Renew your business licence

Your business licence expires on 31 December each year

You will receive a notice by mail in November.

If you have not renewed your licence or if your account has been closed for two consecutive years, you will have to apply for a new business licence.

If your account has been closed for less than two years and if you are planning to restart your business, you may be able to re-instate your licence.

How to renew your business licence

You can renew your licence in one of the following ways:

Online with a credit card, if you are not requesting any changes to your business licence account information (you can print your own licence when you renew online)
In person
Over the phone, with a credit card
By mail, with a cheque or money order with the renewal notice enclosed

You may pay for your licence renewal using cash, cheque or money order (made payable to the City of Vancouver), debit, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express).

Renew your business licence

How long does it take?

November to February are very busy times at the Licence Office. If you want to renew your business licence in person, please expect lengthy wait times. However, your renewal is processed immediately IF there are no changes to your licence.

This is when you can expect to have your business licence renewed:

Renewal made	Business licence renewed
Online	Immediately
By phone or in person	Same day
By email, fax, or mail (March to October)	2 to 4 weeks
By email, fax, or mail (November to February)	8 to 10 weeks

Penalties

All business licences expire on 31 December each year. Payment must be received by 31 December.

After 31 December, a late payment penalty is added to the renewal fee. The penalty is 10% of the licence fee or $40.00, whichever is greater.

Exception for contractors operating from an out-of-town location

If you are a contractor with a business operating from an out-of-town business location, then no late fee payment charges will apply if you have not started working in the City for the year being renewed.

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 have not started working in the City for the year.