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

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

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

**Short answer:** In Lillooet anyone carrying on a business, including a home-based one, needs a District business licence. A new licence costs a $35 application fee plus a $150 annual fee for most businesses. Licences run January 1 to December 31. Apply with the District's form at 250-256-4289 or info@lillooet.ca.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Lillooet, https://www.lillooet.ca)  
**Cost:** $35 application (new licence) plus $150 annual fee for most businesses. Re-application of an expired licence $25 (same location) or $35 (new location). Transfer to a new location $35. Extra fire or building inspection $100 each.  
**How long:** Not stated. First inspection is included; a building or fire inspection is standard for areas used by the public.  
**Where:**
- Online: Business Licensing, District of Lillooet, https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing (Apply for a Business Licence form is linked here.)
- Email: District of Lillooet, info@lillooet.ca
- In person: Municipal Hall, 615 Main Street, Lillooet, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed statutory holidays.)
- Phone: District office, 250-256-4289

## Key facts

- **Who needs one:** Anyone carrying on a business in the District, including home-based businesses and those providing services within the District. Each store, branch or place of business needs its own licence, and licences are not transferable to another owner or location.
  - Source: [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, s. 4](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/)
  - Official wording: "carry on a business within the municipality unless he or she is the holder of a valid and subsisting license issued to him or her under this bylaw by the License Inspector;"
  - Source: [Business Licensing](https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "All businesses located in, or providing services within, District boundaries, including home-based businesses, require a Business Licence issued by the District." … "Business licences are not transferable to another owner or location." … "If a business operates more than one store, branch, premises, unit or place of business, a separate licence is needed for each place of business."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** Application fee $35 (new licence); annual licence fee $150 for most businesses. Re-application of an expired licence: $25 (same location) or $35 (new location). Transfer to a new location $35. Extra fire or building inspection $100 each.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, Schedule 5](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/102362/)
  - Official wording: "New Business License $35.00" … "Standard License Fee $150.00" … "Fire Inspection $100.00" … "Building Inspection $100.00" … "Transfer of Existing License to New Location $35.00"
  - Source: [Business Licensing, General Information](https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "The business licence application fee is $35 and the annual licence fee for most businesses is $150."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to apply:** Fill in the District's Business Licence application form and deliver it to the Licence Inspector with the fees and any required approvals. The District checks that the property meets the Zoning Bylaw. First inspection is included; a building or fire inspection is standard for areas used by the public.
  - Source: [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, ss. 4(2), 5](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/)
  - Official wording: "carry on a business within the municipality without approval from the License Inspector or Corporate Officer confirming that the property on which the business is located or operated from, meets all applicable regulations of the District of Lillooet Zoning Bylaw" … "accompanied by all approvals, as deemed necessary by the License Inspector;" … "delivered to the License Inspector."
  - Source: [Business Licensing, Short Term Rental Information](https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "Having a building/fire inspection is a standard part of getting a business licence for areas to be used by the public."
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, Schedule 5, s. 3.0](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/102362/)
  - Official wording: "1 Standard License Fee $150.00 3.0 Inspection Fees 1 First Inspection Included 2 Additional Inspection .1 Fire Inspection $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Renewal:** Licences run January 1 to December 31 and renew every year. A renewal completed by March 1 counts as a renewal; from March 2 it is treated as a new application with the new-application fee.
  - Source: [Business Licensing, General Information](https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "Business licences are valid from January 1—December 31 and need to be renewed annually. Businesses have until March 1 to renew a valid licence from the previous year."
  - Source: [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, ss. 8-9](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/)
  - Official wording: "Business licenses renewed on or after March 2nd of the year in which the license is valid shall be considered new applications"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Inter-community licence:** Yes. $75, separate from and additional to the standard licence, for mobile businesses working in more than one participating community; you need a valid Lillooet licence first. The 2021 bylaw lists Kamloops, Merritt, Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc, Barriere, Chase, Logan Lake and Lillooet; the District's page also lists Clearwater. Excluded: taxis, escort, body-rub, mobile food vendors, fruit stands, flea markets, trade shows, cannabis sales. (Sources differ: The bylaw (current to Nov. 2, 2021) lists seven participating governments; the District's web page also lists the District of Clearwater. The web page calls it the Thompson-Nicola Inter-Community Business Licence program.)
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, s. 4.1-4.2](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/88181/)
  - Official wording: "The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is $75" … "is separate and additional to any Business Licence fee that may be required."
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, Participating Government](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/88181/)
  - Official wording: "City of Kamloops City of Merritt Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc District of Barriere Village of Chase District of Logan Lake District of Lillooet"
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, s. 3.2](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/88181/)
  - Official wording: "the applicant has a valid Business Licence issued by that Participating Government"
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, Schedule A](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/88181/)
  - Official wording: "in the bylaw: 1. Social escort services. 2. Vehicles for hire (for example, taxis, limousines, or buses)." … "4. Mobile food vendors, fruit stands, flea markets, trade shows or other similar Businesses. 5. Cannabis related businesses (a business which involves the sale of cannabis). 10"
  - Source: [Business Licensing, Inter-Community Business Licence](https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "Partnering communities currently include:" … "District of Clearwater"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice for no business licence: a fine equal to double the licence fee (15-30 days), reduced by 50% (1-14 days), or triple the fee (31-60 days). Operating in contravention of a licence: $100 ($50 within 1-14 days; $200 at 31-60 days). Court conviction: $100 to $10,000.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, Schedule 5 Business Licence Penalties](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/96235/)
  - Official wording: "No business" … "Fine equal" … "reduced by" … "license fee*" … "Operating in 4 $100 $50 $200"
  - Source: [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, s. 71](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/)
  - Official wording: "be liable to a penalty of not less than $100.00 (one hundred dollars) nor more than $10,000.00 (ten thousand dollars), as provided under the Offence Act."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Business License and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272 (current to May 7, 2025); fees in Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, Schedule 5; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024.
  - Source: [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, Title](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/)
  - Official wording: "Business License and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272 Current to May 7, 2025"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, Schedule 5](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/102362/)
  - Official wording: "SCHEDULE 5 Bylaw Business License Fees 2021-003 (2023-003) See the Following Bylaws Business License and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272"
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, Title](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/88181/)
  - Official wording: "INTER-COMMUNITY BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 2021-024"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 272](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/), anyone carrying on a business in the District needs a licence. That includes home-based businesses and those providing services within the District. Each store, branch or place of business needs its own licence, and licences are not transferable to another owner or location. Fees are in Schedule 5 of the [Fees and Charges Bylaw](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/102362/).

## Steps

1. Fill in the District's Business Licence application form (linked from the business licensing page).
2. Deliver it to the Licence Inspector with the fees and any required approvals. The District checks that the property meets the Zoning Bylaw.
3. Renew every year. A renewal completed by March 1 counts as a renewal; from March 2 it is treated as a new application with the new-application fee.

## Good to know

- Licences run January 1 to December 31.
- Inter-community licence: $75, separate from and in addition to your standard licence, for mobile businesses working in more than one participating community. You need a valid Lillooet licence first. Taxis, escort, body-rub, mobile food vendors, fruit stands, flea markets, trade shows and cannabis sales are excluded.
- The bylaw lists Kamloops, Merritt, Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc, Barriere, Chase, Logan Lake and Lillooet. The District's page also lists Clearwater, so confirm before you rely on it.
- Fines: for no licence, a bylaw notice of double the licence fee (15-30 days), reduced by 50% (1-14 days), or triple the fee (31-60 days). Operating in contravention of a licence is $100 ($50 within 1-14 days; $200 at 31-60 days). A court conviction is $100 to $10,000.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licensing, District of Lillooet](https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing)
- [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 272](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/)

## Related questions

- [Lillooet home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/home-based-business.md)
- [Lillooet short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/short-term-rental.md)
- [Lillooet zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/business-licence.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/business-licence.md)
- [Cache Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cache-creek/business-licence.md)
- [Logan Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/business-licence.md)
- [Lytton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lytton/business-licence.md)
- [Pemberton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/business-licence.md)
- [Whistler](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/business-licence.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, District of Lillooet](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/97850/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, District of Lillooet](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/102362/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, District of Lillooet](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/88181/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Business Licensing, District of Lillooet](https://www.lillooet.ca/business-licensing) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, District of Lillooet](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/96235/) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Lillooet. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/business-licence/_