New Business Licence Application
For new businesses, please complete the fillable
Business Licence Application Form and contact the Licence Division at 604-276-4328 for the application fee which must be submitted with the completed form. The application forms have been provided to you in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and can be saved to your computer or viewed online.
- mail with a cheque payable to City of Richmond to, City of Richmond Business Licence Division, 6911 No. 3 Road, V6Y 2C1
- in person at Richmond City Hall, during regular business hours Monday to Friday 8:15am to 5:00pm
Note: City Hall is scheduled to re-open for business licence inquiries and payments on Mar 21, 2022
Application will not be processed without the Application Fee.
Business Licence Application Guide: How to Apply?
Appendix A is A Guide to the Business Licence Application Process and can answer some of the more frequently asked questions in the application process.
Doing Business in Richmond Basic Requirements English
Doing Business in Richmond Basic Requirements Simplified Chinese
Doing Business in Richmond Basic Requirements Traditional Chinese
Information on Operating as a Mobile Vendor in Richmond is also available.
For businesses operating from their residence/home
See Appendix B and ensure that you review and understand the regulations for operating a business in a residential district.
For businesses operating from commercial/industrial districts
Also complete Appendix C and submit with the completed business licence application form.
Please note applications cannot be processed unless the forms have been completed in full and all required registrations and/or tickets of qualifications and fees are submitted.
Payment Options
You may pay with cash, cheque, money order, Interac card, or credit card through the following options. For the applicable Business Licence fees, please refer to the Consolidated Fees Bylaw in the City Bylaws section (Chapter 5) of this website. The licence fee is an annual fee based on the calendar year from date when the licence is issued. No tax is required for the licence fee. Note: Due to COVID-19, cash is not accepted at this time.
- By Mail – mail your payment to Richmond City Hall, 6911 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2C1, attention Business Licence Division.
- In Person – bring your payment to Richmond City Hall, 6911 No. 3 Road, during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 8:15am to 5:00pm
Note: Due to COVID-19, City Hall is closed to the public for business licence inquiries and payments.
Timing
Our processing time for complete business licence applications (except for non-resident and home-based businesses) is about 4 to 6 weeks, provided that all requirements and approvals have been met.
The processing time varies depending on complexity of the requirements and required approvals. Required approvals include, but not limited to, Zoning, Building, Health, or/and Fire approvals. The processing time may take longer if your case is complex or if there are missing documents (e.g. professional certificate, dealership licence, payment, etc.).
Please refer to Appendix A: A Guide to the Business Licence Application Process for more information of business licence application process.