Business number registration for Yukon entrepreneurs (2026)

You can get a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number (BN) quickly by using Business Registration Online (BRO) through your CRA account — or by checking existing records if one already exists. Here is what you need to know right now:

• If you already have a BN, use it. The CRA assigns one BN per legal entity; registering a second one for the same business creates problems you will have to untangle later.
• If you do not have a BN, check your records first (past tax returns, CRA letters, invoices), then register via BRO. Registration is free and typically issues a BN immediately.
• Critical date: Starting July 14, 2026, BRO requires a signed-in CRA account to complete any online registration. If you do not already have a CRA sign-in, create one before you start.
• Yukon note: Territorial registration in Yukon does not automatically generate a federal BN. You must register with the CRA separately.

Table of Contents

• What is a business number and which CRA program accounts attach to it?
• How to find an existing BN before you register
• How to register for a BN: step by step
• Which CRA program accounts should you add now?
• What Yukon businesses need to do after getting a BN
• Common problems when registering or finding a BN
• Key takeaways
• Why getting the BN setup right matters from day one
• Tledgers helps Yukon entrepreneurs get set up correctly
• Useful sources
• FAQ

What is a business number and which CRA program accounts attach to it?

A business number is a unique 9-digit identifier the CRA assigns to your business for all federal tax and program interactions. Think of it as your business’s permanent federal ID — it does not change even if you add new program accounts or change your business name.

When you register for a specific CRA program, a two-letter code and a four-digit reference number are appended to your BN to form a program account number. For example, a GST/HST account looks like 123456789 RT 0001. The nine digits are your BN; “RT” identifies the program; “0001” is the account reference.

The most common program accounts for Yukon small businesses are:

• GST/HST (RT): For collecting and remitting goods and services tax.
• Payroll deductions (RP): For businesses that pay employees or other remuneration.
• Import-export (RM): For businesses importing or exporting goods. Note that as of May 13, 2024, import-export registration is handled through the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) Client Portal, not BRO.
• Corporation income tax (RC): For incorporated businesses filing corporate returns.

One BN, multiple program accounts. That structure is why people sometimes ask whether their GST number is the same as their BN — it is not exactly the same, but it starts with the same nine digits.

How to find an existing BN before you register

Searching for an existing BN is worth doing before you touch BRO. Creating a duplicate BN for the same legal entity causes filing mismatches and requires CRA intervention to resolve.

Here is where to look, in order of speed:

1. Past CRA correspondence. Any letter the CRA has sent your business will show the BN at the top.
2. Previous tax returns. Corporate T2 returns and GST/HST returns both display the BN prominently.
3. Invoices and receipts. If your business was already registered for GST/HST, the BN (with the RT suffix) appears on your invoices.
4. Incorporation documents. If you incorporated federally through Corporations Canada, your BN may have been issued at that time.
5. CRA My Business Account. Log in at canada.ca and check your business profile — all registered BNs and program accounts are listed there.
6. Provincial or territorial registries. The Yukon Corporate Registry can confirm your territorial registration details, though it will not show your federal BN directly.
7. Call the CRA. If none of the above works, call Business Enquiries at 1-800-959-5525. Have your legal business name, address, and SIN ready before you call.

Pro Tip: Before calling the CRA, gather your incorporation certificate (if applicable), your SIN, and the business’s legal name and address. The agent will ask for all of these to verify your identity and locate the account.

How to register for a BN: step by step

Registering online via BRO is the fastest path. In most cases, your BN is issued immediately and you can add program accounts in the same session. Here is the full process, including what to prepare.

Information you need before you start

BRO registration steps

1. Create or confirm your CRA sign-in. You need a CRA My Account or My Business Account login. You cannot register for a CRA account if you have never filed taxes or if you have enhanced protection enabled on your account.
2. Access BRO. From your CRA account, select + Add account, then Business account, then Register a business.
3. Select your registrations. Choose BN plus any program accounts you need now (GST/HST, payroll, corporation income tax).
4. Complete the form. Work through each section using the information from the table above.
5. Save or print your BN immediately. BRO sessions time out after 10 minutes of inactivity, and your BN will not be emailed or mailed to you automatically. Copy it down before closing the browser.

Paper option: Form RC1

If BRO is unavailable to you — for example, because you have not yet filed taxes and cannot create a CRA account — mail Form RC1 (Request for a Business Number and Certain Program Accounts) to your tax centre. Paper registration takes longer than online registration; the CRA will mail a confirmation letter with your BN once processed.

Pro Tip: Gather every document from the information table above before opening BRO. A 10-minute session timeout is easy to hit if you are searching for your NAICS code or fiscal year end mid-session.

Which CRA program accounts should you add now?

Not every Yukon business needs every program account on day one. Here is a quick decision guide:

• GST/HST (RT): You must register once your total taxable revenues exceed the government threshold for mandatory GST/HST registration or choose to register voluntarily. If you are below that threshold, registration is voluntary but can be advantageous for claiming input tax credits. Once registered, your GST/HST filing obligations begin immediately.
• Payroll (RP): Register as soon as you hire your first employee or begin paying any remuneration, including to yourself as a shareholder. Payroll remittances are due on a schedule set by the CRA based on your average monthly withholdings. Tledgers’ payroll management services can handle this setup and ongoing remittances for you.
• Import-export (RM): Only needed if you are physically importing or exporting goods. Register through the CARM Client Portal, not BRO.
• Corporation income tax (RC): Required if your business is incorporated. You will need a copy of your certificate of incorporation to complete this registration.

Solo proprietors with no employees and revenues under $30,000 often need only a BN to start. Incorporated businesses typically need both RC and GST/HST accounts from the beginning.

What Yukon businesses need to do after getting a BN

Getting a federal BN is step one, not the finish line. Yukon has its own registration and licensing layer that runs parallel to the federal process.

• Territorial business registration: Yukon does not automatically issue a BN during territorial incorporation or registration. You must register with the CRA separately, regardless of whether you have already registered your business name or incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Yukon).
• Yukon Corporate Registry: If you are incorporating in Yukon, file with the Corporate Registry through the Department of Community Services. This gives you territorial legal standing but does not replace CRA registration.
• Business licences and permits: Depending on your industry and municipality, you may need a City of Whitehorse business licence or a sector-specific permit. Contact the Yukon government’s Business and Industry Development branch for a checklist relevant to your sector.
• GST in Yukon: Yukon applies the federal GST at 5% — there is no separate territorial sales tax (PST or HST) for most businesses. Once your revenues cross the $30,000 threshold, you collect and remit GST using your RT program account.
• Payroll deductions: Register your RP account before your first payroll run. Federal payroll rules (CPP, EI, income tax withholding) apply in Yukon the same way they do in every other province and territory.
• Assistance contacts: CRA Business Enquiries: 1-800-959-5525. Yukon Department of Community Services (Corporate Registry): 867-667-5314. For professional support with accounting services and CRA registration, Tledgers works with Yukon entrepreneurs remotely.

Common problems when registering or finding a BN

Most registration snags are predictable. Here is how to handle the most frequent ones:

1. You cannot sign in to BRO. From July 14, 2026, BRO requires a CRA account sign-in. If you have never filed a Canadian tax return, you cannot yet create a CRA account online — call 1-800-959-5525 or use Form RC1 by mail instead. If you have enhanced protection enabled on your CRA account, you will also be unable to access BRO online; call the CRA to resolve the protection setting first.
2. Your BRO session timed out before you saved your BN. Sessions expire after 10 minutes of inactivity. If this happens, log back in and check My Business Account — your BN may already be registered and visible there. If not, contact the CRA before attempting to register again, to confirm whether a BN was issued.
3. You think you may have a duplicate BN. Do not register a new BN if you suspect one already exists. Contact CRA Business Enquiries at 1-800-959-5525 with your legal business name and SIN. The CRA can locate any existing BN tied to your identity and merge or correct the records.
4. Your postal code or address does not match CRA records. BRO validates your address against CRA files. If you recently moved or your address was entered differently at incorporation, the system may reject the entry. Call the CRA to update your address before attempting BRO registration.

Pro Tip: If you are mailing Form RC1, send it by tracked mail and keep a copy of the completed form. The CRA will send a confirmation letter to the address on the form, so double-check that address before mailing.

Key takeaways

Yukon businesses must register for a federal BN with the CRA separately — territorial registration does not do it for you — and from July 14, 2026, that online registration requires a CRA account sign-in.

Why getting the BN setup right matters from day one

There is a version of this process that many new business owners go through: they register the BN, skip the program accounts, and then scramble six months later when their first payroll run is due or a government contract requires a GST number. The scramble is avoidable.

A clean BN setup — BN registered, correct program accounts attached, payroll and GST/HST accounts active before you need them — means your CRA filings line up from the start. It also matters for government procurement in Yukon, where federal and territorial contracts often require proof of GST registration before a bid is accepted.

At Tledgers, we see this pattern regularly with incorporated businesses that set up the RC account but forget the RT account until their first GST return is overdue. The fix is not complicated, but it creates back-filing obligations and sometimes penalties that a five-minute decision at registration would have prevented. Getting the structure right at the beginning is genuinely the lower-effort path.

Tledgers helps Yukon entrepreneurs get set up correctly

Flat-rate accounting support, no surprise invoices at the end of the month — that is what Tledgers offers Yukon business owners who want their CRA registrations, program accounts, and ongoing filings handled by a professional team.

Tledgers is a fully remote Canadian accounting firm, which means Yukon entrepreneurs get the same level of CPA support as businesses in major urban centres, without needing a local office. The services most relevant after BN registration include incorporation assistance, GST/HST account setup and filing, payroll services, and business tax filing for both sole proprietors and corporations. Tledgers’ flat-rate model means you know the cost upfront, and the team handles the CRA correspondence so you can focus on running your business. To get started, visit the Tledgers virtual CFO page or reach out directly through the client portal.

Useful sources

• Business number and CRA program accounts (Canada.ca) — the CRA’s overview of what a BN is and how program accounts attach to it.
• When you need a BN (Canada.ca) — covers the July 14, 2026 BRO sign-in change and which provinces/territories (including Yukon) do not automatically issue a BN.
• Register as a resident with a Canadian business (Canada.ca) — step-by-step BRO instructions, Form RC1 details, and the session timeout warning.
• Program accounts you may need (Canada.ca) — explains the BN + program identifier + reference number format and which accounts apply to which business types.
• Ways to find an existing business number (Canada.ca) — official CRA guidance on locating a BN you may already have.
• Tledgers accounting services — virtual CFO, bookkeeping, payroll, and tax filing support for Yukon entrepreneurs.

FAQ

How do I register my business in Yukon?

Registering a business in Yukon involves two separate steps: filing with the Yukon Corporate Registry (for territorial incorporation or name registration) and registering with the CRA for a federal business number. Territorial registration does not automatically generate a BN, so you must complete both.

How do I find my registered business number?

Check past CRA correspondence, previous tax returns, or GST/HST invoices — your BN appears on all of them. You can also log in to CRA My Business Account to view all BNs and program accounts registered under your identity.

Is a registration number the same as a business number?

Not exactly. A BN is the federal 9-digit identifier issued by the CRA. A full CRA program account number includes the BN plus a two-letter program code and a four-digit reference (for example, 123456789 RT 0001). What people call a “registration number” in a territorial or provincial context may refer to a separate corporate registry number, which is distinct from the federal BN.

Is your business number the same as your GST number?

Your GST/HST account number starts with your BN but is not identical to it. The GST/HST account number is your 9-digit BN followed by “RT” and a 4-digit reference (for example, RT 0001). The BN is the root; the GST number is the BN with the RT suffix attached.

This article provides general information about CRA business number registration and is not a substitute for professional tax or legal advice. Confirm current rules and requirements with the CRA or a qualified accountant for your specific situation.

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