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

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

Lillooet, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

Key facts

Who needs oneAnyone 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.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, s. 4; Business Licensing · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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;
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.
FeeApplication 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.Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, Schedule 5; Business Licensing, General Information · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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
The business licence application fee is $35 and the annual licence fee for most businesses is $150.
How to applyFill 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.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, ss. 4(2), 5; Business Licensing, Short Term Rental Information; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, Schedule 5, s. 3.0 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
Having a building/fire inspection is a standard part of getting a business licence for areas to be used by the public.
1 Standard License Fee $150.00 3.0 Inspection Fees 1 First Inspection Included 2 Additional Inspection .1 Fire Inspection $100.00
RenewalLicences 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.Business Licensing, General Information; Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, ss. 8-9 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
Business licenses renewed on or after March 2nd of the year in which the license is valid shall be considered new applications
Inter-community licenceYes. $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.Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, s. 4.1-4.2; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, Participating Government; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, s. 3.2; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, Schedule A; Business Licensing, Inter-Community Business Licence · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
City of Kamloops City of Merritt Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc District of Barriere Village of Chase District of Logan Lake District of Lillooet
the applicant has a valid Business Licence issued by that Participating Government
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
Partnering communities currently include:
District of Clearwater
FineBylaw 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.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, Schedule 5 Business Licence Penalties; Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, s. 71 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
No business
Fine equal
reduced by
license fee*
Operating in 4 $100 $50 $200
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.
BylawBusiness 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.Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, Title; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, Schedule 5; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Business License and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272 Current to May 7, 2025
SCHEDULE 5 Bylaw Business License Fees 2021-003 (2023-003) See the Following Bylaws Business License and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272
INTER-COMMUNITY BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 2021-024

How it works

Under the Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw No. 272, 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.

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

The same question in other places

Ashcroft · Cache Creek · Logan Lake · Lytton · Pemberton · Whistler

Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw 2006, No. 272, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2021-003, current to April 22, 2026, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 2021-024, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
  4. Business Licensing, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)
  5. Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, District of Lillooet (read 2026-11-08)

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