---
title: "Golden business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply"
question: "Do I need a business licence in Golden, and how do I get one?"
place: Golden, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/golden
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Golden
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/business-licence/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/business-licence.json"
---

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

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

**Short answer:** In Golden anyone owning or operating a business needs a Town business licence; non-profits do not. Most categories cost $70 a year and a general contractor $125. Apply with the online webform, the fillable PDF, or at Town Hall.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Golden, https://www.golden.ca)  
**Cost:** Set by business type in Schedule A of Bylaw 990: $70 a year for most categories (retail, wholesale, professional, repair, other); general contractor $125. Cannabis retail $300 and liquor primary $70 (Town page). Short-term rental and B&B licences have their own fees.  
**How long:** A licence lasts one year and ends April 30. A business starting after November 1 pays 50% less.  
**Where:**
- Online: Business Licences, Town of Golden (webform and PDF form), https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences
- Phone: Business Licence Department, 250-344-2271 ext. 238
- In person: Town Hall, 810 9th Ave. South, Golden, BC

## Key facts

- **Who needs one:** Any person owning or operating a business in Golden, meaning any commercial or industrial undertaking, or professional or personal service for gain or profit. Non-profit organizations do not need a licence.
  - Source: [Business Licences, Who needs one](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences)
  - Official wording: "Any person owning or operating a business within The Town of Golden is required to hold a valid business licence"
  - Source: [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990, Schedule A](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/)
  - Official wording: "Non-Profit Organizations will not be required to obtain a license."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** Set by business type in Schedule A of Bylaw 990: $70 a year for most categories (retail, wholesale, professional, repair, other); general contractor $125. Cannabis retail $300 and liquor primary $70 (Town page).
  - Source: [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990, Schedule A](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/)
  - Official wording: "not previously mentioned or listed in this category $ 70.00" … "of wholesale service in this category $ 70.00" … "of a general contractor $ 125.00"
  - Source: [Business Licences, Business Licence Fee](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences)
  - Official wording: "- Cannabis retail application - $2000 ### Business Licence Fee - Cannabis retail - $300 - Liquor primary - $70 - Zoning Amendment" … "### Business Licence Fee - Cannabis retail - $300 - Liquor primary - $70 - Zoning Amendment Town of Golden Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1402, 2018 - Cannabis introduced the permitted use of Cannabis Retail to the Mixed-Use Commercial C2 zone (which is the commercial area south of the Kicking Horse River bridge and between 6th St N and 7th St N). The bylaw also introduces the permitted use of Cannabis Production to the Light Industrial M2 zone."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to apply:** Use the online webform, download the fillable PDF form, or visit Town Hall at 810 9th Ave South. The licence fee is paid once the application is approved. Business Licence Department: 250-344-2271 ext. 238.
  - Source: [Business Licences, Getting a Business Licence](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences)
  - Official wording: "You can apply for a business licence using our online webform, by downloading the fillable PDF form, or by visiting Town Hall at 810 9th Ave, South." … "Once approved there is a business licence fee to be paid." … "Business Licence Department: 250-344-2271 ext.238"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Renewal:** A licence lasts one year and ends April 30. It auto-renews unless "one year only" is chosen; notices are mailed about a month before. A business starting after November 1 pays 50% less. Unpaid by April 30: late fee.
  - Source: [Business Licences, Getting a Business Licence](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences)
  - Official wording: "A business licence is issued for one year and terminates on the 30th day of April." … "Business licences auto renew (unless one year only selected)" … "A 50% reduction in the fee amount will be made on account of any person commencing to do business after the first day of November"
  - Source: [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990, s. 14](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/)
  - Official wording: "A peanity of 10% or a minimum of $10.00 will be added to all Trade License"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Inter-community licence:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice for no business licence: $100 first offence, $200 second, $300 third ($80/$180/$280 if paid within 14 days; $120/$220/$320 after 28 days). A court fine of $100 to $500 is also possible under Bylaw 990.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule G](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/129117/)
  - Official wording: "3 Fail to obtain business licence (1st offence) $100.00 $80.00 $120.00" … "3 Fail to obtain business licence (2nd offence) $200.00 $180.00 $220.00" … "3 Fail to obtain business licence (3rd offence) $300.00 $280.00 $320.00"
  - Source: [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990, s. 13](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/)
  - Official wording: "less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Town of Golden Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990, cited in the bylaw as "Trade License (Amendment) Bylaw Number 990, 1996"
  - Source: [Business Licences, Who needs one](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences)
  - Official wording: "Town of Golden Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990"
  - Source: [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990, s. 15](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as "Trade License (Amendment) Bylaw Number 990,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Any person owning or operating a business in Golden needs a Town business licence. A business means any commercial or industrial undertaking, or professional or personal service for gain or profit. Non-profit organizations do not need a licence.

Fees are set by business type in Schedule A of [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990](<https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/>): $70 a year for most categories (retail, wholesale, professional, repair, other) and $125 for a general contractor. The Town page lists cannabis retail at $300 and liquor primary at $70.

## Steps

1. Use the online webform, download the fillable PDF form, or visit Town Hall at 810 9th Ave. South.
2. Submit the application. The licence fee is paid once the application is approved.
3. Renew each year. The licence ends April 30 and auto-renews unless you choose "one year only". Notices are mailed about a month before.

## Good to know

- A business starting after November 1 pays 50% less.
- Fees not paid by April 30 get a penalty of 10% or a minimum of $10 (bylaw s. 14); the Town page also mentions a late fee.
- Operating without a licence is a bylaw notice of $100 first offence, $200 second and $300 third. A court fine of $100 to $500 is also possible under Bylaw 990. Failing to display the licence is $100.
- Short-term rentals and B&Bs have their own licences and higher amounts (see the short-term-rental answer).
- No inter-community licence is mentioned on the Town pages. Ask the Business Licence Department if you work in several communities.

## What you'll need

- Business licence application (online webform or fillable PDF)

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licences, Town of Golden](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences)
- [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990 (PDF)](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/business-licence.md)
- [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/business-licence.md)
- [Radium Hot Springs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/business-licence.md)
- [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/business-licence.md)
- [Nakusp](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/business-licence.md)
- [New Denver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-denver/business-licence.md)
- [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/business-licence.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licences, Town of Golden](https://www.golden.ca/business-development/business-licences) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Business Licencing Bylaw No. 990 (PDF)](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/64410/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule G (PDF)](https://golden.civicweb.net/document/129117/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Golden. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/business-licence/_