Apply for a Liquor Primary licence

Sole proprietorship

If the business is owned in your personal name, you must include

• A Personal History Summary form
  • Documents specified in the form

Private corporation

A private corporation must include:

• Central Securities Register with class of shares, # of voting and non-voting per shareholder, date shares were issued/transferred/cancelled
• Directors and officers
  • Full name, position and date of appointment
• Names and birthdays of shareholders holding less than 10% voting shares
• Personal History forms for shareholders holding 10% or greater voting shares
• More info if a shareholder is private corp, public corp, society or partnership
  • ​Check the sections on this page

Partnership

If your business is a partnership between two or more owners, you must include: 

• Partnership agreement
• Personal History Summary forms for each partner
  • Documents specified in the form
• Additional information if a partner is a private corporation, public corporation, society, or partnership
  • Check the private corporation, public corporation, society, or partnership sections on this page to learn what additional information is required

Public corporation

If your company trades shares on the stock exchange, you must include: 

• A list of all current directors and officers
  • Their position and date of appointment
• Personal History Summary forms for all directors

Society

If your non-profit organization is registered under the B.C. Societies Act, you must include: 

• A list of all current directors and officers
  • Their position and date of appointment
• Personal History Summary forms for all directors
• The Certificate of Incorporation
  • Only if your organization does not have a business number

Other applicant types

If you are incorporated under federal or provincial legislation, for example Indigenous Nations, local governments, colleges, or universities

• Contact the client support team 1-866-209-2111 for the required documents

Golf courses

In addition to the business type specific documents, to licence the club house and/or practice and playing areas, you must include a: 

• Description of how liquor will be served
  • For example, a kiosk or beverage cart
• Map of the golf course with
  • All holes
  • Driving range
  • Public roads or water features
  • Buildings
  • Proposed location of kiosk or beverage cart, if applicable
  • Location of existing service areas within clubhouse

Vessels

Vessels must include a: 

• Copy of the
  • Moorage contract (valid for at least 12 months) or proof of ownership for the moorage site
  • Captain and crew accreditation under the Canada Shipping Act
  • Vessel registration and current Transport Canada Inspection Certificate
• Floor plan for each deck of the vessel that shows
  • Public access areas
  • Kitchen and food service areas
  • Liquor service bar and washrooms
• Site map showing the
  • Moorage location
  • Berth number
  • Road access

Catering

This allows you to serve food and liquor at catered events off-site, away from your establishment. You must have a commercial kitchen and a food service permit from your local health authority.

There is no charge to apply with your initial Liquor Primary licence, but you must pay an annual licensing fee of $100.

Event driven

This allows liquor to be served only during an event, for example

• Live theatre
• Concert
• Movie
• Home show
• Wedding reception
• Private party

Event-driven licences are generally issued to concert halls, convention centres, theatres, arenas, stadiums, and rental halls.

Hawking

This allows licensed stadiums to have vendors that move around the the building.

• For example, hawkers

To apply, request this endorsement in your letter of intent. You need to specify if vendors will be in the stands and/or the concourse.

Allowing minors

If liquor service is not the primary focus of your business, you can specify why you should be allowing minors in your Letter of Intent.

If liquor service is the primary focus of your business, you can apply for a Family Food Service (FFS) endorsement. FFS allows minors, accompanied by a parent or guardian, in all liquor service areas until 10 PM when food is available. To apply for FFS, indicate in your application form.

There is no fee to apply for this endorsement with your initial liquor primary licence.

Minors in recreation facility

This allows unaccompanied minors in Liquor Primary and Liquor Primary club licensed areas located in a separate lounge area of a recreational facility. This can include a:

• Curling club,
• Bowling alley
• Golf course facility
• Stadium
  • Not including banquet rooms or multi-purpose rooms

There is no charge for this endorsement if applied for with the initial Liquor Primary licence.

Off-premises sales (brew pub) endorsement

This allows a licensee at a brewery to sell the brewery's products (e.g. filling growlers) from the service bar. The license must be at the same site and under the same ownership as the brewery.

You must pay an annual licensing fee of $100.

Off-premises sales endorsement

This allows you to sell packaged beer, wine, cider and coolers. You must be located at least 30 kilometres from any liquor retail outlet or another liquor primary establishment with off-premise sales.

There is no charge to apply with your initial Liquor Primary licence, but you must pay an annual licensing fee of $100.

Temporary Use Area (TUA)

This allows a licensee at a golf course or ski hill to hold up to 26 events per year in outdoor areas on the property.

To apply for this endorsement with your application through the liquor and cannabis licensing portal, and indicate you have done so in your letter of intent.