---
title: "Coldstream business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply"
question: "Do I need a business licence in Coldstream, and how do I get one?"
place: Coldstream, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/coldstream
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Coldstream
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/business-licence/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/business-licence.json"
---

# Coldstream business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply

**Question:** Do I need a business licence in Coldstream, and how do I get one?

**Short answer:** Yes. Anyone carrying on a business in Coldstream, including a home-based or agricultural business, needs a District business licence for each business premises. Fees are set by business class, for example $60 for Home Crafts and $120 for a General Contractor. Apply with the District's online form.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Coldstream, https://www.coldstream.ca)  
**Cost:** By business class (Schedule A). For example General Contractor $120, Restaurant (no liquor licence) $80, Retail over 93 m² $110, Home Crafts $60, Unclassified $85. Fees are not refundable.  
**How long:** Not stated.  
**Where:**
- Online: Business License Application, https://www.coldstream.ca/form/business-license-application
- Online: Business Licenses page, https://www.coldstream.ca/businesslicense
- Phone: Municipal Hall, 250-545-5304
- In person: Municipal Hall, 9901 Kalamalka Road, Coldstream, BC V1B 1L6 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Who needs one:** Anyone carrying on a business in Coldstream, including home-based and agricultural businesses. A separate licence is needed for each business premises. Exempt: businesses exempted by provincial or federal law, and non-profits registered under the Society Act.
  - Source: [Business Licenses, Business Licenses page](https://www.coldstream.ca/businesslicense)
  - Official wording: "If you are operating a business in Coldstream, even a home based or agricultural business, you need to apply for a business license with the District." … "If there is more than one business premise, a separate business license is required for each."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, consolidated to March 24, 2025, s. 2.0](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall carry on a business within the municipality without holding a valid and subsisting licence for the business so carried on."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fee:** Fees are by business class in Schedule A, for example General Contractor $120, Restaurant (no liquor licence) $80, Retail over 93 m² $110, Home Crafts $60, Unclassified $85. Fees may be reduced by 50% (rounded up to the next $5) for licences taken out after August 1. Fees are not refundable.
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, consolidated to March 24, 2025, Sched. A; s. 2.1](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/)
  - Official wording: "General" … "Restaurant (no liquor licence)" … "Over 93 m2" … "Home Crafts" … "Unclassified" … "may be reduced by 50% as of August 1st" … "No licence fee paid hereunder shall be refundable." … "The annual licence fees prescribed in this bylaw may be reduced by 50% as of August 1st,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to apply:** Submit the Business License Application form to the District (online form on the website). The Licence Inspector grants a licence if the applicant meets building, zoning, health, sanitation and business bylaws. Bed & breakfast operators must request an inspection with the application.
  - Source: [Business Licenses, Business Licenses page](https://www.coldstream.ca/businesslicense)
  - Official wording: "Note: A Coldstream Business License Application form must be submitted to the District."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, consolidated to March 24, 2025, ss. 2.9, 2.10](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/)
  - Official wording: "The Licence Inspector may grant a licence where he is satisfied that the applicant therefore has complied with the requirements of the bylaws of the municipality regulating building, zoning, health, sanitation and business."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Renewal:** Licences run January to December; payment is due by February 15 each year.
  - Source: [Business Licenses, Business Licenses page](https://www.coldstream.ca/businesslicense)
  - Official wording: "Business licenses run from January to December with payment due by February 15th each year."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, consolidated to March 24, 2025, s. 2.1(a)](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/)
  - Official wording: "to commence on the first day of January and to terminate on the 31st day of December in each and every"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Inter-community licence:** Yes. For $150 on top of the basic licence, a mobile service business with no storefront can work in all 19 participating communities, including Coldstream and Vernon. The business must hold a basic licence where it is located.
  - Source: [Business Licenses, Business Licenses page](https://www.coldstream.ca/businesslicense)
  - Official wording: "Business owners must have a basic licence in the municipality in which they are located, and request the inter-community add-on for an additional $150." … "Nineteen municipalities in the region have entered into an agreement with one another"
  - Source: [Business Licences FAQ](https://www.coldstream.ca/sites/default/files/2022-11/FAQ%20Business%20Licences.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Eligibility is limited to any business that performs a service in more than one of the participating municipalities, without an associated storefront"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice for no business licence: $100 ($50 if paid within 14 days; $150 if paid after 28 days). Municipal ticket: $100. Failing to display the licence: bylaw notice $100, municipal ticket $150. On conviction in court: $100 to $2,000.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1636, Sched. A, App. 2](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/11456/)
  - Official wording: "No business licence $100 $50 $150 Yes" … "Failure to display business"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1598, Schedule 3](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/2314/)
  - Official wording: "1. No business licence 2.0 $100.00" … "3. Fail to display business licence 2.12 $150.00"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, consolidated to March 24, 2025, s. 4.0](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/)
  - Official wording: "liable on conviction to a fine not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) plus"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990 (consolidated to March 24, 2025)
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, consolidated to March 24, 2025, title page](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/)
  - Official wording: "Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990" … "up to March 24, 2025"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/) requires a licence for anyone carrying on a business in Coldstream, including home-based and agricultural businesses. A separate licence is needed for each business premises. Exempt: businesses exempted by provincial or federal law, and non-profits registered under the Society Act.

Fees are by business class in Schedule A. Fees may be reduced by 50% (rounded up to the next $5) for licences taken out after August 1. Licences run January to December, and payment is due by February 15 each year.

The Licence Inspector grants a licence if the applicant meets building, zoning, health, sanitation and business bylaws. Bed & breakfast operators must request an inspection with the application.

## Steps

1. Check your zone allows the business (see zoning-lookup).
2. Submit the Business License Application form on the District website.
3. Pay the fee for your business class.
4. Renew each year by February 15.

## Good to know

- A mobile service business with no storefront can add an inter-community licence for $150 on top of the basic licence, to work in all 19 participating communities, including Coldstream and Vernon. It needs a basic licence where the business is located. It is not available to businesses selling from one location, vehicles for hire, escort agencies or body-rub services.
- Fines: no licence is a bylaw notice of $100 ($50 if paid within 14 days; $150 if paid after 28 days), or a municipal ticket of $100. Failing to display the licence is a bylaw notice of $100 or a municipal ticket of $150. On conviction in court the fine is $100 to $2,000.
- Questions: use the District's contact form or call Municipal Hall.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business License Application](https://www.coldstream.ca/form/business-license-application)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990 (consolidated to March 24, 2025)](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/)

## Related questions

- [Coldstream home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/home-based-business.md)
- [Coldstream short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/short-term-rental.md)
- [Coldstream zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Coldstream bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/business-licence.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/business-licence.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/business-licence.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/business-licence.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/business-licence.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/business-licence.md)
- [Kelowna](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kelowna/business-licence.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licenses, District of Coldstream](https://www.coldstream.ca/businesslicense) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 1021, 1990, consolidated to March 24, 2025, District of Coldstream](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/194/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Business Licences FAQ (PDF), District of Coldstream](https://www.coldstream.ca/sites/default/files/2022-11/FAQ%20Business%20Licences.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1636, District of Coldstream](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/11456/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1598, District of Coldstream](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/2314/) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Coldstream. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/business-licence/_