> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bumara.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Business name registration

> Register a trading name with PACRA for a sole proprietor or partnership.

A business name registration lets you trade under a name that is not your own personal name. It is
simpler and cheaper than forming a company — but it does not create a separate legal entity, and it
does not limit your personal liability.

## Business name or company?

Decide this before you register. Changing later means registering afresh.

|                                     | Business name                                | Limited company              |
| ----------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| **Separate legal entity**           | No                                           | Yes                          |
| **Personal liability**              | Unlimited — your personal assets are exposed | Limited to your shareholding |
| **Cost to register**                | Lower                                        | Higher                       |
| **Annual return required**          | No                                           | Yes                          |
| **Can have shareholders**           | No                                           | Yes                          |
| **Credibility with larger clients** | Lower                                        | Higher                       |
| **Ease of bringing in investment**  | Difficult                                    | Straightforward              |
| **Ongoing admin**                   | Light                                        | Heavier                      |

A business name suits a sole trader or a small partnership testing an idea. If you expect to take
on contracts of any size, employ staff, or raise money, a company is usually the right choice.

<Note>
  If you are not sure, the deciding question is usually liability. If something going wrong in the
  business could cost more than you can personally afford, register a company.
</Note>

## Before you start

<Steps>
  <Step title="Clear your name">
    Required first, exactly as for a company. See
    [Name clearance](/regulators/pacra/name-clearance) — choose **business name** as the business
    type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Decide who the proprietors are">
    A sole proprietor, or the partners in a partnership. Everyone named will be personally liable.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Gather identification">
    NRC for Zambian nationals, passport for foreign nationals, for every proprietor.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm your business address">
    A physical address in Zambia where correspondence can be received.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What you will be asked for

| Section                 | Details                                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Business details**    | The approved name, principal business activity, business address, postal address, start date of trading                   |
| **Proprietors**         | For each: full name, NRC or passport number, nationality, date of birth, residential address, occupation, contact details |
| **Partnership details** | Where applicable: the split between partners                                                                              |

## Documents you will need

| Document                           | Notes                                   |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Identification for each proprietor | NRC or passport, clearly legible        |
| Proof of business address          | Lease, title deed, or letter of consent |
| Partnership agreement              | Where there is more than one proprietor |
| Name clearance approval            | Carried over automatically              |

## The process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start the request">
    PACRA workspace → **Service requests** → business name registration.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete the intake">
    Business details and proprietors. Bumara validates identification formats as you type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Work through the checklist">
    Confirm the proprietors, upload identification, confirm the business address.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pay the fee">
    The PACRA fee plus Bumara's handling fee.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Request submission">
    Bumara lodges it with PACRA.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Receive your certificate">
    Filed in your document vault, with your registration number recorded against your organisation.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## After registration

<Steps>
  <Step title="Apply for your TPIN">
    You still need one — a business name pays tax through its proprietor, but you need a TPIN to
    invoice and file. See [ZRA overview](/regulators/zra/overview).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Register as an employer if you have staff">
    Employing anyone triggers PAYE, NAPSA and NHIMA obligations regardless of your entity type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open a business bank account">
    You will need the registration certificate and your identification.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check your renewal date">
    Business names are registered for a period and must be renewed. Bumara tracks this and reminds
    you.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Ongoing obligations

A business name has a lighter compliance load than a company:

| Obligation                      | Business name                        | Company                    |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | -------------------------- |
| PACRA annual return             | No                                   | Yes                        |
| Registration renewal            | Yes, per PACRA's cycle               | Not applicable             |
| Notify PACRA of changes         | Yes — address, proprietors, activity | Yes                        |
| Tax returns                     | Yes, through the proprietor          | Yes, in the company's name |
| PAYE, NAPSA, NHIMA if employing | Yes                                  | Yes                        |

<Warning>
  Letting a business name registration lapse means you are trading under an unregistered name.
  Renewal reminders appear in your compliance list — treat them like any other deadline.
</Warning>

## Converting to a company later

You cannot convert a business name into a company. You register the company as a new entity — which
means clearing the name again, since it will be registered to a different kind of entity — and then
wind down or deregister the business name.

Plan for this if you expect to grow. It is far less disruptive to register a company at the start
than to migrate contracts, bank accounts and a customer base to a new entity two years later.

<Note>
  Related: [Company registration](/regulators/pacra/company-registration).
</Note>