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

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

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

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.

Key facts

Who needs oneAnyone 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.Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, s. 2, 6.1, 6.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
FeeAnnual 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.Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, Schedule A; Business Licenses, Business Licenses page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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
The business license fee is an annual fee determined by the type of business operation.
How to applyComplete 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.Business Licenses, Business Licenses page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
RenewalLicences 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.Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, s. 9.1, 12.2; Schedule A; Business Licenses, Business Licenses page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
Renewal notices are sent out in January
Inter-community licenceYes. 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.Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017, consolidated with #743, s. 2, 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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.
FineOperating 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.Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, Schedule C; s. 20.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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
BylawVillage 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).Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733, Title; Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017, consolidated with #743, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Village of Salmo Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013.
INTER-COMMUNITY BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW NO. 693, 2017

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, 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) 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.
  • 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

The same question in other places

Fruitvale · Castlegar · Nelson · Trail · Warfield · Rossland

Business licence fees in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Business Licenses, Village of Salmo (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Business License Bylaw No. 645, 2013, consolidated with #688 and #733 (PDF), Village of Salmo (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw No. 693, 2017, consolidated with #743 (PDF), Village of Salmo (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. How answers are checked.