Daycare Name

[StefanieAlise]

Hi everyone, quick question - if I want to create a unique name for my home daycare do I legally have to register the business? Are there any perks to doing this? If I chose not to name my daycare anything fancy, what would I call it? Is it usually your name followed by Home Daycare?

[Suzie_Homemaker]

If you are doing business and using a business name then you have to register that business name with your Province. The rules and costs vary slightly from one Province to the next but typically, you will pay a search fee to make sure the business name you have picked isn't already in use by someone else. If it is, too bad, pick another name, pay another search fee and see if your second choice is available. You continue to search and pay until you hit on a name not being used. At that stage, you pay another fee to claim the business name as your own. You will be issued with a BIN# (Business Identification Number) and you can write than number on your annual tax receipts instead of the SIN#.

IF you are using anything other than your personal name, you have to register the name you are doing business with. For instance, I can run my day home using the name Suzie Homemaker, with no requirement to register provincially. (This doesn't mean I don't have to declare all my income). But if I add a discriptor or alternative name, then it has to be registered. i.e. Suzie's Day care would require a business name being registered. Suzie's Little Imps, would require a business name.

Home based day care is one of only two job codes which you do not have to register your business but as explained, that's only if you use your own name, not a business name.