Business licences & permits — Courtenay, British Columbia

Do I need a business licence or permit? What does it cost?

In the City of Courtenay, British Columbia, licence required: True; who must license: All persons carrying on any business within the City, including resident, non-resident, mobile food vending, cannabis, and short-term rental businesses.; fee: Varies by category: Home Occupation $75.00; Snack Bar $50.00; Business Service/Professional/Unclassified/Retail under 4,000 sq.ft. $100.00; Apartments/Hotel/Motel/Automotive Repair/Restaurant/Mobile Food Vendor on private property/Intermunicipal/Short-term rental accommodation $150.00 (plus $150.00 Affordable Housing Amenity Reserve Fund offset fee for STR); Automotive Dealer/Brokers/Retail 4,001-10,000 sq.ft./Theatre $250.00; Mobile Food Vendor on public property $450.00; Retail 10,001-20,000 sq.ft. $450.00; Retail over 20,001 sq.ft. $650.00; Escort Service $500.00 + $100.00 per escort; Nightclub/Cabaret/Neighbourhood Pub $1,000.00; Banks/Credit Unions/Bingo Facility $1,500.00; Cannabis Production Facility $5,000.00; Exhibition/Circus/Carnival/Door to Door Sales $100.00 per day; renewal: Annual, commences January 1 and terminates December 31 each year; late fee of 25% applied if not renewed by March 1, 50% if not renewed by June 1. Source: Business Licence Bylaw; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2769, 2013; Second-Hand Dealers Bylaw No. 2524, 2008; Sign Bylaw No. 2760, 2013; Special Events Regulation Bylaw No. 2396, 2005, verified 2026-08-28.

Business Licence Bylaw adopted bylaw
licence required True s. 2.1: "No person shall carry on a business within the City without first ... obtaining a City business licence"
who must license All persons carrying on any business within the City, including resident, non-resident, mobile food vending, cannabis, and short-term rental businesses. s. 2.1
fee Varies by category: Home Occupation $75.00; Snack Bar $50.00; Business Service/Professional/Unclassified/Retail under 4,000 sq.ft. $100.00; Apartments/Hotel/Motel/Automotive Repair/Restaurant/Mobile Food Vendor on private property/Intermunicipal/Short-term rental accommodation $150.00 (plus $150.00 Affordable Housing Amenity Reserve Fund offset fee for STR); Automotive Dealer/Brokers/Retail 4,001-10,000 sq.ft./Theatre $250.00; Mobile Food Vendor on public property $450.00; Retail 10,001-20,000 sq.ft. $450.00; Retail over 20,001 sq.ft. $650.00; Escort Service $500.00 + $100.00 per escort; Nightclub/Cabaret/Neighbourhood Pub $1,000.00; Banks/Credit Unions/Bingo Facility $1,500.00; Cannabis Production Facility $5,000.00; Exhibition/Circus/Carnival/Door to Door Sales $100.00 per day Schedule A
renewal Annual, commences January 1 and terminates December 31 each year; late fee of 25% applied if not renewed by March 1, 50% if not renewed by June 1 s. 3.1, s. 3.3, s. 3.4
scout note

Requires businesses operating in Courtenay to obtain a municipal business licence and sets related fees and conditions.

Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2769, 2013 adopted bylaw
licence required True s. 3(d)
who must license Businesses performing services in more than one Participating Municipality moving from client to client, excluding Schedule 'A' businesses. s. 2; Schedule 'A'
fee $150 s. 4(a)
scout note

Lets a business already licensed in a participating Comox Valley municipality operate in Courtenay under a reciprocal inter-community business licence.

Second-Hand Dealers Bylaw No. 2524, 2008 adopted bylaw
licence required True s. 2.6
who must license second-hand dealer (includes pawnbroker) buying, selling, or pawning second-hand property s. 1.2
scout note

Licenses and regulates second-hand/pawn dealers operating within Courtenay, including record-keeping of goods bought and sold.

Sign Bylaw No. 2760, 2013 adopted bylaw
licence required True s. 5.1
who must license Business premises erecting signs in Downtown, Old Orchard, General Commercial, Industrial, Institutional zones not exempt under Part 4 Part 5
fee Application fees as prescribed by the City of Courtenay Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1673, 1992; double for violations s. 6.1(g); s. 7.2.2
scout note

Sets standards, permit requirements, size and placement rules for signage on business and other properties in Courtenay.

Special Events Regulation Bylaw No. 2396, 2005 adopted bylaw
licence required True s. 4
who must license Events with attendance >1000 and admission fee, excluding indoor facilities, School District No. 71, and City gatherings. s. 2, s. 3, s. 4
scout note

Requires a permit to hold organized special events (festivals, street closures, public gatherings) within the City.

Machine-readable: business-licensing.json · Official website: https://www.courtenay.ca/ · Last verified 2026-08-28 · Business licences & permits in other municipalities