Managing business entities

As your business grows, your business structure might change. When your business changes, you need to update the business details required for your type of business. For example, if you expand your business into international markets, then you need to provide information for Shopify Payments for the markets that you're expanding into.

You can update your business information and add new business entities from the Settings > Organization page of your Shopify admin in the Business entities section.

Considerations

Review the following considerations for managing business entities from your Shopify admin:

Business entity management is available only for organizations on the Plus and enterprise commerce plans.
You can sell products from multiple business entities on a single store. Learn more about managing international markets.
The information required for your entity depends on the country where your store is operating from. Refer to the list of requirements for each supported country for Shopify Payments.
Each time that a user reveals sensitive information related to your business entity, the action is logged in the User management activity log on the Users > Security page of your Shopify admin settings. Learn more about the User management activity log.

User permission requirements

The following users can view and manage business entities:

The organization owner
Users with the Organization administrator organization role
Users with Business entities organization permissions

If your store uses Shopify Payments, then you need to deactivate Shopify Payments before you can change your store's country in your Shopify admin. Only the store owner can deactivate Shopify Payments.

Manage business entities

Eligible users can view and manage your organization's business entities from the Settings > Organization page of your Shopify admin.

Your business entity must include the following information:

The country your business is operating from
The type of business that you're operating
The details of your business, such as registered business name and address
Any individuals who ultimately own or control the business
Supporting documentation, including government identification, for the business and individuals associated with the business

The information that you add to your business entity in your Shopify admin must match your legal documentation and identification exactly. For example, if your supporting documentation lists your business name as "Example123 Limited", then enter Example123 Limited in the form.

Add a business entity

You can add a new business entity from the Settings > Organization page of your Shopify admin. You need to include the country that your business is operating from, and how the business is registered.

The information that you need to add to your business entity depends on the following factors:

The country that your business is operating from
Whether you're selling as an individual or have a registered business
If your business is registered, then the type of business that you're operating

After you create a business entity, you can edit the business entity to add additional details, such as persons and required documentation for your business type.

Steps:

Individual

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click Add.
In the Business details section, select the country that your business is operating from from the drop-down menu.
Select the Individual business registration type.
In the Person section, fill out your name and address.
Click Save.
Optional: You can edit your business entity to add additional business details, such as a nickname, or personal details, such as uploading government identification.

Registered

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click Add.
In the Business details section, select the country that your business is operating from from the drop-down menu.
Select the Registered business registration type.
Select the type of business that you're operating from the drop-down menu.
In the Registered business name field, enter your registered business name. This name must match the business name on any legal documentation for your business.
Optional: In the Nickname field, enter a nickname for your business. The nickname displays in your Shopify admin and is for your personal reference only.
In the Business entity address section, enter the business address. The address must be in the same country that your business is operating from.
Click Save.
From the business details page, add any required people, government identifiers, and documents.

Edit a business entity

You can edit any of the following details of an existing business entity from the details page:

Business details such as address or nickname
People associated with your business
Government identifiers
Supporting documentation

You can't edit the type of business, or the country that the business is operating from. If your business has changed, for example from a sole proprietorship to a private corporation, add a new business instead, and then set the new business entity on any stores that you want to update.

Steps:

Individual

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to edit.
Update any of the following details:

In the Business details section, click the icon, and then edit any details that you want to update.
In the Personal details section, click the icon, and then update your personal information, or add supporting documentation in the Government identifiers and Documents sections.

Click Save.

Registered

In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to edit.
Update any of the following details:

In the Business details section, click the icon, and then edit any details that you want to update.
In the People section, manage people.
In the Government identifiers and Documents sections, add supporting documentation.

Click Save.

Set a store's default business entity

You can set a default business entity for a store from the Settings > General page of your Shopify admin. Before you can set a new default business entity for your store, you need to deactivate Shopify Payments. If you change to a different business entity, then you need to add the entity to your organization settings first.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > General.
In the Store details section, click the icon next to Billing address.
Click deactivate Shopify Payments.
In the dialog, click Deactivate Shopify Payments.
In the Business entity section, click the icon.
In the Switch store business entity dialog, select a business entity from the drop-down menu.
Click Confirm.
Go to the Payments page.
Click Activate Shopify Payments.

Manage people

If your business isn't an individual business, then add any individuals who ultimately own or control the business, including the following types of people:

The business owner
Account representatives, such as a senior executive with legal signing authority
Equity owners
Directors of the business

You can view and manage people associated with your business in the People section of the business details page.

If your business type is Individual business, then the People section doesn't display in your Shopify admin. You can manage your personal information from the Business details section of the details page.

Relationship to business details

When you add a person to a business entity, you need to add their personal information, such as name and date of birth, contact information, and residential address. You also need to define the person's relationship to the business. You can select one or more of the following roles for each person:

Account representative
- You can only add one account representative to an entity.
Executive
Director
Equity owner
- If you select Equity owner, then enter the Equity percentage. The total equity percentage for all people in the entity can't exceed a total of 100 percent.

Add a person to a business entity

You can add a new person to your business entity, or you can select an existing person from another business entity in your organization.

Steps:

Add new person

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to edit.
In the People section, click Add.
Select a person from the drop-down menu or search for a person.
Click Save.

Add existing person

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to edit.
In the People section, click Add.
Click Add new person
Fill out the details for the person.
Click Save.
From the person's details page, add any required government identifiers and documents.

Edit a person's details

You can manage a person's contact information, relationship to your company, and update supporting documentation from the person's details page.

If your business type is Individual, then the People section doesn't display in your Shopify admin. You can manage your personal information from the business entity details page instead.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to edit.
In the People section, click the name of the person that you want to edit.
Edit any details that you want to change.
Click Save.

Remove a person

If a person no longer has control of your business, then you can remove them from the business entity.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to edit.
In the People section, click the name of the person that you want to remove.
Click Actions > Remove.
In the dialog, click Delete to confirm.

Manage government identifications

Government identification might be required for both your business and for people in your business.

The identification needed, and accepted types of identification depends on the country where your store is based and your business type. Learn more about general requirements and country-specific information requirements for Shopify payments.

After you select a country and government identifier type, the identification number field in your Shopify admin displays the number that you need to enter.

Add government identification

After you enter the identification number, the number is hidden by default. Only eligible users can view the number.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to manage.
Optional: If the government identification is for a person, then click the name of the person.
In the Government identifications section, click Add government identification.
Verify your identity.
In the Add government identification dialog, add the following information:
Select a country or region.
Select an identification type.
Enter the identification number that matches the required number of digits displayed.
Click Add identifier.

Edit government identification

You can update existing government identification for your business entity or for people in the entity, such as an identification number.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to manage.
Optional: If the government identification is for a person, then click the name of the person.
In the Government identifications section, click > .
In the dialog, edit or update the details.
Click Save identifier.

Delete government identification

You can delete government identification that's no longer required for your business entity or person.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to manage.
Optional: If the government identification is for a person, then click the name of the person.
In the Government identifications section, click > Delete.
In the dialog, click Delete.

Manage documents

Documentation is required for both your business and for people in your business. The documentation needed, and accepted documentation depends on the country where your business is operating from and your business type. Learn more about general and country-specific information requirements for Shopify payments.

After you upload a document, you can't edit it. If you need to replace a document, then you need to delete the document, and then add a new document of the same type to replace it.

Add a document

Some types of documentation, such as a driver's license, have both a front and back side. After you select the type of document, you'll be prompted to upload either one document, or both a front and back document.

To view documents that you've uploaded, go to the Documents section on the details page of the entity or person. To review the document file, click the file link.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to manage.
Optional: If the government identification is for a person, then click the name of the person.
In the Documents section, click Add document.
In the Add document dialog, select the type of document that you want to add from the drop-down menu.
Click Add file, and then select a document from your device.
Optional: Edit the name of the document.
Click Done.

Delete a document

You can delete a document that's no longer required for your business entity or person, or that you've replaced with updated documentation.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to manage.
Optional: If the government identification is for a person, then click the name of the person.
In the Documents section, click > Delete.
In the dialog, click Delete.

View government identification and documentation details

The identification number is hidden by default. Eligible users can reveal the identification number temporarily.

After you navigate away from the page, close your browser tab, or close the Shopify app, the identification number reverts to hidden.

Each time that a user reveals sensitive information related to your business entity, the action is logged in the User management activity log on the Users > Security page of your Shopify admin settings. Learn more about the User management activity log. T

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Organization.
In the Business entities section, click the name of the business that you want to manage.
Optional: If the government identification is for a person, then click the name of the person.
View information for either of the following details:

In the Government identifications section, review the region and name. Click to reveal the identification number.
In the Documents section, click the file link next to the document that you want to view.

Follow the suggested verification method to verify your account.

Managing business entities

On this page

Considerations

User permission requirements

Manage business entities

Add a business entity

Steps:

Edit a business entity

Steps:

Set a store's default business entity

Steps:

Manage people

Relationship to business details

Add a person to a business entity

Steps:

Edit a person's details

Steps:

Remove a person

Steps:

Manage government identifications

Add government identification

Steps:

Edit government identification

Steps:

Delete government identification

Steps:

Manage documents

Add a document

Steps:

Delete a document

Steps:

View government identification and documentation details

Steps: