Grand Forks business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply
Do I need a business licence in Grand Forks, and how do I get one?
Short answer
Yes. Anyone carrying on a business in the City of Grand Forks, including a registered society or a home-based business, needs a City licence for each premises. Apply on the City's form at City Hall. The annual fee is $75 for most businesses. Approvals take about two weeks.
Key facts
| Who needs one | Any person, including a registered society, carrying on any business in the City, a business being any commercial or industrial activity or any professional, personal or other service for gain or profit. Each premises and each separate business at a premises needs its own licence. Garage or yard sales are exempt.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, s. 2.1, 3, 5-6, 8 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording3. No person (for clarity, including a registered society) may carry on any business in the City 5. Every person who operates a business at more than one premises must apply for and 6. Every person who operates more than one business at a single premises must apply for and 8.1. a garage or yard sale. |
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| Fee | Annual licence fee is $75 unless set out below: registered society $25; large business (more than 20 employees) $200; itinerant business (door-to-door) $250.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, Schedule A; Business Licences, Business license fees · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording1. Annual licence fee is $75.00 unless otherwise set out below. business carried on by a $25.00 business carried on by $250.00 Regular Business and Home Based Business is $75.00, Large Business is $200.00, Itinerant is $250.00 |
| How to apply | Apply on the licence inspector's form (at City Hall or downloadable from the City website) and submit it to City Hall. A licence is granted only if zoning permits the business, the applicant complies with all bylaws, and all fees and fines owed are paid. Proof of a fire safety inspection may be required. Approvals take about two weeks.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, s. 11, 18; Business Licences, Application procedure · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording11.1. must be made on the form provided by the licence inspector for that purpose; and 18.1. the zoning of the business premises permits the business activity; 18.3. all licence fees, and any outstanding fees or fines owed to the City in relation to the 11.2.10. proof of completion of a fire safety inspection of the business premises and Applications are available at City Hall or you can download the Business License Application below. The required approvals generally take about two weeks. Upon completion of the application, the applicant submits it to City Hall |
| Renewal | Licences run from January 1 to December 31. To renew, pay the annual fee on or before January 31 each year and give any information the licence inspector asks for.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, s. 12, 15; Business Licences, Application procedure · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording12. Every person applying to renew a licence must, on or before January 31 each calendar year: 15. Licences issued under this bylaw are valid for the period commencing January 1 and expiring December 31 of each year unless cancelled under this bylaw. Renewal notices are sent out in January |
| Inter-community licence | Yes, under Bylaw 2069. A mobile business that works client to client (trades, cleaning, pest control) and holds a valid Grand Forks licence can get one licence covering all participating governments. The bylaw names none. Fee $100, on top of the standard fee. Taxis, mobile food vendors and cannabis sellers are excluded.Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2069 (PDF, consolidated December 12, 2022), s. 2, 3(a), 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingmeans a Business that performs a service or activity within more than one Participating Government by moving from client to client a) The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is $100 and shall be paid b) The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is separate and the applicant has a valid Business Licence issued by that Participating Government, Mobile food vendors, fruit stands, flea markets, trade shows or other similar |
| Fine | Operating without a licence: court fine of $3,000 to $50,000 under Bylaw 2126 s. 40, plus other penalties. The ticket schedule (Dec 2022) still lists only repealed Bylaw 1384: $100 for operating without a valid licence, $50 for failing to post it.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, s. 39-40; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073 (PDF, consolidated December 12, 2022), Schedule S, Business Licence Bylaw No. 1384 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording39.1. carries on a business without holding a valid licence for that business; to pay a fine up to the maximum fine amount of $50,000 and not less than $3,000 Operating business without a valid licence $100.00 Failure to post licence $50.00 |
| Bylaw | Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126 (adopted September 21, 2026; replaces Business Licence Bylaw No. 1384, 1993)Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126, title and s. 44 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBUSINESS LICENCE AND REGULATION BYLAW NO. 2126 This bylaw repeals and replaces City of Grand Forks Business Licence Bylaw No. 1384, 1993, Adopted this 21 day of September, 2026. |
How it works
Under the Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2126, a business is any commercial or industrial activity, or any professional, personal or other service, carried on for gain or profit. Each premises, and each separate business at a premises, needs its own licence. Garage or yard sales (used household items sold at the seller's home, up to 3 consecutive days and no more than 4 times a year) are exempt.
Steps
- Check that zoning allows your business. A licence is granted only if zoning permits it, you comply with all bylaws, and all fees and fines owed are paid.
- Fill in the licence inspector's form (at City Hall or on the City website) and submit it to City Hall. Proof of a fire safety inspection may be required.
- Wait for approval, then pay for the licence and post it where customers can see it.
- Renew each year: licences run January 1 to December 31, and the annual fee is due on or before January 31.
Good to know
- No ticket amount applies to operating without a licence: the ticket bylaw lists only the repealed Bylaw 1384. Enforcement is a court fine of $3,000 to $50,000, and each day is a separate offence.
- Licence holders must request a fire safety inspection each calendar year.
- Mobile businesses working client to client (trades, cleaning, pest control) with a valid Grand Forks licence can get an inter-community licence under Bylaw 2069 for $100 on top of the standard fee. Taxis, mobile food vendors and cannabis sellers are excluded. The bylaw names no participating governments; ask City Hall.
- The City's web page still cites repealed Bylaw 1384, though its fees match Bylaw 2126.
- BizPaL is a free online tool that lists local, provincial and federal permits for your business type.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Greenwood · Midway · Rossland · Warfield · Trail · Castlegar
Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 2126 (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Business Licences, City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2069 (PDF, consolidated December 12, 2022), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073 (PDF, consolidated December 12, 2022), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
- Payment Options (PDF), City of Grand Forks (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.