Request business or organization records

Last updated on August 21, 2024

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New Business Search!

A new way of searching for a business. You can also request Letters Under Seal and Certificates of Good Standing:

Business types currently available online include: benefit companies, active cooperative associations, sole proprietorships and general partnerships.


Submit a search request

Request priority service for an additional $100 fee on top of regular search request fees

  • If you need to have a search completed in 1 to 2 business days.
  • Requests for services that require a specific date must be submitted at least 2 business days before the requested date.
 

Options to submit a request

  • At a Service BC location 
    • Submit a search request in person
    • Payment options
      • Cash or debit
      • Cheque or money order payable to the Ministry of Finance
      •  Visa or MasterCard
  • Request over the phone
    • Small Business BC  (Office hours: Monday-Friday 10am:5pm PST)
      • ​​1-800-667-2272
      • 604-775-5525
  • Using BC OnLine,  to search for corporations, limited partnerships and societies. You must have an account (this options is recommended only for completing multiple searches on a regular basis and cannot be created for a one-time search)
    • There is a $100.00 fee to set up a BC OnLine account
    • For paper-only filings, including Letters Under Seal, Certificates of Good Standing and others:
      • Email your request to BCRegistries@gov.bc.ca and
      • Include your BC OnLine account number
      • Document(s) will then be emailed to you
      • Check for Processing Times 
  • Using Business Search, to search for benefit companies, active cooperative associations, sole proprietorships and general partnerships. You must have a Premium account in the new BC Registry application (this option is only recommended for completing multiple searches on a regular basis)
    • Letters Under Seal, Certificates of Good Standing and others can be paid for online and downloaded immediately

Benefit Companies and Cooperative Associations, Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships

  • If you own this type of business, you can create and log into your BC Business Registry account to download your own business summary for free at any time.

 

Call to get a quote for your search request

To know the exact cost of your Search Request please call:

 

Search Request by mail

Prepare a letter that states the information you're requesting, please include:

Send the letter along with a cheque or money order for the amount quoted (payable to the Minister of Finance) to:

BC Registries and Online Services
Courier: 200 - 940 Blanshard Street, Victoria, BC V8W 3E6
Mail: PO Box 9431 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9V3

 

 

Types of information you can request

Request information about businesses or organizations registered in B.C. Documents that are filed and registered are public record and are available to citizens for a fee. The fee is legislated.

  • Business Summaries:
    • Example: Small Claim Courts records
  • ​Active or historical registrations
  • Certified work which includes certified copies of filed and registered documents or court/federal certified copies of filed and registered documents
  • No record letter

You can also use OrgBook BC to find information about organizations legally registered in B.C. For example, you can check if a corporation is legally registered to do business in B.C. or look up "doing business as" names for registered corporations.

 

 

Information about businesses, incorporated companies, cooperatives and societies

Search results for these entities include:

  • Status – whether the company or organization is active or not active
  • Recognition/incorporation date – when they were incorporated, registered or amalgamated within B.C.
  • When the last annual report was filed
  • Previous name(s)
  • Registered office address
  • Records office address
  • Names of directors and officers (which are often included in annual reports)
  • Copies of annual reports that have been filed
  • No record letter 

Sample current corporate or company summary report (PDF, 146KB) 

NOTE: Information about shareholders, members or share certificate details are not available. Contact the registered office of the company or organization for this information.

 

Certificate of Status

A Certificate of Status verifies that a company or a society is an active entity in the province of British Columbia.

  • Is issued only to a BC Company, BC Society or BC Cooperative formed in B.C.

  • All other entity types active and dissolved can request a Letter Under Seal instead.
    • Extraprovincial Companies
      • Cannot be issued for an extraprovincial company because BC Registries doesn't know the status of the company in its incorporating jurisdiction.
      • Request a Letter Under Seal which certifies that an extraprovincial company is registered in B.C.
 

​Certificate of Good Standing

A Certificate of Good Standing verifies that the entity is up-to-date with its fillings with the BC Registry. 

 New West Partner Trade Agreement (NWPTA)

  • Certificates of Good Standing are no longer issued to NWPTA Companies
    • Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
    • Must go to home jurisdiction for their Certificate of Good Standing
 

Letter Under Seal

This letter certifies the registration type and status of the entity registered in the province of BC.

Any entity that has been registered in BC Registry, regardless of its status, can obtain this letter for a fee.

  • General partnerships
  • Limited partnerships
  • Sole proprietorships
  • Parish
  • Cooperatives
  • Incorporation
  • Societies
  • Library
  • Extraprovincial (out-of-province) companies or societies

 

 

Ask for help

Contact the BC Registries helpdesk for help Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The registry does not provide business or legal advice.

Email: BCRegistries@gov.bc.ca
Toll free: 1-877-526-1526
Victoria: 250-387-7848

Support and services

For additional support with BC Registries filings, visit a Service BC location or call 1-877-370-1033.  Visit Support with BC Registries filings for your service options. Please note that Service BC does not provide legal or financial advice.

Explore business resources and support services from the Small Business Branch or Small Business BC.