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Renewals

How and Where to Renew a Business Licence

All Business Licences expire on December 31st of each year and renewal notices will be mailed out in November. If you have not renewed your licence or if your account has been closed for two consecutive years, you will be required to apply for a new business licence. Please see New Applications for more information. If your account has been closed for less than two years and if you are planning to restart your business in the City, you may be able to re-instate your licence. Please contact the Licence Office reception at 3-1-1 (outside Vancouver call 604.873.7000) or by email at licenseoffice@vancouver.ca for details. Payment for licence renewals can be made:

• Online for renewals WITHOUT ANY CHANGES OR WITH CHANGES if you have already submitted a Change of Information Form (for a change of address or name) and you have received a bill. If you would like to make changes to your existing licence, DO NOT RENEW ONLINE, please see Changes below. Currently, only specific categories can be processed through this web application;
  
• In person at the City of Vancouver Licence Office, 2nd Floor East Wing, 453 West 12th Avenue between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday;
• Over the telephone with a credit card at 3‑1‑1 (outside Vancouver call 604.873.7000); or
• By mail with a cheque or money order with the renewal notice enclosed.

Accepted methods of payment: Cash, cheque or money order (made payable to the City of Vancouver), debit or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express).

Changes: If you would like to make changes to your existing licence, you will be required to complete and submit a Business Licence Change of Information Form (82kb) with payment of a cheque for the change and renewal fee. Payments must be received by our office by December 31st of each year to avoid the penalty applied to late payments. Changes include any amendments to a business name, trade name, address or classification. If a change of ownership has occurred, you must apply for a new licence or a transfer instead. Please see Changes for more information.

Processing Time

The time required to process a renewal can vary. For a payment made in person, please expect lengthy wait times. For a payment made online or by telephone with a credit card, please allow a minimum of two weeks for processing. For a payment made by mail, please allow a minimum of 6 weeks for processing a renewal without any changes.

If you are planning to come into our office during the licence renewal period (from November to February), please expect lengthy waiting times.

Penalties

All business licences expire on December 31st of each year and payment must be received by our office by this date (not the postmarked date from the post office). There will be a penalty applied to late payments as set out in Licence By-Law No. 4450 (291kb). If the prescribed fee is paid after December 31st, a penalty will be charged of 10% of the licence fee or $40.00, whichever is greater.

If you are a contractor* with a business operating from an out-of-town location, then no late fee payment charges will apply if you have not started working in the City for the year. Please contact the Licence Office for assistance in processing your payment. However, if you are a contractor* with a business operating from a commercial or residential location in Vancouver, then all late fee payment charges will apply—even if you haven't started working in the City for the year.

*Contractor includes the following classifications: Contractor, Contractor-Special Trades, Electrical Contractor, Electrical - Security Alarm Installation, Gas Contractor, Plumber, Sprinkler Contractor, Plumber & Gas Contractor, Plumber & Sprinkler Contractor, Plumber & Sprinkler & Gas Contractor, and Sprinkler & Gas Contractor.

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