Isle of Man Business names

Background

Individuals, firms (ie partnerships) and corporate entities (except 2006 Act companies – see below) using a business name in the Isle of Man are required to register that business name.

The Company and Business Names etc Act 2012, gives the Registrar of Companies certain powers to approve or refuse names and Registration of Business Names Acts 1918 & 1954 provides the actual rules relating to the Registration.

The cost of registering a business name (at the time of writing) is £50 and the relevant forms are:-

Form BN1  – Registration of a business name by an individual.

Form BN1a – Registration of a business name by a firm (partnership)

Form BN1b – Registration of a business name by a corporate entity. Currently 2006 Act Companies are not required to register thir business names due to an oversight in the 1918 Act which omits them from the requirement to register in section 3.

Annually the holder of a business name must file a Form ADB to the Registrar. There is no annual fee (or late filing penalty)