Registering a business name puts a sole trader or a small partnership on CAC's register, without the paperwork a limited company carries. Here is the process from name to certificate.
Reserving the name first
CAC will not accept a business name application until it has reserved the name. Search the public register yourself first, so you do not pay to reserve a name that is already taken.
Reservation costs ₦1,000, plus the ₦200 AI service charge added from 1 April 2026. Once CAC approves it, the name holds for up to 60 days.
Name reservation works the same way for a company. See CAC company name reservation: fee and validity for how the validity window is calculated and what happens if it lapses.
Apply for a name close to what you actually trade as. A name that overstates the business, or copies one already registered, is more likely to run into a query.
Some words need extra approval before CAC will reserve them, at a higher fee than the standard one. Check CAC's list of restricted words before you apply, and budget for the higher charge if yours needs approval.
Completing the application on CAC's portal
Once your name clears, fill in the business name application on new Company Registration Portal (CRP). You will need the proprietor's personal details, a residential address, the business address, and a short description of what the business does.
List every proprietor if more than one person owns the business name. CAC records each one against the same certificate, so leaving someone off means a separate filing later to add them.
Read every field back before you submit. A typo in a name or address is harder to fix after CAC has issued the certificate than before you submit the form.
What business name registration costs
Registration itself costs ₦20,000, on top of the reservation fee you already paid. From 1 April 2026, CAC also adds the ₦500 AI service charge to the registration step.
Neither charge changes with the type of business or how many proprietors you list. Our government fees tool tracks this fee alongside the other CAC charges businesses ask about most.
Common mistakes that slow an application down
A name too close to one already on the register is a common holdup, and CAC checks for this at the reservation stage, not after you pay to register.
Mismatched proprietor details come next. Spell every name exactly as it appears on the proprietor's identification, since a small mismatch is enough to trigger a query.
An address CAC cannot place, such as an incomplete street name or a missing local government area, causes the same problem. Write the address the way it would appear on a utility bill.
After CAC approves your application
Once approved, CAC issues a certificate with your BN number and registration date. Keep a copy you can find quickly, since banks and the tax authority both ask for it.
Save the certificate as a PDF as well as on paper. A bank or a client that asks for proof of registration usually wants a digital copy first.
Most new business names also need a Tax ID and a business bank account soon after. Browse the CAC registration hub for the rest of what a new registration involves, or read our cost guide to registering a company if a limited company might suit your plans better than a business name.