Please note: In an effort to create a more efficient name approval process, the College has recently changed how some applications are processed. Please read the options carefully to choose the most appropriate application process.
The name of a business in BC, whether a for-profit or non-profit, is tied to registration with the BC Corporate Registry. The use of some words and terms related to the practice of veterinary medicine are “protected” when registering a name at BC Registry. Terms such as veterinary/veterinarian, animal hospital and pet clinic require permission for use from the College.
The College has 2 main groups of name-related processes:
Category One:
Name approval or name change (including name transfer) for an accredited practice or practice facility that will be offering veterinary services to the public.
Pursuant to Section 3.24, “A registrant must apply to the registrar and to the provincial Corporate Registry for name approval of a practice or facility, or to transfer a name previously used by another practice, facility or registrant.”
- Most practice names will contain a protected term and will require College confirmation of permission for a registrant to use it to register a new business or change the name of one at BC Registry.
- In addition, these names are subject to approval by the College with consideration of the relevant Part 3 bylaws and the Naming Guidelines.
- Pursuant to Section 3.24, a registrant must make the application.
- The name is assessed to ensure it should reasonably be perceived accurately by the public in accessing care.
- Approval of the name for use as a practice name will carry with it approval for use of any protected terms in the name at BC Registry.
Helpful Tip: Seek approval for a practice name with the College before paying to register it at BC Registry. It is more likely the name will be declined by the College than rejected at the BC Registry.
Category Two
Approval (confirmation or permission) to use protected terms for use in a practice business name at BC Registry,
This is for any request to grant permission to use a protected term in registering a business or non-profit that is not an accredited practice or facility. This includes incorporations, non-profits, locum names*, and support industries and associations related to the veterinary profession. In addition, there are times where a registrant has College approval for use of a practice name, and there is a reason BC Registry requires confirmation for consent of use of that name.
- Section 47(2) of the Veterinarians Act prohibits use of certain terms related to the veterinary profession by non-registrants.
- The BC Corporate Registry, in registering a business name, will require proof the applicant has permission to use any protected terms in the name.
- There are times when it is reasonable a non-registrant has permission to use the terms if involved in a support industry or non-profit.
- These requests will be broadly assessed to ensure they will not cause public confusion and are appropriate for the planned use.
Helpful Tip: If you are seeking to register a corporate business name that will be used within the next year for a practice name, you may prefer to apply for approval of the practice name, which you can then use to register the business name.
To assist in navigating this page, please refer to this guide:
Category One (approvals related to practice or facility names):
A. Name Application for a new, not yet accredited, practice or facility.
B. Name Change for an already accredited practice or facility.
C. Name Transfer from one registrant to another on sale of an accredited practice or facility.
Category Two (permission to use protected term applications)
A. Permission/Confirmation Registrant or Non-Registrant may use Protected Terms at BC Registry for a business that is not a practice or practice facility.
*A1. Names for use by Locums.
B. Confirmation Registrant has permission to use Protected Terms at BC Registry related to an accredited practice or practice facility name.
Category One Processes
College Bylaws require approval for use of an accredited practice name to be tied to a registrant. As such, even if the practice is owned by a non-registrant or a large corporation, a registrant must be involved in any application related to the name of an accredited practice. In the event of any uncertainty as to which registrant holds approval of the practice name, the legal owner on record at the BC Registry may have the Designated Registrant they have assigned make applications related to the name.
A. New Practice or Facility Name
- Use this application to apply for any name that will be used for a practice or practice facility that will offer veterinary services to the public.
- It is suggested the applicant seek approval of the name with the College before applying for the name at BC Registry in case the College declines the name.
- Provide three choices of names that have different “Unique Identifiers” (see Naming Guidelines). If the first choice is not approved, the other two choices will be considered. If the three choices are simply variations of the same “Unique Identifier”, it is unlikely the other two will be approved if the first one is deemed not acceptable.
B. Name Change of an accredited Practice or Practice Facility
- Use this application to apply to change the name of an accredited practice or practice facility that offers veterinary services to the public.
- This would be the process if the name is changing the Unique Identifier and/or Descriptor (see naming guidelines). If adding or removing a corporate designation, see confirmation for use of name in Section 2.
- It is suggested the applicant seek approval of the name with the College before applying for the name at BC Registry in case the College declines the name.
- Provide three choices of names that have different “Unique Identifiers” (see Naming Guidelines). If the first choice is not approved, the other two choices will be considered. If the three choices are simply variations of the “Unique Identifier”, it is unlikely the other two will be approved if the first one is deemed not acceptable.
C. Transfer of Practice Name Approval from One Registrant to Another
- Generally, this occurs with the sale of the practice or a major share transfer.
- This transfer is processed as a “Name Change” and permits the College to record and update the practice change in ownership.
- Even if ownership of the practice is by a non-registrant, pursuant to Section 3.24, the application to transfer and receive the name must be performed by registrants.
- In the case of older practices, the registrant who holds approval of the name may not be clearly identified in College records. In most cases it will be the current registrant owner of the practice, but if it is a group ownership or corporate owner and it is not clear who holds the current approval, it will be assumed to be the current Designated Registrant.
- If the new owner plans a name change in association with the sale, they can use the Application for Practice or Facility Name Change and process listed in Part B of this section instead of the transfer of name form. However, they should still have the registrant currently holding the approval to use the release the original name before it is changed.
Category Two Processes
These are related to requests that a registrant is entitled to use, or a non-registrant has permission to use, terms protected under Section 47(2) of the Veterinarians Act.
A. Confirmation Registrant or Non-Registrant may use Protected Terms at BC Registry for a business that is not a practice or practice facility.
- This is the process for corporate name requests and other non-profit or business entities that may have a reason to use the protected terms when registering a business.
- This application is to confirm that the applicant at BC Registry has consent from the College to use the protected terms that are defined in Section 47(2) of the Veterinarians Act.
- This application can be made by a registrant or a non-registrant.
- Approval of these names does not allow the name to be used to market veterinary services to the public.
- This is the process to follow if seeking approval for use of protected terms for Locum business names*, corporation names, non-profits, businesses related to the veterinary profession, associations and interest groups.
Note: Incorporation does not protect the registrant or the practice/parent company against any liabilities or responsibilities laid out by Veterinarians Act, Bylaws or Regulations.
* A1. Names for use by Locums
- In the College bylaws, a “locum” is defined as “a registrant who provides veterinary services on a contract basis to another registrant, from or within an accredited practice facility.”
- Section 3.24(4), notes “A registrant practising as a locum, using only his or her own name together with conferred veterinary academic designation, is exempt from applying for a practice or facility name approval.”
- However, if registering the name at BC registry as a business name, confirmation of consent to use a protected term by the College may be required. Submission of the Application in this section should be used.
- There is no requirement by the College to register a locum name at the BC Registry, but some choose to for business purposes. This name approval does not allow provision of veterinary services outside of an accredited practice or facility.
- Use of this name as practice or facility in the future will require an application for a New Practice or Facility Name.
B. Confirmation Registrant has permission to use Protected Terms at BC Registry for an accredited practice or practice facility.
- At times, a registrant may need to confirm they have permission to use a protected term at BC Registry for a previously approved practice name.
- This may be for business purposes when incorporating, separating the practice name from the corporation or for confirming registration of a previously approved name at BC Registry.
- If the name is already approved by the College, the applicant is clearly associated with the practice, and there is no change to the Descriptor or Identifier(see naming Guidelines), the College has the discretion to provide a letter confirming use of the protected term at no charge to the applicant.
- If there are discrepancies in registrant or College records as to who has approval for use of the accredited practice name, the individual or corporation who has the name registered at BC Registry will be considered to have entitlement to approval for use of the name at the College in relation to application of College bylaws. If this individual is not a registrant, or it is a corporation, they may designate a registrant who will hold approval for use of the name at the College
