BC, Alberta and Ontario
How do I read a business registry record?
A registry record is short, and most of it matters: the status, the date, the type of entity, the number, and any names registered against it. Here is how to read each field and what it does and does not tell you.
The free steps
1. Start with the exact name on the quote
Write down the business name exactly as the quote prints it, including Ltd., Inc. or a number. A trade name, a numbered company and a sole proprietorship can all be registered under other words, so if a search shows nothing, ask the contractor which name and number appear on their registration or licence before you read anything into it.
2. The status
Active means the registration is current as of the date shown. Historical, dissolved or cancelled means it is not. A historical status is not a finding about the people; it is a question to ask about which business you would be paying.
Official source: OrgBook BC: search registered BC organizations (BC Registries, through OrgBook BC; checked 2026-10-20).
3. The registration date
When the business was registered. A recent date is not a verdict either way; a business can be new and excellent, or old and troubled. It is context for the other checks.
4. The entity type
A company, a sole proprietorship or partnership (a firm), an extraprovincial company registered to operate here, or a society. In BC the number's prefix says which: BC for a company, FM for a firm, A for an extraprovincial company.
5. The number
The registry's identifier for this record. Ask the contractor to put it on the quote, the invoice and the receipt; it is the one thing that cannot be confused with a similar name.
6. The business number
The nine-digit CRA business number, where the registry publishes it. It should match the number on an invoice that charges tax.
7. Trade names and other names
Some registries list the trade names registered against a record. If the name on the quote is a trade name, the registered business behind it is the one to check in every other step.
Official source: Ontario Business Registry (Government of Ontario; checked 2026-10-20).
Questions people ask
Does an active registration mean the contractor is licensed or insured?
No. The registration says the business exists in the registry under that name. Licences come from the city and the trade regulators; insurance is shown by a certificate from the broker.
Or ask Jay
Jay does these steps for you and writes up what the records show, with the source and date for each finding. The $39 Full Check (no tax added) also reads your quote and insurance papers, and a person reviews every Full Check before it goes out. The $19 Quick Check is opening soon.
Order a Full CheckSee a sample Full Check
Three quotes. One Jay check. Then the deposit.
Information, not a verdict. A record that is not found is not evidence of wrongdoing, and nothing here is legal, insurance or safety advice.
Published 2026-10-20; sources last checked on the dates shown beside each step.