Registrant Regulation

Checking Registration

Research with the National Registration Search (NRS)

The National Registration Search (NRS) is a web-based tool that provides information about individuals and firms registered with securities regulatory authorities in Canada. The Canadian Securities Administrators’ (CSA) website hosts NRS. Investors can use NRS to ensure that an individual or firm that they are dealing with are registered.

Search NRS

The Canadian Securities Administrators’ (CSA) website hosts NRS. Investors can use NRS to ensure that an individual or firm that they are dealing with are registered.

NRS is the primary open source of information to determine:

  • if an individual or firm is registered in BC or other Canadian jurisdictions
  • the category of categories an individual or firm is registered in
  • if there are any terms or conditions on an individual or firm’s registration

*Authorized Crypto Trading Platforms that trade securities or derivatives appear on NRS. You can also refer to the CSA website for decisions, or terms and conditions of registration for crypto asset trading platforms.

How Registration Works

In general, an individual or firm that offers investment advice, sells securities, trades derivatives, or manages an investment fund must be registered, unless they have an exemption. Provincial and territorial securities regulators refer to registered individuals or firms as “registrants”.

The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) is the securities regulator that registers individuals and firms doing securities or derivatives-related business in BC.

Securities regulators manage registration, permitting different activities and assigning categories of registration. Securities regulators can also restrict or revoke registration.

Individuals and firms that are banned from doing business in British Columbia will not appear on NRS. Instead, they appear on the BCSC’s Disciplined List.

The National Registration Database, which is an industry-based tool, feeds into NRS.

Conducting a Background Check

The BCSC’s compliance toolkit offers a comprehensive web resource for helping you to do a background check on people and companies you are looking to do business with.

Retail investors and members of the general public may find the investor education sources such as the Advisor Check webpage on BCSC’s investor education website, InvestRight.org, more practical, as all the sources listed are free and steps are easy to follow.