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WorkSafeBC, in plain English

Almost every guide tells trades that WorkSafeBC registration is mandatory. For a lot of solo operators, that simply isn't true — and being told otherwise costs you money you didn't need to spend. Here's the actual rule.

The short answer
Mandatory
You hire workers in B.C.
Anyone paid a wage, salary, or commission — full-time, part-time, or casual. If you hire even one person, you must register. Workers cannot opt out and cannot waive coverage.
Optional
You're a sole proprietor working alone
You aren't automatically covered by the Workers Compensation Act, and you aren't required to register. You may buy coverage for yourself — it's called Personal Coverage.
Usually mandatory
You've incorporated and you work in the company
The corporation is the employer and you're generally considered a worker of it. Active shareholders working in the business are typically covered under the company's account.
Optional
You're a partner in a partnership
Same as a sole proprietor — not automatically covered, eligible to apply for Personal Coverage.
A 2026 naming change worth knowing: what used to be called Personal Optional Protection (POP) is now simply called Personal Coverage. Same protection, same benefits, same eligibility — but a lot of older guides and forum posts still use the old name, which causes confusion.
Optional isn't the same as unnecessary. If you're a solo operator and you fall off a ladder, no employer covers your lost income and no employer covers your medical costs. Personal Coverage exists precisely for that. It's a real decision about risk, not a box you're forced to tick — and plenty of clients and general contractors will ask for a clearance letter before letting you on site regardless.

If you do need to register

The process is genuinely straightforward. WorkSafeBC recommends applying about 30 days before you start operating or hire your first worker, so your account is open in time.

1
Gather what they'll ask for
Your legal name, contact details, and birthdate. Your CRA business number if you have one. Your mailing address and the work location in B.C. Your start date, your first worker's start date, and how many workers you employ. An estimate of wages and other compensation you'll pay. Details of any business vehicles or revenue-producing equipment — make, model, year.
2
Choose the right form
Sole proprietors and partnerships applying for registration and personal coverage together use Form 180C. If you already have an active account and want to add coverage for yourself, that's Form 1801.
3
Pick your Personal Coverage amount
If you're buying it, you choose a monthly coverage figure. WorkSafeBC adjusted these amounts for 2026 in line with B.C.'s minimum wage increase, so check the current band before you apply rather than relying on an older number. Wage-loss benefits are generally based on roughly 90 percent of the coverage amount you choose, less deductions.
4
Wait for your confirmation letter
If you're accepted, WorkSafeBC opens an insurance account and sends a letter with your account number, your classification unit, the effective date, and your premium rate. That classification unit drives what you pay — it reflects the industry you actually operate in.
5
Set up payment
Premiums are billed annually or quarterly and are tied to your classification and payroll. Pre-authorised payment is available and is the simplest way to avoid a missed deadline.

Keeping it clean once you're registered

Registration is the easy part. These are the four things that actually catch people out.

And if you hire subcontractors rather than only working as one, here is what a complete compliance file looks like from the buyer's side — including where to pull a clearance letter on somebody else, free.

Every job
Get clearance letters from subcontractors
If you hire a sub who doesn't pay their premiums, you can be held jointly liable for them. A clearance letter confirms they're in good standing. Ask for one before they start — every time.
When you hire
Register before the first worker, not after
The moment you pay someone a wage — even casually, even a friend helping for a weekend — you have a worker. Registration stops being optional at that point.
Ongoing
Report payroll accurately
Premiums are based on the wages you report. Under-reporting to save money is the kind of thing that unwinds badly later, with interest.
When things change
Tell them when your work changes
Your classification unit reflects what you actually do. Adding a materially different service — or stopping one — can change your rate. Keep it current.

Where Prontco fits

We don't register you with WorkSafeBC, and we won't pretend to. It's your account, tied to your work and your risk, and it should be. What we do is make sure you know it exists before it becomes a problem — we flag it at setup, walk you through which side of the line you're on, and hand you this guide. The filings we do handle are your business name registration, your business registration, and your municipal licence application.

Sources and honest caveats

Everything above reflects WorkSafeBC's own published guidance as of 2026: that registration is required if you hire workers in B.C.; that self-employed proprietors and partners are not automatically covered and may apply to purchase Personal Coverage; that owners and shareholders who work in their own incorporated company are generally considered workers of that company; that Personal Optional Protection has been renamed Personal Coverage; that coverage amounts changed in 2026 alongside B.C.'s minimum wage; that Form 180C covers registration plus personal coverage for proprietorships and partnerships; and that clearance letters protect you from a subcontractor's unpaid premiums.

This is a plain-English summary, not legal or insurance advice. Rules change, edge cases are real, and your classification unit and premium rate are determined by WorkSafeBC — not by us. Confirm your own situation directly with WorkSafeBC before you rely on any of it. If you're unsure whether someone is a worker or a contractor, that distinction has consequences and is worth a phone call.

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The filings we do handle

Business name registration, business registration, and your municipal licence application — prepared and submitted for you, alongside your branding, website, Google profile, booking, and payments. In about 10 business days.

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Doing this because someone asked for it?

Property managers and strata councils in Metro Vancouver will not hand work to a contractor who cannot produce the paperwork — and in BC that is not fussiness. Under Section 258 of the Workers Compensation Act, if the contractor they hire is behind with WorkSafeBC, the unpaid assessment can be collected from them. So they check. Clearance is point three.

See where you stand — about a minute

We tell you which of the six you already meet and what closing any gap actually involves. Government fees are at cost. There is no charge to be told where you stand. Want the list before you talk to anyone? The Filing Assistant gives you your filings in the order they have to be done, with each government fee.