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WHAT TYPES OF BUSINESSES REQUIRE A LICENCE?
The following are classifications of businesses that require an annual municipal
business licence issued by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. For definitions,
please see the Municipality's Business Licensing By-law 65-2026.
-
Adult Entertainment Parlour
-
Bed and Breakfast
Establishment
-
Bunk House (Seasonal Housing)
-
Consumer Fireworks
-
Food Premises
-
Group Home/
-
Hotel/ Motel
-
Mobile Food Premises
-
Old Gold or Other
Precious Metals
-
Pawn Shop
-
Payday Loan Establishment
-
Personal Service Setting
-
Rental Dwelling Unit, Large
-
Residential Care Facility
-
Retirement Home
-
Salesperson - Day Sales/
Door- to-Door Sales
-
Salvage Yard
-
Second-Hand Shop
-
Specialty Vape Store
-
Summer Camp
-
Tobacco Sales
-
Tourist/ Trailer Camp
-
Vending Zone Permit
WHY DO CERTAIN BUSINESSES NEED TO BE LICENCED?
The primary purpose of a municipal business licence is to protect the health and
safety of members of the public who use licensed services. Licensing also supports
consistency for business owners and customers. The Municipality's Consolidated
Business Licensing By-law and its amendments set out the rules and regulations for
each licensed business. The applicable by-laws can be found online here.
ZONING
Before you sign a lease or apply for a business licence, check the zoning. Call 519-360-
1998 to speak with the Building Development Services department or email
[email protected] for information about which uses are permitted in specific zones.
Updated June 24, 2026
BUSINESS LICENCES
A GUIDE TO BUSINESS LICENCES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT
BUSINESS LICENCES
A GUIDE TO BUSINESS LICENCES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT
WHAT DO I NEED TO APPLY
FOR A BUSINESS LICENCE?
Every application for a Municipal
Business Licence requires the following
information:
Articles of Incorporation or Business Name
Registration
Provide a copy of your provincial Business
Name Registration and/or Articles of
Incorporation
Visit Ontario Business Services to register your
business name with the Province of Ontario.
Application Form, Licence Fee, and Photo
Identification
Municipal Business Licence application forms
are available online. Photo identification must
be submitted with the application. Application
and renewal fees vary depending on the licence
category. For more information about business
licence classifications, fees, and required
documentation, please visit the website or call
the Municipality of Chatham-Kent Licensing
Department at 519-360-1998.
Some business licence applications may
require the following to accompany the
application:
Police Records Check
Chatham-Kent Police Service provides criminal
record checks for local residents. For more
information, visit their website. Licensees who
live outside Chatham-Kent must obtain a police
record check from the municipality where they
permanently reside. A third-party police criminal
record check may be accepted for door-to-door
fibre sales at the discretion of the Issuer of
Licences.
Floor Plans & Site Plans
Provide a detailed drawing of the interior of the
building, unit, or space where your business will
operate. Include washrooms, kitchen areas,
entrance and exit doors, windows, seating, and
any other details that will help staff understand
how the space will be used.
- Seasonal Housing, Rental Dwelling
Unit, Large, and Bed and Breakfast
Establishments require a floor plan,
as well as a list indicating the
number of rooms, the number of beds
in each room, and the number of
people per bedroom.
- Mobile Food Premises require a
written letter of permission from the
property owner where the cart will
operate, as well as a site plan
showing the exact location of the
cart on the property. A Vending Zone
Permit is required when operating on
municipal property.
Insurance and Deposits
Mobile Food Premises require automobile
insurance of at least $1 million per
occurrence. Pawn Shops require security in
the form of a letter of credit or a cash security
deposit in the amount of $2,000, which must
remain valid for the duration of the licence.
Other Application Requirements
- Some Mobile Food Premises require
the VIN and Ontario licence plate
number issued by the Ministry of
Transportation for each licensed
vehicle.
- Individual by-laws listed in this guide
may include specific application
requirements. Copies of the by-laws,
including their regulations and
requirements, are available at
https://www.chatham-kent.ca/local-
government/by-laws.
WHAT OTHER THINGS DO I NEED TO
KNOW BEFORE SUBMITTING A
BUSINESS LICENCE APPLICATION?
Check the Building Requirements
Before you sign the lease or purchase a
property, it is important that the building
complies with the Ontario Building Code. If
renovations are required, you may require a
building permit. Depending on the previous use
of the building, you may require a change of use
permit. For more information, please contact
Building Development Services. 519-360-1998 /
[email protected]
Operating on Municipal Property?
Businesses operating on municipal property
must complete a Vending Zone Permit
Application and receive municipal approval
before operating. Once approved, the licence
fee and insurance documentation, including
liability insurance naming the Municipality of
Chatham-Kent as additionally insured, must
be provided before a Vending Zone Permit
can be issued.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SUBMIT
MY LICENCE APPLICATION?
Once you submit your application, the required
inspections will be arranged for you, including
Building, Fire, Health, and Police inspections,
where applicable. If you need to contact
individual inspectors or departments, call:
o Municipality of Chatham-Kent
Building Development Services
department: 519-360-1998
o Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency
Services (Inspections): 519-436-
3270
o Chatham-Kent Public Health
Unit: 519-355-1071 x 2902
o Alcohol and Gaming Commission
of Ontario (AGCO): 1-800-522-
2876
o ServiceOntario: 1-800-267-8097
WHAT IS BEING INSPECTED?
Different departments inspect different aspects
of the intended business. Municipal staff, or the
applicable inspection organizations, may be
able to provide a general list of what to expect
before your inspections.
WHAT IF I DON'T PASS MY
INSPECTIONS?
If deficiencies are found during the inspection,
inspectors will provide you with a written list. It
is your responsibility to correct the issues and
schedule any required re-inspection(s). Please
do not apply for, or book, inspections until you
are ready.
Individual departments or divisions may charge
for re-inspections. If you do not pass your
inspections or have questions about an item on
the deficiency list, contact the inspector directly.
They will help you understand how to fix the
problem. A Municipal Business Licence will not
be issued until all inspections are approved by
the required departments.
HOW LONG ARE LICENCES VALID FOR?
Municipal Business Licences are valid for one
year, from date of issuance. There are
exceptions to this; Mobile Food Premises renew
every year in May. Seasonal Housing licences
have an annual renewal of March. Business
Licence fees for Mobile Food Premises and
Seasonal Housing licences may be prorated
depending on the application date. The
Municipality of Chatham-Kent sends renewal
reminders by mail as a courtesy approximately
45 days before licence expiry. It is the licence
holder's responsibility to ensure that the
licence is valid and up to date whether you
receive the reminder or not.
CHATHAM-KENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: HELPING BUSINESSES INVEST
AND GROW FOR GENERATIONS
Whether your business is a Fortune 500 company or started in a basement office, the Chatham-
Kent Economic Development and Small Business Centre team can help you start, grow, support, and
invest in your business. Economic Development is a municipal department that assists businesses of
all sizes throughout Chatham-Kent and helps strengthen the local economy. Economic Development
and the Small Business Centre help new and growing businesses find solutions that create
investment and quality local jobs so people can live, work, play, and grow in Chatham-Kent.
Economic Development and the Small Business Centre
Address:
124 Thames Street, Chatham, ON N7L2Y8
Phone:
519-351-7700
Toll Free:
1-866-542-5994
Email:
[email protected].
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT I NEED TO PLAN,
LAUNCH OR GROW MY BUSINESS?
The website https://www.chatham-kent.ca/apply/licences/Pages/Business-Licence.aspx is
designed to help answer general questions about starting a business in the Municipality of
Chatham-Kent. For more information about other local resources, please visit the Economic
Development Department and Small Business Centre website https://www.chatham-
kent.ca/EconomicDevelopment/Pages/default.aspx.
WHERE DO I APPLY FOR OR RENEW A LICENCE?
Licences are processed by staff located at: 315 King Street W, Chatham, ON, N7M 5K8
Completed applications may be dropped off at any Municipal Office/Information Desk or mailed to the
Municipality of Chatham-Kent, attention: Licensing Department. Applications may also be emailed to
[email protected].
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Municipality of Chatham-Kent Licensing Department
315 King Street West, PO Box 640, Chatham, ON N7M 5K8
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 519-360-1998
Email: [email protected]