---
title: "Parksville business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply"
question: "Do I need a business licence in Parksville, and how do I get one?"
place: Parksville, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/parksville
category: Starting and running a business
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Parksville
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/business-licence/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/business-licence.json"
---

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

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

**Short answer:** Yes. The City of Parksville requires a business licence for every person carrying on or owning a business in the city, including home-based and non-resident businesses. Registered non-profit societies are exempt. Apply to the City and do not operate until approved; approval is generally three to five business days.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Parksville, https://www.parksville.ca)  
**Cost:** Annual fee by business type (Schedule A): $150 for a general business, retail under 1,000 m², restaurant, professional, contractor, service provision or day care; $75 for a home based business; $50 for a bed and breakfast or secondary suite. Reduced if you start late in the year.  
**How long:** Generally three to five business days (City brochure).  
**Where:**
- Email: Business licences, biz@parksville.ca
- Phone: Business licences, 250 954-4650
- In person: City Hall, 100 Jensen Avenue East, Parksville, BC

## Key facts

- **Who needs one:** Every person carrying on or owning any business in the City, including home-based businesses and non-resident businesses working in Parksville. Registered societies operating solely for non-profit purposes do not need one.
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated to 1550.3, PDF), s. 3(1), s. 3(13)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)
  - Official wording: "Every person following, practicing, carrying on, maintaining, or owning within the City, any business, shall take out and maintain a licence" … "a registered society or organization which in the opinion of the Licence Inspector is operating solely for non-profit purposes does not require a business licence to operate"
  - Source: [Business Licences, Business Licences page](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=48)
  - Official wording: "Should a business which is not located in Parksville wish to do business in Parksville, the business must obtain a City of Parksville business licence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fee:** Annual fee by type of business in Schedule A: $150 for general business, retail under 1,000 m², restaurant, professional, contractor, service provision or day care; $75 for home based business; $50 for bed and breakfast or secondary suite. Fee is reduced if you start late in the year.
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated to 1550.3, PDF), Schedule A, s. 3(9)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)
  - Official wording: "Professional Occupations $150" … "General Business not otherwise listed $150" … "Home Based Business $75" … "Bed & Breakfast $50" … "For any person who becomes liable to be licensed after the 1st day of April in any year"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to apply:** Submit the City's business licence application (online forms or at City Hall, 100 Jensen Avenue East) with the business details; do not operate until approved. It is sent for zoning, building inspection and fire approvals, and licences are generally approved in three to five business days. Pay by credit card, mail, dropbox or in person.
  - Source: [Business Licences brochure](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID48atID12295.pdf)
  - Official wording: "until your application is approved" … "Licences are generally approved within three to five business days" … "Once your application is submitted, it is forwarded for approvals, which may include; zoning, building inspection, and fire department"
  - Source: [Business Licences, Business Licences page](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=48)
  - Official wording: "Credit card (Visa or Mastercard) payments from the City" … "In-person at City Hall (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Renewal:** Licences are for the calendar year and expire December 31. Renewal fees are due by January 31; $50 a month late fee from February 1; licences not renewed by May 1 are suspended; fees not paid in full by June 1 mean cancellation.
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated to 1550.3, PDF), s. 3(6), 3(8), 15(1)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)
  - Official wording: "all licence renewal fees are due and payable by no later than January 31st in any year" … "shall expire on the 31st day of December next succeeding the date of issue of same" … "Any business that fails to obtain a renewal of a licence by February 1 each year shall pay an additional fee of fifty dollars ($50) per month" … "Any licences not renewed by May 1 each year will be suspended" … "Failure to remit all business licence fees in full by June 1 will result in immediate cancellation of the business licence."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Inter-community licence:** Yes. The inter-community business licence costs $170 a year and lets a mobile business (trades, cleaners, landscapers and similar) work in the other participating municipalities, including Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Duncan, Victoria and Campbell River, without separate licences. You must first hold a municipal business licence.
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw, 2025, No. 1600, s. 4(a), s. 3(a)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/8856)
  - Official wording: "The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is $170 and will be retained by the Participating Jurisdiction that issues the licence" … "may carry on Business within any Participating Jurisdiction"
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence, Inter-Community page](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=477)
  - Official wording: "City of Nanaimo" … "Town of Qualicum Beach" … "City of Campbell River"
  - Source: [Business Licence Application, Application form](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID477atID11058.pdf)
  - Official wording: "You must obtain a municipal business licence before applying for an Inter-Community Business Licence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $150 ($112.50 if paid within 14 days, $187.50 late). Municipal ticket: $150 (listed under the former Business Licence Bylaw 1483, replaced by 1550).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule A, Schedule A, Business Licence Bylaw 3(1); s. 5.1.2](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2814)
  - Official wording: "No Business Licence $150.00 $112.50 $187.50" … "If received by the Registry within 14 days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the notice"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1478, Appendix 2; s. 1](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1121)
  - Official wording: "No Business Licence 3(1) $150.00" … "The bylaws, as amended or replaced from time to time, listed in Column 1 of Schedule A"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated to include 1550.1, 1550.2 and 1550.3)
  - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated to 1550.3, PDF), s. 1](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)
  - Official wording: "Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550" … "Consolidated to include Bylaw No. 1550.1, 1550.2 and 1550.3"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the City of Parksville's [Business Licence Bylaw 1550](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815), every person carrying on or owning any business in the city needs a licence. That includes home-based businesses and non-resident businesses working in Parksville. Registered societies operating solely for non-profit purposes do not need one. You need a separate licence for each premises.

## Steps

1. Complete the City's Business Licence Application (online forms or at City Hall, 100 Jensen Avenue East) with your business details. Do not operate until approved.
2. The application is sent for zoning, building inspection and fire approvals. The Licence Inspector grants the licence once building, zoning, health and other requirements are met.
3. Pay by credit card, mail, dropbox or in person.
4. Renew each year. Licences are for the calendar year and expire December 31. Renewal fees are due by January 31.

## Good to know

- Late renewal: $50 a month late fee from February 1; a licence not renewed by May 1 is suspended; if fees are not paid in full by June 1, the licence is cancelled.
- Fee reductions apply if you start late in the year. There are no refunds. Larger or special businesses cost more (for example retail over 1,000 m² is $300, a bank $500, cannabis retail $1,000).
- Mobile businesses (trades, cleaners, landscapers and similar) can buy an inter-community business licence for $170 a year. It lets you work in other participating municipalities, including Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Duncan, Victoria and Campbell River, without separate licences. You must first hold a municipal business licence, and still need a separate licence for each premises.
- Operating without a licence: a bylaw notice is $150 ($112.50 if paid within 14 days, $187.50 late); a municipal ticket is $150. A court fine can be up to $10,000.
- Contact: biz@parksville.ca, 250 954-4650.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licence Application (PDF)](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID477atID11058.pdf)
- [Business Licences, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=48)
- [Business Licences brochure (PDF)](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID48atID12295.pdf)
- [Business Licence Bylaw 1550 (consolidated, PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815)

## Related questions

- [Parksville home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/home-based-business.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/business-licence.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/business-licence.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/business-licence.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/business-licence.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/business-licence.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/business-licence.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/business-licence.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 1550 (consolidated to 1550.3, PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2815) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licences, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=48) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licences brochure (PDF), City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID48atID12295.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw, 2025, No. 1600 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/8856) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Inter-Community Business Licence, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=477) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule A (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2814) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1478 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1121) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Business Licence Application, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID477atID11058.pdf) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Parksville. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/business-licence/_