Health Profession Corporation – Valid CPTBC Permit Required
A physical therapist may own their practice as a sole proprietor, partnership or as a health profession corporation. While the College does not have the authority to regulate sole proprietors and partnership structures, it does regulate health profession corporations.
Corporation Office Hours
Corporation office operates Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Consent for Use of Term ‘Physiotherapy’
The College does not regulate the actual business name (i.e., clinic, practice, health profession corporation). However, BC Registry may require registrants to obtain consent from the College for use of the term ‘Physiotherapy’ and its variations in a proposed name. Please scroll down to “Step 1” for instructions on how to request consent.
What Is A Health Profession Corporation?
A health profession corporation is a business model that is unique to the Health Professions Act (HPA) and as such, there are specific regulations that apply. Health profession corporations are regulated by the College and registrants who wish to incorporate are required to apply for and maintain an annual health profession corporation permit.
Section 42(1) of the Health Professions Act (HPA) indicates: “Subject to this Act, the regulation and the bylaws, no corporation, other than a health profession corporation holding a valid permit under section 43(1), may carry on the business of providing to the public health profession services that may be provided by the registrants of the college whose board issue or renewed the permit.”
In other words, registrants who wish to incorporate to provide physical therapy services has to apply for a health profession corporation permit.
Registrants who wish to obtain a health profession corporation permit must comply with Part 4 of the HPA and Part 7 of the College’s Bylaws.
Is a Health Profession Corporation Right for Me?
Whether or not a health profession corporation is suitable will depend on each registrant’s situation. Staff at the College do not have the expertise and ability to provide business, legal, financial, or tax advice.
Only full registrants are eligible for a health profession corporation permit.
Registrants may benefit from obtaining legal and accounting advice for decision making and setting up the corporation in such a way to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.
Application and Permit Fees
Permits are valid from April 1 – March 31 regardless of when the application is made. Fees are not pro-rated. There is an annual fee and the permit must be renewed annually to remain valid.
- Setting Up A Health Profession Corporation = $290 ($200 Application Fee + $90 Permit Fee)
- Annual Permit Renewal Fee = $90
Fees are non-refundable and subject to change.
Once a permit has been cancelled, registrants will need to apply new again.
Step 1: Obtaining Consent For Using the Term ‘Physiotherapy’
If you are going to BC Registry Services to reserve a name for your clinic, practice or health profession corporation, and the name includes the term ‘Physiotherapy’ or its variations, it is likely BC Registry will be requiring you to obtain consent from the College to use that term. Please note the College does not otherwise regulate business names.
The following criteria should be considered when choosing a proposed business name:
- Include a descriptor such as “Physiotherapy” to indicate the nature of professional services that are being provided
- Ensure the name is not identical or so closely resemble the name of another business that the name is likely to confuse or mislead the public and/or cause conflict with the other business.
- Conduct due diligence which may include:
- Reviewing College Bylaw #83 on Marketing and Advertising in the context of the proposed name,
- Conducting an online search for identical/similar names, understanding that not all businesses register their name with BC Registry,
- Checking with BC Registry for identical/similar names,
- Checking to see whether or not the name is already trademarked
To obtain consent from the College for use of the term ‘Physiotherapy’:
- Complete the Application for Consent of Use of Term ‘Physiotherapy’
- Submit the completed form to corporations@cptbc.org
The College will review the application and if consent is granted, the College will email you an approval letter which you can provide to BC Registry Services.
Once the College has provided consent for the name, registrants applying for a health profession corporation permit should continue with Steps 2 and 3.
Step 2: Registering Your Health Profession Corporation
Apply via BC Registry Services to register your corporation under the BC Business Corporations Act.
Your health profession corporation structure needs to meet requirements set out by Part 4 of the HPA and Part 7 of the College’s Bylaws. You may want to obtain legal and accounting advice in structuring your health profession corporation. College staff are not qualified to offer legal advice about tax matters or how to structure your corporation.
Step 3: Applying to the College for a Health Profession Corporation Permit
Once your corporation has been registered under the BC Business Corporations Act, you may apply for a permit with the College.
Health Profession Corporation permits expire annually on March 31, regardless when the application is made. Fees are not pro-rated. This may be relevant when considering the timing of your submission.
The following documentation is required for application. Please email the following to corporations@cptbc.org:
- Completed Application for a Health Profession Corporation Permit
- Certificate of Incorporation issued by BC Registry Services
- Certificate of Solicitor completed by a lawyer/solicitor
A Certificate of Solicitor is a document required by the College to ensure that the corporation meets all the requirements of the HPA and College bylaws, and in particular that:
- the corporation meets all the requirements of Part 4 of the HPA and Part 7 of the College bylaws; and
- a registrant of the College has been nominated as the “designated person” in accordance with Part 7, section 72 of the College bylaws
A Certificate of Solicitor must be signed by a member of the Law Society of British Columbia who is in good standing. Registrants may check the membership status of a lawyer on the Law Society’s website. Registrants could look for a lawyer who specializes in business law, or who otherwise has a corporation/commercial legal practice.
If your application is complete and complies with the HPA and Bylaws, the College will notify you via email. You will be asked to go to your registrant portal to pay the application and permit fee. Once payment is completed, the permit and tax receipt will be accessible through your registrant portal.
Corporation Permit
The permit is valid from the date issued by the College until March 31.
Permits must be renewed annually. The annual cycle for health profession corporations is April 1 to March 31.
Permits and receipts can be downloaded from the Registrant portal.
Change of Health Profession Corporation Information
A health profession corporation designated person (College Bylaw 72) must promptly contact the College to advise of any change to the health profession corporation. This includes matters such as:
- Disposition or transfer of owners/shares (College Bylaw 78)
- Other changes to the information contained in the permit’s original application (College Bylaw 79)
Disclosure of Corporate Status
As per Section 76 of the College Bylaws, a health profession corporation which carries on the business of providing physical therapist services must disclose on all letterhead and business cards and in all advertisements, that the physical therapy services are being provided by a health profession corporation.
Questions?
If you have additional questions, please email corporations@cptbc.org.
