Lake Cowichan business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply
Do I need a business licence in Lake Cowichan, and how do I get one?
Short answer
Yes, every business operating in Lake Cowichan needs a licence, with a separate licence for each location. The fee is $100 a year, $125 if paid after the end of February, and $50 for a new business after July 1. Apply at the Town Office, by mail or by email.
Key facts
| Who needs one | Every business, resident and non-resident, operating in the Town, with a separate licence for each location. A not-for-profit organization registered as a society does not need one. Contractors must also list their sub-trades.Business Licences; Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003, s. 3.1, 3.7; Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003, s. 6.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingA Business Licence is required by every business (resident and non-resident) operating in the Town of Lake Cowichan. require a separate licence for each location where a business operates A not-for-profit organization registered as a society is not required to obtain A building/construction contractor shall supply to the License Inspector a written list of the names |
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| Fee | $100 a year; $125 if paid after the end of February (a $25 late fee); $50 for a new business after July 1. Circus or carnival: $200 per event.Business Licences, Fees / Business licence fee table, late and prorated licences; Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003, Schedule A · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingYearly License Fee Late Fee after February 28 Pro-Rated Fee (after July 1) | Yearly Inter-Community License Fee | $270 | Late Fee after February 28 (or Feb 29 in a Leap Year) | $25 | Pro-Rated Fee (after July 1) | $50 A. From every business operated from a premises in a $100.00 $125.00 $50.00 commercially zoned property in the Town, an annual fee of: D. From every person who exhibits a public circus or carnival, for $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 each event: |
| How to apply | Submit the business licence application (on the Town's Application Forms page) in person at the Town Office, 39 South Shore Road, by mail to PO Box 860, or by email to general@lakecowichan.ca. The licence is issued once the applicant complies with building and zoning bylaws; premises may be inspected.Business Licences, Applying for a business license; Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003, s. 8.2, s. 13.1; Application Forms, Application Forms page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingin person to the Town Office at 39 South Shore Road or email to general@lakecowichan.ca where he or she is satisfied that the applicant has complied with the bylaws of the may be subject to inspections and approval by any Town | Building Permit Full Application Package | Download | Business Licence Application | Download | Bylaw Complaint Form |
| Renewal | Licences expire on December 31 each year unless the licence says otherwise. The fee is due on or before the expiry date; a penalty is added to each unpaid licence at March 1.Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003, s. 5.1, 4.3(b), 4.5; Business Licences, Fees · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingwill expire on the 31st day of December in each year unless otherwise indicated on the on or before the expiration date of the current license if the business is A penalty prescribed in Schedule “A” of this bylaw will be added Late Fee after February 28 |
| Inter-community licence | Yes, for mobile businesses (one that moves from client to client and has a premises in a participating community). The Town's page lists an Inter-Community Licence fee of $270 a year; Bylaw 1128-2026 sets the inter-community fee at $170, separate from and in addition to the Town's own $100 licence fee. Non-profits pay no inter-community fee. The Town licence also covers Duncan, North Cowichan and Ladysmith.Sources differ: Page says $270; bylaw says $170 plus separate other fees (the bylaw does not state a total). The participating communities are not listed in the bylaw or page ('participating Vancouver Island communities'). Non-profits pay no inter-community fee (s. 4(c)).Business Licences, Mobile Businesses; Fees; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 1128-2026, s. 4(a)(b); s. 3(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingautomatically authorizes operations in Duncan, North Cowichan Yearly Inter-Community License Fee The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is $170 and will be retained by the is separate and in addition to any is an Inter-Community Business; |
| Fine | $100 ticket for doing business without a business licence (Business Licence Bylaw Schedule C, s. 3.1). On conviction, a fine of $50 to $2,000, and not less than $50 for each day a continuing offence is continued.Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003, Schedule C; s. 15 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingNo business license 3.1 $100.00 not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) and not more than Two Thousand Dollars ($2000.00) DOLLARS ($50.00) for each day that the offence is continued. |
| Bylaw | Town of Lake Cowichan Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003 (with Intermunicipal Business Licence Agreement Bylaw 773-2003 and Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 1128-2026)Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003, s. 1; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 1128-2026, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingBusiness Licence Bylaw No. Town of Lake Cowichan Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 1128-2026 "Community Charter" means the Community Charter, S.B.C. 2003, c. 26. |
How it works
The Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003 requires every business, resident and non-resident, operating in the Town to have a licence, with a separate licence for each location. A not-for-profit organization registered as a society does not need one. Contractors must also list their sub-trades.
Licences expire on December 31 each year unless the licence says otherwise. The fee is due on or before the expiry date, and a penalty is added to each unpaid licence at March 1. The Town's page says the late fee applies after February 28 (February 29 in a leap year), so pay by the end of February to be safe.
Steps
- Fill in the business licence application on the Town's Application Forms page.
- Submit it in person at the Town Office (39 South Shore Road), by mail to PO Box 860, or by email to general@lakecowichan.ca.
- The licence is issued once you comply with the building and zoning bylaws. Premises may be inspected.
Good to know
- Mobile businesses: an inter-community licence is available for a business that moves from client to client and has a premises in a participating community. The Town's page lists $270 a year. The Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw 1128-2026 sets the inter-community fee at $170, separate from and in addition to the Town's own $100 fee, and does not state a total. Confirm the amount with the Town. Non-profits pay no inter-community fee. The bylaw and page do not list the participating communities; the Town's page says its licence also covers Duncan, North Cowichan and Ladysmith.
- Fine: a $100 ticket for doing business without a licence. On conviction, a fine of $50 to $2,000, and not less than $50 for each day a continuing offence is continued.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Ladysmith · Duncan · North Cowichan · Nanaimo · Lantzville · North Saanich
Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Business Licences, Town of Lake Cowichan (read 2026-11-08)
- Business Licence Bylaw No. 777-2003 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
- Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 1128-2026 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
- Application Forms, Town of Lake Cowichan (read 2026-11-08)
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.