Apply for a Liquor Primary licence

Check requirements for the application and fees, including

• Development permit
• Business licensing
• Zoning
  • Your business must be zoned for liquor service before submitting your application

Start early and understand the process. Depending on your local government or Indigenous Nation's requirements, this step can add processing time. 

The applicant needs to submit documents based on their business type: 

• Personal History Summary form (281KB,PDF)
• Other documents outlined in the above form, such as:
  • Police information check (criminal record check)
  • Canadian criminal record and judicial matters check
  • Statutory Declaration
  • Driver's Abstract

The business types include:

• Sole proprietorship
• Private corporation
• Partnership
• Public corporation
• Society or non-profit corporation
• Golf courses
• Vessels
• Other applicant types

Check below to see what's required for your business type.

Your Letter of Intent is your chance to customize your licence. Find detailed instructions of writing your letter in the Liquor Primary Application Guide (PDF, 379KB)

You can request the following options in your letter of intent:

• Catering endorsement
• Event driven 
• Hawking at stadiums
• Allowing minors
• Minors in recreation facility
• Off-premises sales (brew pub) endorsement
• Off-premises sales endorsement
• Temporary Use Area (TUA)
  • For golf courses and ski hills only

Your application must include

• A floor plan, including
  • Labels for each room
  • Washrooms
  • Liquor service bar(s)
  • Location of patio(s)
  • Dance floor
  • Entrances, stairs
  • Stage
  • Sound or DJ booth
  • Any partial walls, planters
  • Stamp of occupant load
    • From your local government
• Sample sign
  • With the name and logo of bar
• Site map with the
  • Location
  • All features
  • Parking
  • Road access

You will need

• Required business documents
• Personal History form(s)
• Letter of Intent
• Two copies of the floor plan of establishment
• Proposed signage
• Site map with
• Payment

As part of the Personal History Summary, attach the following documents, if required:

• Police information check (criminal record check)
• Canadian criminal record and judicial matters check
• Statutory declaration
• Driver's abstract

The local government or Indigenous Nation you identified in your online application will be notified to review your application once you have completed your portion and submitted it online.

The local government or Indigenous Nation will review the application through the liquor and cannabis licensing portal and complete their portion of the licensing process.

You will receive an email notification to log into the liquor and cannabis licensing portal once this process is complete.

This step may not be required for all.

If your local government or Indigenous Nation provides comment, they will arrange consultation with the community.

If not, you must post site signs and ads in the newspaper for 30 days to invite community comments. Responses will be accepted for one week. You will have to address any concerns with your local government or Indigenous Nation and/or the LCRB.

This process will take approximately 45 days.

The Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) reviews your application. If everything is in order they offer an Approval in Principle.

When you are ready to open, contact your local liquor inspector to schedule a final inspection.

If the inspection goes well, you may pay a prorated annual licence fee, and your Liquor Primary licence will be issued.