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

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

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

**Short answer:** Yes. Anyone doing business in the Village of McBride needs a business licence, including businesses based elsewhere that operate in the Village, seasonal businesses and home-based businesses. Fees are commercial $125, general contractor $125 and home business $75. A garage sale does not need one.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of McBride, https://mcbride.ca)  
**Cost:** Commercial $125, general contractor $125, home business $75 (Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026). The Village web page still shows the older amounts.  
**How long:** A licence is valid for a calendar year (or from purchase to Dec. 31). Renewal fees are due by February 28.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 100 Robson Centre, 855 SW Frontage Rd., McBride, BC V0J 2E0 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed statutory holidays)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-569-2229

## Key facts

- **Who needs one:** Anyone doing business within the Village, including businesses based outside McBride that operate there, seasonal businesses and home-based businesses. A garage sale does not need a licence.
  - Source: [Business Licensing, Business Licensing page](https://mcbride.ca/business-and-development/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "A Business Licence is required for anyone conducting business within McBride's municipal boundaries."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014, s. 4.1, 4.4.1](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/)
  - Official wording: "No persons shall carry on Business within the Village unless that person has obtained and holds" … "4.4.1 A garage sale"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** Under Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026: commercial $125, general contractor $125, home business $75. The Village web page still shows the older Bylaw 805 amounts (commercial $100, home business $50). (Sources differ: Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026 (adopted Nov. 1, 2026) repeals Bylaw 805, 2022; the Village web pages still cite Bylaw 805. Bylaw 847 also lists farmers market, mobile vendor, one-time mobile vendor, carnival and transfer fees, but the text is garbled so they are not given. Bylaw 805: commercial $100, farmer's market $100, contractor $100, mobile vendor $100, carnival $250, one-time $25, transfer $20, application fee $0.)
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026, Schedule J, 1.1](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/48786/)
  - Official wording: "1.1 Business Licence Fees , !.i.§éiihe . . . Commercial $125.00 ~ Farmers market $75000 -- '''''" … "Commercial $125.00 ~ Farmers market $75000 -- ''''' General contractor $125.00 - M ~-~ Home business $75.00 n"" … "-- ''''' General contractor $125.00 - M ~-~ Home business $75.00 n" Carnlvalmw # __-_. $300.00"
  - Source: [Business Licensing, Business Licensing page / Business licence categories, commercial and home business](https://mcbride.ca/business-and-development/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "Business Licence Most Common Fees are outlined in Schedule J of the Village of McBride Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 805 as follows:" … "| Fee | Commercial | $100 | Farmer's Market | $100" … "| $250 | Home Business | $50 | Licence Transfer/Assignment Fee"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to apply:** Complete the Business Licence Application Form and return it to the Village Office with any Northern Health permits. Staff check the Business Licence, Zoning and Sign bylaws, a fire inspection and, if altered, a building inspection. The web page says pay after approval; Bylaw 752 s. 5.2 says fees are due with the application.
  - Source: [Business Licensing, Business Licensing page](https://mcbride.ca/business-and-development/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "Submission of a completed Business Licence Application Form and all required permits." … "Village of McBride Zoning Bylaw No. 703" … "Once approved, the applicant will be contacted to attend the office to pay for the Business Licence and will leave with the licence to post in the place of business"
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014, s. 5.2](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/)
  - Official wording: "are payable to the Village at the time of application submission. Review of the application may only proceed when fees have been paid in full."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Renewal:** A licence is valid for a calendar year (or from purchase to Dec. 31). Renew in January each year; the bylaw says renewal fees are due by February 28.
  - Source: [Business Licensing, Business Licensing page](https://mcbride.ca/business-and-development/business-licensing)
  - Official wording: "Business Licences are valid for a calendar year, from the date of purchase to December 31, of that year." … "Active Business Licences are to be renewed in January of each year."
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014, s. 13.5](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/)
  - Official wording: "All fees for renewing a licence are due by February 28th of each year"
  - 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:** No ticket amount listed. On summary conviction the fine is $2,000 to $10,000 plus prosecution costs; each day is a separate offence.
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014, s. 14.1.1, 14.2.1](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall carry on a business for which a Licence is required pursuant to this bylaw" … "to a fine not less than two thousand ( $2,000.00) and not exceeding ten thousand ($10,000.00)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of McBride Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014 (consolidated November 2023). Fees: Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026, Schedule J.
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014, s. 1.1](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the “Village of McBride Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014”"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026, Section 4](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/48786/)
  - Official wording: "Schedule "I" Business Licence Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Village of McBride requires a licence for anyone doing business within the Village under [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/) (consolidated November 2023). That includes businesses based outside McBride that operate there, seasonal businesses and home-based businesses. A garage sale does not need a licence.

Fees are in Schedule J of [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/48786/): commercial $125, general contractor $125, home business $75.

## Steps

1. Complete the Business Licence Application Form from the Village's [Business Licensing page](https://mcbride.ca/business-and-development/business-licensing).
2. Return it to the Village Office with any Northern Health permits.
3. Staff check the Business Licence, Zoning and Sign bylaws, a fire inspection and, if the premises are altered, a building inspection.
4. Renew each January.

## Good to know

- The Village web page still shows the older Bylaw 805 amounts (commercial $100, home business $50). The new bylaw repeals it, but confirm the amount with the Village.
- The web page says to pay after approval; the bylaw (s. 5.2) says fees are due with the application. Ask staff which applies.
- No ticket amount is listed. On summary conviction the fine is $2,000 to $10,000 plus prosecution costs; each day is a separate offence.
- No inter-community business licence is mentioned in the bylaws or on the page.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licensing, Village of McBride](https://mcbride.ca/business-and-development/business-licensing)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014 (PDF), Village of McBride](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026 (PDF), Village of McBride](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/48786/)
- [Bylaw library, Village of McBride](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/108/)

## Related questions

- [McBride home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/home-based-business.md)
- [McBride building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/building-permit.md)
- [McBride zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/business-licence.md)
- [Valemount](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/business-licence.md)
- [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/business-licence.md)
- [Williams Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/business-licence.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/business-licence.md)
- [Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/business-licence.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/business-licence.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licensing, Village of McBride](https://mcbride.ca/business-and-development/business-licensing) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Business Licence Bylaw No. 752, 2014 (PDF), Village of McBride](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/3546/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 847, 2026 (PDF), Village of McBride](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/document/48786/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw library, Village of McBride](https://mcbride.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/108/) (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 Village of McBride. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/business-licence/_