Law Corporation BC: Law Society Permit Guide 2026
British Columbia calls it a law corporation, not a law professional corporation, and the Law Society of British Columbia issues a law corporation permit under the Legal Profession Act and Part 9 of the Law Society Rules.
The BC process has one step that catches people out badly. Partway through, the Law Society issues a Certificate Respecting the Corporate Name. It looks like an approval — it is not. The Law Society is explicit that the certificate means only that it does not object to the intended name: it does not reserve the name, and it is not a law corporation permit. You cannot render legal services through the corporation at that stage. Lawyers who read the certificate as a green light and start billing through the company are practising without a permit.
Key facts at a glance
| Item | British Columbia rule |
|---|---|
| Governing legislation | Legal Profession Act (BC) and Law Society Rules, Part 9 — Incorporation and Limited Liability Partnerships |
| Corporate registry | BC Registries (Corporate Online) |
| Regulator & required authorization | Law Society of British Columbia — law corporation permit |
| Interim document | Certificate Respecting the Corporate Name — a no-objection only; not a reservation, not a permit |
| Directors and president | All directors and the president must be practising lawyers |
| Share classes | Must comply with the Legal Profession Act |
| Permit fee | $420.00 including GST — payable by cheque or online banking |
| Typical timeline | About 2 to 3 weeks end to end |
Law Society fees are set in Schedule 1 of the Law Society Rules and are updated periodically — we confirm the current amount at the time of filing.
How to set up a law corporation in BC
- File a name request with BC Registries for a name that complies with the Legal Profession Act.
- Apply to the Law Society for a Certificate Respecting the Corporate Name. Treat this as a naming clearance only — see the warning above.
- Register the incorporation at BC Registries, with share classes structured to comply with the Legal Profession Act.
- Confirm the governance requirements: every director, and the president, must be a practising lawyer.
- Apply to the Law Society for the law corporation permit and pay the $420 fee.
- Wait for the permit before rendering legal services through the corporation.
- Renew annually — the Law Society permit and the corporation's own BC annual report run on separate clocks.
Budget two to three weeks for the whole sequence. The gap between step 2 and step 5 is where the risk sits.
Step 1: Name request and incorporation at BC Registries
The name has to satisfy the Legal Profession Act before the Law Society will issue its certificate, so settle the name first through a BC Registries name request.
The articles then need share classes that comply with the Act. This is not a place for a template company: BC's requirements govern who may hold voting shares and how the corporation is controlled, and a share structure that does not comply will stall the permit application. With the name request approved and the Law Society's certificate in hand, the incorporation is registered through BC Registries.
We handle the BC name request and incorporation, and structure the share classes to the Act's requirements so the corporation reaches the Law Society already compliant.
Step 2: Get your law corporation permit
Once the corporation exists, apply to the Law Society for the law corporation permit and pay the $420.00 fee (including GST), by cheque or online banking. Part 9 of the Law Society Rules governs the application.
Two governance conditions must hold at the time of application and on an ongoing basis: all directors must be practising lawyers, and the president must be a practising lawyer. That is stricter than a simple voting-share test — it reaches the corporation's officers, not just its shareholders.
If the Law Society or a lender asks for supporting registry documents, we can pull a current record the same day through a professional corporation profile report.
Shareholders, directors and restrictions
Share classes must comply with the Legal Profession Act, and the governance requirements above apply continuously — a director who ceases to be a practising lawyer is a compliance problem for the corporation, not just a personnel change.
Because these provisions sit in the Act and Part 9 of the Rules and can be amended, confirm the current share and governance requirements with your lawyer before finalising the structure, particularly if a holding company or family shareholding is contemplated.
Keeping it alive: annual renewals
Law Society track. The law corporation permit is renewed annually with the Law Society, alongside your own practising certificate. Fees are set in Schedule 1 of the Law Society Rules.
Registry track. The corporation must also file its BC annual report with BC Registries within two months of each incorporation anniversary. Miss it for two consecutive years and the company can be dissolved — which takes the law corporation permit down with it, because a dissolved company cannot hold one.
Our renewals guide puts every regulator's deadline in one table.
Why lawyers incorporate
The tax case is the standard one: practice income taxed at small-business corporate rates rather than top personal rates, deferral, and control over when income is drawn personally. Incorporating does not limit professional liability — a law corporation does not shield you from claims arising out of your own practice.
The numbers belong with your accountant. We describe the structure factually and handle the filings.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set up a law corporation in BC?
File a BC Registries name request for a name compliant with the Legal Profession Act, apply to the Law Society for a Certificate Respecting the Corporate Name, register the incorporation with compliant share classes, then apply for the law corporation permit and pay the $420 fee. Expect two to three weeks overall.
Can I practise through the corporation once I have the Certificate Respecting the Corporate Name?
No. The Law Society is explicit that the certificate means only that it does not object to the name. It does not reserve the name and it is not a law corporation permit — you cannot render legal services through the corporation until the permit is issued.
How much does a BC law corporation permit cost?
The permit fee is $420.00 including GST, payable by cheque or online banking. Law Society fees are set in Schedule 1 of the Law Society Rules and are updated periodically, so confirm the current amount before you file.
Who must be a director of a BC law corporation?
All directors must be practising lawyers, and the president must be a practising lawyer as well. The requirement is ongoing, not just a condition of the initial application.
How long does it take to incorporate a law practice in BC?
Generally two to three weeks from the initial name request through to the permit being issued, assuming the name clears and the share structure complies with the Legal Profession Act on first submission.
Incorporate your BC law corporation — free consultation
Two filings, one deadline-proof plan. In a free consultation, a Corporate Registry Services specialist maps both steps for your BC practice — the name request and BC Registries incorporation with compliant share classes, and the Law Society permit that actually lets you render legal services through it — plus the annual renewals that keep both alive.
Book your free professional corporation consultation →
Related guides
- Professional corporations in Canada — the pillar guide
- Professional corporations in British Columbia — the BC hub
- Professional corporation renewals — every regulator's deadline in one table
- Law professional corporation in Ontario — the LSO route, for comparison
Frequently asked questions
How do I set up a law corporation in BC?
File a BC Registries name request for a name compliant with the Legal Profession Act, apply to the Law Society for a Certificate Respecting the Corporate Name, register the incorporation with compliant share classes, then apply for the law corporation permit and pay the $420 fee. Expect two to three weeks overall.
Can I practise through the corporation once I have the Certificate Respecting the Corporate Name?
No. The Law Society is explicit that the certificate means only that it does not object to the name. It does not reserve the name and it is not a law corporation permit — you cannot render legal services through the corporation until the permit is issued.
How much does a BC law corporation permit cost?
The permit fee is $420.00 including GST, payable by cheque or online banking. Law Society fees are set in Schedule 1 of the Law Society Rules and are updated periodically, so confirm the current amount before you file.
Who must be a director of a BC law corporation?
All directors must be practising lawyers, and the president must be a practising lawyer as well. The requirement is ongoing, not just a condition of the initial application.
How long does it take to incorporate a law practice in BC?
Generally two to three weeks from the initial name request through to the permit being issued, assuming the name clears and the share structure complies with the Legal Profession Act on first submission.
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