Clothing donation bin business licence

Steps to getting a clothing donation bin business licence

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  Step 1: Review where a bin can be located

  Private property

  Your clothing donation bin is allowed on private property IF:

  • You meet safety requirements
  • Have a valid business licence

  City-owned land

  Locations on City-owned land that are suitable for a donation bin will be identified through our upcoming City-branded donation bin program. More details coming soon.

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  Step 2: Gather the required insurance, certification, and plans

  Before you apply for your business licence, you will need to obtain the following documents:

  • A written certification (signed seal from P.Eng.) from a professional engineer registered in BC stating the construction, design, and operation of the donation bin is safe
  • Liability insurance
  • A completed release and indemnity agreement in favour of the City
  • A detailed plan showing the proposed location of donation bins on the lot and a list of donation bin addresses
  • A photograph or pictorial and written description of the clothing donation bin

   These documents will need to be submitted with your business licence application.

   You are responsible for ensuring tidy premises and the safe operations of you donation bin(s) through regularly scheduled maintenance and servicing of the bin(s).

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  Step 3: Review fees

  Note All licences will expire each year on December 31. The annual fee in the first year will be pro-rated based on the business start date. Business licence fees are non-taxable.

  Fees

  • One-time, non-refundable application fee: $70
  • Annual licensing fee: $250

  Review fees for 2023 PDF file (417 KB)

  For the official fees, review the business licence fees in Schedule A of the Licence By-law PDF file (380 KB).

  How to pay

  You can pay for your licence by:

  • Cash
  • Cheque or money order (made payable to the City of Vancouver)
  • Debit card
  • Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)

  Note We don't accept credit card cheques.

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  Step 4: Apply for a licence and pay fees

  A. Complete checklist and application 

  • Checklist PDF file  (156 KB)
  • Business licence application form PDF file  (264 KB)

  B. Submit application

  • Online

  At the time of applying, you will need to provide your:

  • Completed application
  • Completed checklist
  • Required documents
  • Fee payment