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

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

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

**Short answer:** Yes. In Salmo anyone carrying on a business in the Village needs a Village business licence, one per premises. Fees are annual and set by category, for example $75 for retail and $60 for home- based. Apply at the Village Office; licences run January 1 to December 31.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Salmo, https://salmo.ca)  
**Cost:** Annual fee by category (Schedule A): retail $75; professional business $75; restaurant or cafe $75 (unlicensed) or $100 (licensed); home based $60; mobile vendor $250; financial institution $400; hotel, motel or lodging house $60 plus $10 a room; beer or wine sales $150; neighbourhood pub $300.  
**How long:** The Village says approvals usually take about two days; then pick up and pay.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 423 Davies Avenue, PO Box 1000, Salmo, BC V0G 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. daily and on statutory holidays).)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-357-9433
- Email: Village Office, info@salmo.ca

## Key facts

- **Who needs one:** Anyone carrying on a business in the Village (any trade, occupation, profession, commercial or industrial activity or undertaking for gain or profit) needs a Village business licence, unless exempted by provincial or federal law or by the bylaw. A business with more than one premises needs a licence for each.
  - Source: [Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, s. 2, 6.1, 6.3](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Business means engaging in a trade, occupation, profession, commercial or industrial activity or an undertaking of any kind for the purpose of gain or profit" … "any Person carrying on Business in the Village must first hold a valid and subsisting Business License issued by the Village."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** Annual fee by category (Schedule A): retail $75; professional business $75; restaurant or cafe $75 (unlicensed) or $100 (licensed); home based $60; mobile vendor $250; financial institution $400; hotel, motel or lodging house $60 plus $10 a room; beer or wine sales $150; neighbourhood pub $300.
  - Source: [Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, Schedule A](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf)
  - Official wording: "BUSINESS LICENSE FEES" … "Section 5 – General Service Establishments (Home Based) $60.00" … "Section 10 – Mobile Vendors $250.00" … "Section 1 – Financial Institutions – located in commercial premises $400.00"
  - Source: [Business Licenses, Business Licenses page](https://salmo.ca/services/business-licenses/)
  - Official wording: "The business license fee is an annual fee determined by the type of business operation."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to apply:** Complete the Business License Application (Village office or download) and submit it to the Village office. The License Inspector and Fire Chief approve it; the Public Health Inspector may inspect food, hairdressing or daycare businesses. Approvals usually take about two days; then pick up and pay. The licence must be posted at the business.
  - Source: [Business Licenses, Business Licenses page](https://salmo.ca/services/business-licenses/)
  - Official wording: "Applications are available at the Village Office or you can download the Business License Application below." … "All licenses are required to be approved by the License Inspector and the Fire Chief." … "The required approvals generally take about two days."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Renewal:** Licences run January 1 to December 31. Renew on or before February 1; a 10% penalty applies to licences unpaid by February 1. Renewal notices are sent in January to holders of valid licences.
  - Source: [Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, s. 9.1, 12.2; Schedule A](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf)
  - Official wording: "All Business License issued under this Bylaw shall be for an annual basis from January 1st through December 31st of any year" … "Every business shall renew their Business License on or before February 1st of the calendar year." … "A 10% penalty will be applied to business licenses unpaid by February first of the calendar year."
  - Source: [Business Licenses, Business Licenses page](https://salmo.ca/services/business-licenses/)
  - Official wording: "Renewal notices are sent out in January"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Inter-community licence:** Yes. An Inter-Community (mobile) Business Licence for businesses that go from client to client, such as trades, plumbers, electricians and cleaners, is valid in Castlegar, Creston, Grand Forks, Kaslo, Montrose, Nelson, Rossland, Salmo, Silverton and Slocan. Fee $100, in addition to the standard business licence fee.
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017, consolidated with #743, s. 2, 4](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/693-Consolidated-Inter-community-Business-Licence-with-Bylaw-743.pdf)
  - Official wording: "1. City of Castlegar 6. Village of Montrose 2. Town of Creston 7. City of Rossland 3. City of Grand Forks 8. Village of Salmo 4. Village of Kaslo 9. Village of Silverton 5. City of Nelson 10. Village of Slocan" … "The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is $100" … "The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is separate and additional to any Business Licence fee that may be required."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Operating without a licence: $100 (municipal ticket); with a suspended licence: $150; unlawful mobile vendor location: $100. On court conviction: $100 to $1,000 plus costs.
  - Source: [Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, Schedule C; s. 20.1](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Operating business with no license 6.1 $100.00" … "Operating business with suspended business license 13.5 $150.00" … "liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) and not more than one thousand dollars"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Salmo Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (as amended by Bylaws #668 and #733); Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017 (as amended by #743).
  - Source: [Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, Title](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Village of Salmo Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013."
  - Source: [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017, consolidated with #743, Title](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/693-Consolidated-Inter-community-Business-Licence-with-Bylaw-743.pdf)
  - Official wording: "INTER-COMMUNITY BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 693, 2017"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Anyone carrying on a business in the Village of Salmo (any trade, occupation, profession, commercial or industrial activity or undertaking for gain or profit) needs a Village licence under the [Business License Bylaw No. 645](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf), unless exempted by provincial or federal law or by the bylaw. A business with more than one premises needs a licence for each. Garage and yard sales at a home are exempt for a limited number of days a year.

## Steps

1. Complete the Business License Application (at the Village Office or download it from the Village's [Business Licenses page](https://salmo.ca/services/business-licenses/)) and submit it to the Village Office.
2. The License Inspector and Fire Chief approve it. The Public Health Inspector may inspect food, hairdressing or daycare businesses. The application checks zoning, noise and other bylaws. Approval usually takes about two days.
3. Pick up and pay, then post the licence at the business.
4. Renew on or before February 1. Renewal notices go out in January to holders of valid licences.

## Good to know

- Licences run January 1 to December 31. A 10% penalty applies to licences unpaid by February 1.
- **Mobile businesses** (trades, plumbers, electricians, cleaners and similar): an Inter-Community Business Licence is valid in Castlegar, Creston, Grand Forks, Kaslo, Montrose, Nelson, Rossland, Salmo, Silverton and Slocan. It costs $100 on top of the standard fee. Apply to the participating community where the business has a premises. See the [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/693-Consolidated-Inter-community-Business-Licence-with-Bylaw-743.pdf).
- **Fines:** operating without a licence is a $100 municipal ticket; with a suspended licence $150; unlawful mobile vendor location $100. On court conviction the fine is $100 to $1,000 plus costs.
- The Village posts both bylaws as consolidations for convenience only, not as the official version.

## Official forms and pages

- [Business Licenses, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/business-licenses/)
- [Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf)
- [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017, consolidated with #743 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/693-Consolidated-Inter-community-Business-Licence-with-Bylaw-743.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/business-licence.md)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/business-licence.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/business-licence.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/business-licence.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/business-licence.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/business-licence.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/business-licence.md)

## Sources

- [Business Licenses, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/business-licenses/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/645-Consolidated-Business-License-Bylaw-with-688-and-733-2021.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017, consolidated with #743 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/693-Consolidated-Inter-community-Business-Licence-with-Bylaw-743.pdf) (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 Village of Salmo. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/business-licence/_