Apply for a fur trader licence

Ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements prior to applying:

• Applicant must be a person who is a citizen of Canada or a permanent resident of Canada  (i.e. a landed immigrant) and at least 19 years of age. A separate fur trader licence must be applied for, for each established place of business in B.C.
• Reporting requirements for previous year licence must have been met. For each calendar month, make a full and complete return on the form contained in Wildlife Act Commercial Activities Regulation Schedule 2.06 of all wildlife or wildlife parts that have been received during that calendar month for processing, manufacturing, curing, selling or trading
• In order to renew a fur trader licence, fur royalties from the previous licence must be paid in full

"Fur trader" means a person who is engaged in the business of buying, selling or trading in pelts or skins of fur bearing animals or other wildlife prescribed for the purpose of this definition, whether as principal, agent or employee, and whether the pelts or skins were obtained, taken or trapped by the fur trader or another person.

A fur trader licence is necessary in British Columbia to buy and sell furs. There are two types of fur trader licence:

• A resident fur trader licence is issued to a person who makes their permanent residence in the province of British Columbia and does their fur trading from that location
• A transient or non-resident fur trader licence is issued when the fur trader's permanent residence is outside of the province of British Columbia

For more information, see Trapping in B.C. and the Wildlife Act.

Costs

The cost includes GST, where applicable.

• Resident licence fee plus Habitat Conservation Trust Fund surcharge is $100
• Transient licence fee plus Habitat Conservation Trust Fund surcharge is $400

Application fees are payable at the time of application. Applications will not be processed until the fee has been paid. 

Fees can be paid online at the time of application, or at a FrontCounter BC location. See payment guidelines for more information.

• A royalty fee must be paid if pelt or skin will be sold. To not pay a fee is an offence. Fur royalty fees are variable depending on species

Other considerations for New Applicants

A fur trader must complete a monthly report on purchases and sales of furs for that month and submit it to FrontCounter BC. If you require blank report forms, please contact FrontCounter BC.

A fur trader must ensure royalties are paid on fur bearing animals purchases either by checking that the person selling the furs has paid the royalty or buying the royalty themselves.

The target time frame for decision on your permit is 30 days.*

*Processing time within the Northeast Region will be considerably longer as there is a required consultation process.

Your application will go through the following process before any decision is made:

1. Receiving the application
   Your application will be reviewed to ensure that it is complete. Your payment and documents will be entered into the appropriate systems. When necessary, you will be contacted for more information. 

   An application will not be accepted and processed until all required information as well as payment has been received.

2. Decision making
   A decision will be made on whether to issue a permit or not after a full review of your submission.

3. Issuance of permit
   If your application is approved, the permit will be issued and sent to you by FrontCounter BC. If your application is not approved, you will be notified. 

   NOTE: If you applied with a BCeID, you can use it to log in to the Manage your Natural Resource Applications webpage, where you can download your licence or permit if one has been issued.

Application enquiries

Read more about application processing and how to check the status of your application.