separate fee to issue the BN.
If it appears that youve been charged for a BN, please let us know by sending an email with relevant details to .
Register With Census Bureau
The purpose of registering with the Census Bureau is to assist us in researching the products or services companies may be able to provide. Within the registration form boxes, please provide your company name, your name, your companys capabilities using the terms provided, and an email address.
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Does Registration Protect My Business Name
The Business Names Act does not protect the exclusivity of a registered name. You may be able to protect your business name by registering a trademark under the Trade-Marks Act . It may be useful to talk to your lawyer or contact the FedDev Ontario – Small Business Services for more information on trademarks.
The Business Names Act does not prohibit registration of identical names, but if you decide to use a name that is the same as or confusingly similar to that of an existing business, it could result in a lawsuit. The person registering the name also assumes full responsibility for any risk of confusion with an existing corporation, business name or trademark.
You may also wish to do some research to see if incorporating is a better alternative for your business. Identical corporation names cannot be incorporated in Ontario. If you incorporate and carry on business under the corporate name set out in the Articles of Incorporation, there is no requirement to register under the Business Names Act. However, if the corporation is operating with a name that is different from its corporate name, the operating name must be registered under the Business Names Act.
Liability
Central Production and Verification Services Branch staff cannot provide specific advice on name selection. If you are not sure about the use of a name, you should consult a lawyer.
Penalties for not registering
Choosing a business name
Restrictions on business names
State And Federal Online Business Registration
If you need a business registration number from one of the states listed on this page, all you need to do is click on one of the links below. You will leave the IRS website and enter the state website.
If you are from one of these states and you also want to get a federal Employer Identification Number , you may obtain both your state and federal information in one session. Heres how it works!
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What Do Bn15s Look Like
The BN15 is a 15-digit Business Number that uses the legal entitys unique 9-digit root, followed by an account number, which is made up of a 2-character program identifier , and a 4-digit account number . The BN15s structure identifies the business via the root and keeps track of the programs for which the business is registered via the various suffixes.
The chart below shows how BN15s look in Manitoba. Your business/legal entity will have only one 9-digit Business Number , but it will have as many Business Number program accounts as you have registrations with government programs.
Example:
Chan, Smith, Mohammed, and Associates is a partnership, a legal entity with a BN9 of 945127589 and it has several BN15s:
- 945127589MC0029: a Manitoba Companies Office account
- 945127589MT1234: a Manitoba Taxation account
- 945127589RT9990: a Federal GST account
Registering Your Business Name In Ontario
Business names are registered with the Central Production and Verification Services Branch of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and are placed on the Public Record maintained by CPVSB for public disclosure. Anyone may search business name information contained on the Public Record for a fee to find the owners or principals behind a business name.
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Required Information For Registering In Nova Scotia
To register your corporation in Nova Scotia, you must complete the form below.
- Application for Registration of an Extra-Provincial Corporation to do business in Nova Scotia
On this form, you must provide the information below.
- Date of starting business in Nova Scotia
- Business activity
- Business location in Nova Scotia
- Name and address of recognized agent in Nova Scotia
- Signatory information
- Name, residential address and position of all officers
Register A Federal Corporation In A Province Or Territory
Provincial and territorial legislation requires you to register your federal corporation in each province and territory in which it will conduct business.
The registration requirements are different for each province and territory, but conducting business typically includes:
- having an address, a post office box or a phone number in a province or territory, or
- offering services or products in a province or territory.
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System For Award Management Formerly Central Contractor Registration
Please note that the System for Award Management , formerly Central Contractor Registration registration is now required for all vendors doing business with the federal government with the following exceptions:
- Purchase orders and contracts awarded by September 30, 2003
- Purchases at or under $2,500.00 that either:
- Are made using a government-wide commercial purchase card or
- Are not paid using Electronic Funds Transfer
Whenever reference is made to CCR registration, SAM will now serve as CCR replacement.
Please note that assignees of claims must be separately registered in the SAM database ), in addition to vendors described above. For more details on the SAM registration requirement, see the Final Rule on CCR registration published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2003.
SAM registrations are performed online. Should you need help completing your registration, please contact the Federal Service Desk toll free at 606-8220 or go to www.fsd.gov to find answers about SAM registration in FSD’s Answer Center.
There Is Never Any Cost To Register In Sam And Free Help Is Available For Those Who Need It
The first step in government contracting, SAM is the primary supplier database for the U.S. Federal government, collecting, validating and storing data from suppliers and then making that data available to various government acquisition agencies. Your business MUST be registered in SAM to sell to the federal government.
GOOD NEWS: There is no cost to register in SAM. If you need help, your local PTAC can assist you also at no charge! PTAC counselors can answer your questions and provide tips to ensure that important information about your business is entered correctly, including completing your profile in the SBAs Dynamic Small Business Search database, so that you can be found by agency buyers and prime contractors who want to do business with you. PTAC counselors can also help you keep your information up to date and assist you with the registration renewal process each year. Most importantly, once your registration is complete, your PTAC counselor can help you take the next steps in finding contract opportunities and marketing your business to government buyers.Find your PTAC and get started today!
General SAM Registration Tips: See some of the PTACs favorite SAM registration tips below.
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Where Can I Register A Business Name And Obtain A Master Business Licence
Ontario.ca provides access to the governments electronic services that simplify and streamline registration, renewal and reporting processes for Ontario businesses. New entrepreneurs and existing corporations can electronically complete the most important applications to register their business at one location, including applications for Business Name Registration, Retail Sales Tax Vendor Permit, Employer Health Tax and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. When registering via Business Registration Online and some provincial governments including Ontario), you may apply for the above programs as well as for a Federal Business Number and other CRA programs.
Business names can be searched and registered through ServiceOntario via the following channels:
Note: you must enter the business information yourself when using BRO and the ServiceOntario website. For more information about fees and processing times or to obtain ServiceOntario applications, please visit the ServiceOntario website or call:
Toronto: 416-314-9151
TTY toll-free: 1-800-268-7095
How Are Bn15s Created And Assigned
The BN15 is a 15-digit Business Number that uses the legal entitys BN9 and additional alpha-numeric characters to uniquely identify which government program accounts are associated with that particular legal entity.
When the legal entity interacts with a government program that uses the BN system, the program will assign a BN15 to register and identify the legal entitys account with them.
As a business owner, youll have several BN15s if you interact with several federal, provincial, or municipal government programs.
Examples:
- Trust
- Other
A BN15 is assigned by a federal, provincial or municipal government program that uses the BN as a client identifier. A business is assigned a BN15 when it opens an account with one of those BN-using programs.
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How Do I Register As A Small Business With The Federal Government
The federal government is one of the biggest clients of small businesses in the U.S. The Small Business Administration reports that the federal government purchases more than $425 billion each year in products and services from U.S. small businesses. For your business to be recognized by the federal government, you must register your small business with the appropriate venues.
1
Visit the Dun & Bradstreet website to obtain a DUNS number for your business . Allow approximately 30 days for your newly issued DUNS number to arrive. Keep this number in a secure place, as it serves as your business social security number.
2
Classify your business before you register it for government contracts. Visit the U.S. Census Bureau’s website and take note of your businesss NAICS code .
3
Use the U.S. Small Business Administrations Table of Small Business Size Standards to identify your business size standard . For accurate sizing information, use your NAICS code when obtaining your size standard.
4
Secure a federal tax identification number for your business, if you have not already gotten one. Visit the Internal Revenue Service’s website at irs.gov to complete the application. Have a pen handy to make note of your number, as it is issued immediately after the application is completed.
5
Obtain the Standard Industrial Classification codes for your business. Go to the U.S. Department of States website to obtain these codes.
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Acquire A Duns Number
Businesses need to get a DUNS number before they can successfully kick off the SAM registration process.
For reference: A DUNS number refers to a Data Universal Numbers that organizations may acquire through the Data Universal Numbering System .
Each number is a different nine-digit identifier that signifies a uniquely corresponding businesswith over 330 million businesses registered globally to dateand theyre used to help track the reliability and financial stability of organizations. Theyre also used to enable official relationships between separate corporate entities and governing bodies, which altogether is why the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency relies on them when approving CAGE Code applications.
The DUNS application process itself is complex, with roughly 50 different forms of varying length to fill out. To avoid missing out on any of the advantages businesses are due, its crucial that owners complete each section accurately.
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The Daily Journal Of The United States Government
Legal Status
This site displays a prototype of a Web 2.0 version of the daily Federal Register. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov.
The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal Register documents. Each document posted on the site includes a link to the corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. This prototype edition of the daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov will remain an unofficial informational resource until the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register issues a regulation granting it official legal status. For complete information about, and access to, our official publications and services, go to About the Federal Register on NARA’s archives.gov.
Legal Status
Registering Your Federal Corporation While You Incorporate
Corporations are required to register in the provinces in which they will conduct business. When you incorporate your federal corporation online, you can, at the same time, register your corporation in Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
This federal-provincial service aims to save federal corporations time and effort it fills out the necessary provincial forms with the information you provide during incorporation.
As of June 29, 2020, Saskatchewan is using a new digital solution, called the Multi-Jurisdictional Registry Access Service , to deliver seamless registration and reporting services to businesses. Federal businesses that want to register in Saskatchewan must now do so after they incorporate. Register your business in Saskatchewan.
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Taking Advantage Of Exclusive Certification Opportunities
As mentioned above, organizations meeting certain criteria are eligible to receive an even greater range of federally supplied benefits.
These special statuses are separated into different business certifications, and any organization that meets their requirements can apply for them as part of their federal registration process.
The primary certifications available include:
8 organizations are classified as businesses run by socially or economically disadvantaged owners. In addition to the 23% of exclusive contracting opportunities for registered small businesses, an additional 5% portion of federal benefits are reserved for 8 organizations alone.
This certification is available to all registered business owners that conduct the majority of their business within the U.S. HUBZone . Certified HUBZone businesses may claim federal contracts from an exclusive 3% pool of federal work opportunities.
WOSB Certification
Short for Women-Owned Small Business certification, WOSB businesses are those that both meet small business status and are owned by an active majority of women. WOSB businesses may access an additional 5% portion of federal contracting opportunities set aside for female-run organizations.
VOSB Certification
That means organizations that successfully register as a HUBZone or 8 business will have guaranteed government work opportunities and awards waiting for them after approval.
Check To See If Another Business Is Already Using The Business Name
Before making a final decision on your business name and ordering business cards or stationery you will want to know if someone else is already using the name. A search of the Companies and Personal Property Security Branch records will determine whether another Ontario business is using the name you have selected and where that business is located.
For detailed information about searching a business name and product descriptions, and for information on corporate name searches as well as NUANS and trademark searches, please refer to the Searching the Public Record information sheet available online through ServiceOntario.
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Amending Or Cancelling A Registration
To ensure the Public Record is accurate, you must notify the Central Production and Verification Services Branch when the information in your registration has changed. Changes in address, business activity or partners , must be filed on the Ministry form within 15 days after the change. There is no filing fee. However, changing the name of your business registration is considered a new registration and the relevant fee applies. Changing the type of registration, e.g. a partnership registration to a sole proprietorship, or changing all the partners in a partnership, is also considered a new registration.
If the business ceases to operate, you should cancel your business name registration. There is no filing fee for the cancellation of a business name.
The amended or cancelled registration can be submitted to the Branch by mail or in person at the Public Office in Toronto. Alternatively, the registrant can amend or cancel a business name registration online through the ServiceOntario website at Ontario.ca. The registrant will receive confirmation of the changes by mail in approximately three weeks.
Full Service Sam Registration
United States Business Registration is a private registration firm established in 2010 to assist Small Businesses, Non-Profit Entities and Government Facilities in completing the System for Award Management Registration filings and Small Business Certifications. A dedicated CRS is assigned to physically process, maintain and oversee the registrations and certifications in order to ensure compliant and accurate filings. In 2016 alone, the General Services Administration made 77 client-facing enhancements along with multiple revisions to the Federal Acquisition Regulations . For organizations with active registrations at the time regulation changes go into effect, the SAM Registration itself must be immediately updated and resubmitted in order to remain compliant.
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