Partnership: Registry of Joint Stock Companies requirements

A partnership is a business made up of 2 or more partners. It’s not incorporated. A partner can be a real person or a corporation. The partners are the decision makers. They share in the profits and are liable for all the losses of the business.

All partnerships need to register with Registry of Joint Stock Companies, except if you use the personal name of all partners as the name of the business. For example, you don’t need to register Jane Doe & John Smith, but you do need to register Jane Doe & Associates.

Partnerships also need to follow requirements for registering, renewing, changing and ending a partnership with Registry of Joint Stock Companies.

Administrative requirements

Partnerships have certain administrative requirements. For example, they need to:

• have a business location in Nova Scotia
• have a recognized agent that lives in Nova Scotia
• notify Registry of Joint Stock Companies of changes to the recognized agent, business location, partners or their addresses
• maintain the company’s registration under the Partnerships and Business Names Registration Act by ensuring the partners or recognized agent files an annual return and pays the annual registration fee

It’s your responsibility to notify Registry of Joint Stock Companies if any of your information changes.

Types of partnerships

A partnership can take the form of:

• general partnership
• limited partnership
• limited liability partnership

Help choosing a legal structure

Registry of Joint Stock Companies can’t give you legal advice. The registry can help by describing the registration process and telling you what documents you need for registration, but it can’t help you prepare them. If you have questions about preparing registration documents, you should discuss this with your legal and accounting advisors.

Register your partnership

Reserve a name for your business or non-profit

Businesses and non-profits need to apply to reserve a name before they register, incorporate or change an existing name.

Register a partnership (general)

A partnership, also called a general partnership, is the most common type of partnership formed in Nova Scotia. Most partnerships need to register with Registry of Joint Stock Companies to operate in Nova Scotia.

Register a limited partnership

A limited partnership has at least 1 general partner and at least 1 limited partner. A limited partner has only limited liability. Limited partnerships need to register with Registry of Joint Stock Companies to operate in Nova Scotia.

Register a limited liability partnership

Limited liability partnerships need to register with Registry of Joint Stock Companies to operate in Nova Scotia. The liability of partners in a limited liability partnership is limited to some degree.

Renew your partnership

Renew a business or non-profit registration with Registry of Joint Stock Companies

Businesses and non-profits need to renew their registration and pay a renewal fee each year they continue to operate.

Changes to your partnership

Appoint or change a recognized agent for a business or non-profit

Appoint or change the recognized agent for your business or non-profit. Or change the recognized agent’s address.

Change the sole proprietor or partner in a business or non-profit

Sole proprietorships and partnerships need to notify Registry of Joint Stock Companies when the sole proprietor or partner changes. Businesses and non-profits that have a registered business name (operating name) need to notify the registry of changes to their incorporated partners.

Change the address for a sole proprietorship, partnership or business name (operating name)

Sole proprietorships and partnerships need to notify Registry of Joint Stock Companies of changes to the business location, mailing address and residential address of the sole proprietor or partners. Businesses and non-profits that have a registered business name (operating name) need to notify the registry of changes to the business location or mailing address.

Change the name of a partnership

A partnership can change its name by filing a Name Change Form with Registry of Joint Stock Companies.

End your partnership

Dissolve a partnership

Partnerships need to notify Registry of Joint Stock Companies when they dissolve.

End a partnership: request for revocation

Partnerships need to notify Registry of Joint Stock Companies if their business is no longer operating.