Sole proprietorship
All sole proprietorships operating in Nova Scotia must register with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies, except if you use your personal name as your business name. For example, you must register Jane Doe & Associates, but you don't need to register Jane Doe.
A sole proprietorship does not have a separate legal status from its owner. In Nova Scotia, a sole proprietorship is actually registered as a 'partnership' of one.
Steps to register
Registering a sole proprietorship is a 2-step process. You need to:
- Submit a Name Reservation Request form along with the fee for the name search.
- Submit the Application for Registration of a Business Name, Sole Proprietorship or Partnership in Nova Scotia form along with registration fee once the name has been approved for your use.
When the registration is complete, the Registry will issue you a Certificate of Registration. It is valid for 1 year. To continue to operate your business, you must renew your registration each year on the anniversary of your original registration.
You are also responsible for updating the Registry when any of your information changes.
Contact information
Telephone:
902-424-7770
Toll-Free: (within Canada)
1-800-225-8227
Hours of Operation: (except holidays)
Monday to Friday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Atlantic Standard Time
Fax:
902-424-4633
Mailing Address:
Registry of Joint Stock Companies
P.O. Box 1529
Halifax, NS
B3J 2Y4
Email:
Locations:
Head Office
9th Floor, Maritime Centre
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax
Access Nova Scotia Centre
144 Robert Angus Drive
Amherst
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149 Church Street
Antigonish Mall Annex, Suite 3
Antigonish
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81 Logan Road
Bridgewater
Access Nova Scotia Centre
250 Baker Drive, Suite 134
Dartmouth
Access Nova Scotia Centre
300 Horseshoe Lake Drive
Bayers Lake Business Park
Halifax
Access Nova Scotia Centre
5 Shylah Drive
Kentville
Access Nova Scotia Centre
486 Sackville Drive
Lower Sackville
Access Nova Scotia Centre
218 MacSween Street, Suite 22
Port Hawkesbury
Access Nova Scotia Centre
94 Lawrence Boulevard
Access Nova Scotia Centre
380 King's Road
Moxham Centre
Sydney
Access Nova Scotia Centre
15 Alderbrook Drive
Truro Heights
Access Nova Scotia Centre
10 Starrs Road, Suite 127
Yarmouth
Legislation and regulations
For a complete set of rules related to sole proprietorships, see:
- Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act
- Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act Regulations
- Partnership and Business Names Registration Act Province of New Brunswick Exemption Designation
- Partnership and Business Name Registration Act Schedule of Fees Payable to the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies