A Business Number (BN) is a unique nine-digit number the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses to identify your business for tax and other program accounts, including GST/HST, payroll, and corporate income tax.
What Is a Business Number?
A unique identifier issued by the CRA, used as the base number for your business’s various CRA program accounts (GST/HST, payroll, corporate income tax, import/export).
Who Is It For?
Any newly incorporated Canadian business, and sole proprietorships that need to register for specific CRA program accounts like GST/HST.
What Fort Filing Helps With
What’s Included
- Preparation and submission of your BN registration
- Guidance on which program accounts (GST/HST, payroll, etc.) apply to your business
What’s Not Included
- Ongoing tax filing or bookkeeping services
Requirements
Incorporation details (or sole proprietorship registration), and information on which CRA program accounts you need.
Important Notes
Fort Filing is not a government agency, law firm, CPA firm, or bank. We assist with the filing and administrative process only; we do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice, and we cannot guarantee government approval or processing timelines.
FAQs
Is a BN automatically issued at incorporation?
In some provinces, incorporating automatically triggers BN issuance; in others, it’s a separate registration step. We’ll confirm what applies to you.
Do I need a BN if I'm not registering for GST/HST yet?
If you’re incorporated, you generally have or need a BN regardless; specific program accounts like GST/HST are added to it once needed.
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