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Step 2 of 13

Register your business name with the Companies Office

Reserve and register the name your sole proprietorship trades under.

Time
30–60 minutes, plus a wait for the name approval
Cost
$45 name reservation plus $60 registration (seen October 2026; confirm current fees)
Manitoba Companies Office — business name forms and fees ↗

Register your business name with the Companies Office: step-by-step guide

Screenshots use a made-up example business. Official sites change, so yours may look slightly different.

  1. Manitoba Companies Office business name forms and fees page with the Request for Name Reservation row highlighted
    1. Start with a Request for Name Reservation. It costs $45, and an approved name is held for 90 days.
  2. Manitoba Companies Office business name forms and fees page with the Business Name Registration row highlighted
    2. Then file the Business Name Registration. Filing online is fastest, and it costs $60 for three years.

Screenshots captured 2026-10-18. See something different? Report a problem

Who has to register

In Manitoba you register a business name when you trade under a name other than your own first and last name. If you trade as just "Jane Smith", you can skip this step.

Reserve the name first

The Companies Office says a name reservation is needed in most cases before you register. The request costs $45, and you can file it online. If the name is rejected, you pick another and pay again. An approved name is held for 90 days.

Then register it

File the Business Name Registration online, using the reservation number from your approval. It costs $60, and online filing is the fastest. The registration lasts three years, and renewing it costs another $60.

Your details may be public

Ask the Companies Office what appears on a business name search. If you work from home and do not want customers to see your address, ask whether you can use a PO box or a mailing address service instead.

Keep it

Save the confirmation. You will need it for the bank account and your supplier account.

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