Canada · Business Number
Canada Business Number Checker
Check a Canadian Business Number or GST/HST number for correct format and look it up in federal corporation records.
What is a Canadian Business Number?
A Business Number (BN) is the 9-digit identifier the Canada Revenue Agency gives a business for its dealings with the CRA — for example 847871746 for Shopify Inc. Each CRA program account adds a two-letter program code and a 4-digit reference, so a GST/HST number looks like 847871746RT0001.
Canadian Business Number format
Nine digits, then a program identifier and a 4-digit reference for each tax account.
(9 digits)
(RT = GST/HST)
number
Example: 847871746 (Shopify Inc.). Its GST/HST account would be written 847871746RT0001.
- 9 digits: The BN is digits only. The checker accepts the 9-digit BN or the full 15-character GST/HST form.
- Check digit: The CRA does not publish one, but live BNs pass the Luhn check and the CRA Registry rejects numbers that fail it. The sample CA123456789 fails.
- What we check: Federal corporation records and the CRA’s simplified GST/HST list. A “not found” result does not mean a business is not GST/HST-registered.
- GST/HST, not VAT: Canada’s value-added tax is called GST/HST, so there is no “VAT number”. Québec’s QST has its own number.
How to check a Canadian Business Number
- 1 Find the BN or GST/HST number on the supplier’s invoice — invoices of $100 or more must show it to support input tax credits.
- 2 Enter it above, as 9 digits or with RT0001. The checker validates the format and looks it up in federal corporation records.
- 3 To confirm GST/HST registration, follow our GST/HST verification guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Business Number and a GST/HST number?
The Business Number (BN) is the 9-digit number the Canada Revenue Agency gives a business. Its GST/HST account adds the program identifier RT and a 4-digit reference, so the GST/HST number printed on invoices looks like 123456789RT0001.
How do I check a GST/HST number?
Use our GST/HST number checker: it takes the number and the business name and confirms the registration against CRA records. The checker on this page looks up the BN alone, in federal corporation records. For the CRA’s own GST/HST Registry, see our GST/HST verification guide.
What do RT, RP, RC and RM mean?
They are CRA program identifiers attached to the BN: RT for GST/HST, RP for payroll deductions, RC for corporate income tax and RM for import/export (now administered by the CBSA). Each is followed by a 4-digit reference number.
Is the Business Number the same as the corporation number?
No. The corporation number is issued by Corporations Canada when a federal company incorporates; the BN comes from the CRA. Shopify Inc., for example, has corporation number 426160-7 and Business Number 847871746. Check a corporation number.
Does Canada have a VAT number?
Canada’s value-added tax is called GST/HST, so there is no number labelled “VAT”. The GST/HST registration number is the equivalent, and Québec’s QST has its own number.
Does a Québec business need a separate QST number?
Yes. QST registration is separate and handled by Revenu Québec, with its own number — 10 digits, TQ and 4 digits. Check a QST number.
Last reviewed: , against official sources.
Canada business IDs compared
Every Canada identifier Lookuptax validates.
| ID | Who has one | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Number (BN) (this page) | Businesses registered with the CRA, incl. GST/HST registrants | 9 digits; on invoices + RT + 4 digits | 847871746 |
| GST/HST number | Businesses registered with the CRA to charge GST/HST | 9-digit BN + RT + 4 digits | 757610928RT0001 |
| Québec QST number | Businesses registered for QST with Revenu Québec (general system) | 10 digits + TQ + 4 digits | 1223438098TQ0001 |
| Federal corporation number | Corporations created under federal law (CBCA, NFP Act), from Corporations Canada | Up to 8 digits, hyphen before the last digit | 426160-7 |
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