Glossary

Business number: what it means in practice.

The nine-digit CRA identifier for a business.

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What is a business number (BN) in Canada?

Short answer: A business number is the nine-digit identifier the Canada Revenue Agency assigns to a business, linking program accounts such as GST/HST and payroll. Funders use it to verify that the business on the application is the business receiving the deposits, so the legal name must match.

Key facts

Nine digits, issued by the CRA
Program accounts for GST/HST, payroll and more
Different from a provincial registration number
The legal name must match your bank account

In plain language

The nine-digit CRA identifier for a business.

The business number identifies a business with the Canada Revenue Agency for tax accounts such as GST/HST and payroll.

Why it matters

It ties the business to its tax records.

An example

A business number with program accounts for GST/HST and payroll.

What to watch for

Mismatched names
Missing accounts
Using personal SIN for business

In practice for Canadian businesses

Required for many Canadian businesses.

Questions to ask

Do I have a BN?
Which program accounts are open?
Does my legal name match?

How it shows up in a funding file

Funders verify the business identity.

A common misreading

A provincial registration number is different from the federal BN.

Related terms and next steps

Glossary terms are most useful next to the decisions they affect. If you are comparing offers, read the pages on factor rates, payback amounts and the repayment cap together. If you are preparing an application, the documents checklist and requirements pages explain what is read. And if a term in an agreement is unclear, ask the funder to explain it in writing before you sign; a good funder will.

In more detail

The business number is the base for program accounts such as RT for GST/HST and RP for payroll. Keeping the legal name and address consistent between the CRA, your bank and provincial registrations avoids delays with lenders and suppliers.

Questions to ask a funder about any term

Is this term defined in the agreement, and how?
Does it change the total I repay or only the timing?
Can you show me an example with my own numbers?

Where you will see it

Your business number appears on CRA correspondence, GST/HST and payroll filings, and on invoices for registrants. Funders and banks use it, with your legal name, to confirm the business exists and matches the account receiving funds.

Reading any funding term

Most funding terms come back to two questions: how much will I repay in total, and how will each payment affect my cash in a normal month and a slow one. When you meet an unfamiliar term in an offer or agreement, translate it into those two answers before deciding whether it matters. If a funder cannot explain a term in plain language and with your own numbers, treat that as useful information about the offer.

Related terms

These terms often appear alongside business number in offers, agreements and conversations with funders:

GST/HST remittancePaying collected sales tax to the Canada Revenue Agency.Source deductionsPayroll amounts withheld for the government.Time in businessHow long the business has been operating, usually measured from its start date.UnderwritingThe process of reviewing a file to decide whether and on what terms to fund.

Sources and review

Reviewed by the Merchant Fund Express team on October 12, 2026. Official pages checked as of that date.

Common questions

Do sole proprietors need one?

If registered for GST/HST or payroll, yes.

Where can I learn more?

See the related guides and the comparison pages, or apply and ask.

Is this legal advice?

No. It is educational information, and agreements vary.