Monday 27 May 2013

How To Fill A Business Registration Form (BN/2) For Sole Proprietor

 

Looking to register a Sole Proprietorship Business in Kenya!Well you will be required to fill your Business Name Registration form (BN/2) after performing a business name search. We have made it easier & simpler for you to understand how to fill BN/2 form.
As you pick the Business Name Search result from Company Registry, next Sheria House, you will be given a BN/2 form from the counter. However, if you are unable to get the physical form you can therefore download it from Attorney General Official Website.

Step by Step Instructions On How To Fill Business Registration Form

1.  Business name – You will need to insert the approved business name that was carried out during a name search. Make sure it matched with the name on the letter issued to you by Company Registry approving the name for registration.
2. Nature of business – It should be very clear. General words such as “shop” or “retail trade” are not allowed and in case you are doing a kiosk, salon and restaurant under the same name it won’t be approved if you list them under ‘Nature of business’. However, you can upgrade to Limited Liability Company, which will give you more freedom to be able to do various nature of business under the same company.
3. Date of commencement -  You should write down when you believe you will begin your business. It should be noted particularly that a Statement of Particulars can only be lodged after business is begun.
4. Address of the principal place of business - You will be required to fully complete this section with Land Office reference number or Plot number. However, if you don’t have an office since you are simply beginning, you can put your residential address then later apply to change it at the Company Registry.
5. Postal address - You will need to give out your postal address. If you don’t have one, you will need to apply for it in the Posta
6. Address of any other places of business - If you have any company or business branches in the country operating under the same business name, then you will be required to enter their addresses in this section.
7. Particulars of proprietor or partners – If you are planning to run the business alone, then you will need to fill in your information as indicated.
If the proprietor or a partner is a corporation, the name if the corporation should be given in the first column, the country in which it was incorporated in the second column and the address of the registered office (or in the case of a foreign company, the name and address of the person authorized to accept service) in the sixth column; the other columns should be left blank. In the case of individuals, the age must be given in the fourth column; the words “full age” are not sufficient. Any person who has changed his name must give all former names, unless the change occurred before he attained the age of two years.
Usual place of residence (in column 6) must show: locality, land office, plot and section number, or house number where applicable.
Source: Company Registry
Signature. – Once you have finished filling the form, you will be required to sign it at the back page.
The statement must be signed by the proprietor or by all partners as the case may be. A director or the secretary can sign for a corporation which is the proprietor or a partner. Where the statement is not signed by all partners, the Statutory Declaration printed alongside must be made before a Magistrate or Commissioner for Oaths, by one of the signatory partner – Source: Company Registry
You will be required to pay Ksh. 800 for the BN/2 form submission at the Cash Counter.
Now you are ready to start your business and create your financial freedom.

Here Is To Your Success!

After filling the Business Name Registration (BN2) Form, you will be required to submit the form as per the following instructions

Step by Step Instructions on How to submit your Business Name Registration to Company Registry

Step 1: Make a photocopy of the name search document and carry Ksh. 800 for the business name registration payment process.

Step 2: Attach the photocopy to BN2 form and keep the original safe.

Step 3: Take it to counter 4 for verification.

Step 4: The staff will sign on top of the form for confirmation

Step 5: He/she will direct you to counter 13 or 14 for payment and acquire a receipt after payment is done. Make sure that the counter indicates Business Name Registration payment before you start queueing in order to save your time.

Step 6: Keep the receipt in safe place as you will need it to pick up your business registration certificate at a later stage. You are advised to make a photocopy just in case you misplace that receipt, we all know how things tend to get lost when we really need them. So I don’t have to emphasis much on that.
 
Step 7: You will be required now to wait for 10 working days (two weeks) for your Business Registration Certificate to be processed.

For most entrepreneurs, not many arrive at this point of business name registration. At this stage, it usually test an entrepreneurs perseverance and patience as it can take too long than the stipulated time frame of (2 weeks).

Here are step by step instruction on how you can pick up your Business Registration Certificate;

Step 1: Make sure you carry your original receipt that you are be given after submission

Step 2: Go to counter 6 to check if the registration has been complete

Step 3: The Company Registry staff representatives will write a file number on top of your receipt and direct you to the next counter.

Step 4: Give the receipt with the file number on top and the staff will issue you your certificate

Step 5: But before you will be required to sign in order to confirm that you have received your certificate

Kindly note that you can send anyone to help you pick up your certificate. You simply need to make sure that they have the original receipt for the business name registration with them. Photocopy is not allowed!

Have You Lost Your Receipt!

Not to worry! If you have a photocopy of receipt showing you made payments towards the business name registration, the sole proprietor will be required to take his/her original ID/Kipande.
Kindly note that the Company Registry will not allow any 3rd party to pick Business Name Registration Certificate using photocopy of receipt. Only the entrepreneur in this case the sole proprietor will be allowed to pick only if they provide ID & photocopy of receipt.