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Home > Doing business > Commercial licences/permits > Business licences > Types of businesses > Residential rental properties > Short-term rentals > Apply
Doing business
- Commercial licences/permits
- Business licences
- Get a business licence
- Cancel your business licence application
- Types of businesses
- Manage your business licence account
- Permits for businesses
- Event permits public property
- Event permits private property
- Film permits
- Advertising on City property
- Business licences
- Selling to and buying from us
- Economic development
- Paying the City
- Waste disposal and recycling
Applying online is easy and take less than 10 minutes. Before you start, review the fees and what to have ready.
New rules take effect September 1
All short-term rental operators in Vancouver must have a valid business licence and include that number in all online listings by August 31 to avoid fines up to $1,000.
Fees and how to pay
Application fee for new business licence
- $56
- Non-refundable fee
Licence fee
- $49
- Annual fee
- Licence expires each year on December 31
- Fee is prorated in your first year based on when you start business
For the official fees, refer to the Business Licence Fees in Schedules A and B of the License Bylaw 
(380 KB).
How to pay
Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
What to have ready
- Your contact information
- Credit card
Unable to apply online?
Apply in-person at the Development and Building Services Centre using the address below.
Contact us about business licences
Location and mailing address
Development and Building Services Centre
Ground floor
515 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4A8
Phone
3-1-1
(604-873-7000 outside Vancouver)
Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
8:30am to 4:30pm
Tuesday, Thursday
8:30am to 4:00pm
See when your queue number is called
Free 2-hour parking
West 10th Ave parking lot,
between Cambie and Yukon
