Permanently change hours of liquor service at food primary establishments or restaurants

Applying for an amendment

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  What we need

  Complete and submit

  If you would like to amend the liquor service hours of your restaurant, you will need to complete and submit the following:

  • Permanent amendment to hours of liquor service for food-primary liquor establishments PDF file (160 KB)
  • Provincial application form External website, opens in new tab

  Information icon Information icon Application fees can be found in Schedule B PDF file (1.1 MB) of the Licence By-law 4450.

  What we may not support

  We may not support your application if there are any violations documented, and we have verified complaints regarding the operation of the establishment. Consideration for approval may be given if the business has taken extraordinary measures to resolve the issues of the complaint.

  When we will contact you

  We will contact you when your LCRB application form has been signed and is ready to be picked up.

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  What LCRB needs

  You must submit the form to the LCRB to complete the permanent change application process. Third-party operators cannot complete and sign this form.

  The LCRB processes applications per current policy, and approves or refuses applications as required. Their decision will be forwarded to you and the City of Vancouver.

Regulations

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  Hours of liquor service

  A by-law amendment passed by Council on September 16, 2025, establishes a 2am closing time every night for liquor service in restaurants.

  A half-hour tolerance period, after which drinks must be removed from tables, applies.

  To operate under later hours, you must send an application to the City and the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB).

  Information icon Brand new licences and operators are restricted to hours of liquor service to midnight for a period of up to six months at the discretion of the Chief Licence Inspector. New licences that are operated by “known good operators” will be considered for regular hours of liquor service right away.

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  Operating regulations

  Restaurants must:

  • Offer the full restaurant menu to customers during all hours of allowable liquor service
  • Have financial record, and a ratio of receipts from food sales to liquor sales, that are consistent with restaurant use
  • Keep financial records and receipts for at least one year, and show them to the Inspector upon request      
  • Keep sales receipts for all sales of food and liquor for at least one year, and show them to the Inspector upon request

   Live entertainment (patron non-participation) is permitted until 1am. This requires an endorsement from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB).

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  Consolidated business licence classifications

  Licensed restaurants need only one of the following:

  • Restaurant Class 1 with liquor business licence
  • Restaurant Class 2 with liquor business licence (if patron participation entertainment such as dancing or karaoke offered)

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