1. With the assigning of the function of registering business names to the provincial councils as per the 1^st list of the 9^th Schedule of the 13^th amendment to the Constitution, this department was established to accomplish the functions of the Statute made to regulate the proper implementation of the law related to the registration of business names through the respective provincial councils.
2. Accordingly the Western Province Business Names Statute No.04 of 1990 was operational from 1991.01.01 and the new amended Business Names Statute of Trade, Corporations and Non Incorporated Trade Institutions of Western Province No. 05 of 2011 came into effect from 2013.10.01.
3. Regulating and coordinating all the business name registration activities within the Western Province and issuing business names registration certificates particularly for businesses operating within the Divisional Secretary’s divisions of Colombo, Thimbirigasyaya, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Dehiwala and Ratmalana are carried out by this Department. For other Divisional Secretary’s divisions of the Western Province, people are given the opportunity to register their business names through the respective Divisional Secretary’s Office.

Functions

• Registering business names/ making necessary changes/ cancelling/ issuing certified copies
• Checking business names files and registers
• Inspection of business premises
• Providing all kind of advises related to business names registration ( Including the Divisional Secretary’s office)
• Coordinating and providing advises to the Divisional Secretary’s office on matters related to the registration of business names
• Solving problems related to the files sent to the Western Provincial Council by the Divisional Secretary’s office/ providing advises and taking further action regarding those files
• Representing the Department during legal proceedings related to the above said registrations
• Fulfilling necessary tasks according to the inquiries/ request made regarding the business names registration by government and non government organizations and the general public

( For example : Armed Forces, Criminal Investigation Unit, Police Narcotic Bureau, Financial Crimes Investigation Division, Corruption Investigation Unit, Commission to Investigate Allegation on Bribery or Corruption, Inland/ Provincial Revenue Department, Customs Department, Labour Department, Export Development Board, Customer Services Authority, Embassies, State/ Private Banks, Financial Institution etc…)