How to Get a Liquor Licence in Ontario
How to get a liquor licence in Ontario: AGCO fees, the iAGCO application, the municipal form, agency letters, and renewal.
How to Get a Business Licence in Toronto
Toronto business licences: which businesses need one, how to find your category, the online and in-person application, zoning, and renewal.
Applies in: Ontario
Toronto does not issue one general business licence that covers every business. The City licenses by category under Chapter 545 of the Toronto Municipal Code, and each category has its own page, its own document list, and its own fees. This guide explains the system and the application route, using the City's published Plumbing Contractor licence as the worked example. It covers the City of Toronto only: a business licence from Toronto does not cover you in another municipality, and provincial registration is a separate step.
Step 1: Find your licence category
Start by finding whether your business falls into a licensed category at all. Toronto licenses restaurants and drinking establishments, take-out and retail food stores, renovation contractors, plumbing and heating contractors, personal-service businesses such as hair, nails, and tattoo settings, driving schools, public garages, taxis and limousines, and many more. The City publishes a licence finder tool to help businesses work out which licence or licences fit their operations, and each category has its own page on toronto.ca. If your business type appears in none of the categories, it may be one of the activities Toronto does not licence municipally. A licence covers operating: who you are, what the business does, and where it does it. Building permits, signs, and patios on public property are separate permits handled by other divisions.
Step 2: Gather the documents for your category
Each category page lists its application requirements. The standard package includes identification, corporate documents such as a provincial business name registration or franchise agreement declaration, and proof of the premises. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, and sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations can all apply. Read your category's page in full before you start the application, because the City will not start an application until all required documents are provided. For food businesses, Toronto Public Health inspects the premises under the DineSafe program, and for businesses serving alcohol, the provincial liquor licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario runs in parallel.
Step 3: Apply online or in person
You can apply for new business licences or permits online or in person. The online application takes 10 to 15 minutes and cannot be saved, so have all required documents ready to upload before you start. Download the City's step-by-step guide on how to submit a new application before you begin, and pay the licence application fees online or by sending a cheque. In person, services are available at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor. Walk-in services are available for new applications Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and you can also book an appointment and arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to check in. You must bring hard copies of all application requirements, and digital copies of documents will not be accepted. Payment in person can only be made by debit, credit, or cheque; cash will not be accepted.
Step 4: Pay the application fee and pass the screening criteria
The application fee is non-refundable and is required upon submittal of a complete application, and the licence fee is due upon approval of the application. Each category sets its own fees. For a Plumbing Contractor licence, the application fee is $234.62, the licence fee is $260.50, and the total is $495.12. Municipal Licensing & Standards applies screening criteria to every application and renewal: it will deny an application for a business whose record includes convictions for the sexual offences, violent offences, fraud, terrorism, and drug offences listed on the category page, five or more offences under Chapter 545 or 546 of the Toronto Municipal Code in the preceding three years, or any overdue by-law fines unless proof is provided that the fines have since been paid. These screening criteria do not apply to an offence for which a record suspension has been granted by the Parole Board of Canada.
Step 5: Pass the zoning approval
Zoning approval is required for the majority of new business licence applications. When zoning approval is required, City staff will initiate the approval process after the application is received. Zoning approval is not required if you are taking over an existing business that has a valid business licence, or had a valid business licence that expired less than three years prior to the time of new application, for the same licence category. When zoning approval is not required, you must complete and sign the Occupancy Declaration Form. Do not sign a lease or fit out premises on the assumption that zoning will pass: confirm the zoning position for your address before you spend on the fit-out.
Step 6: Renew every year on the anniversary
Your licence will expire annually on the anniversary of the date that the licence was first issued, and the expiry date is written on your licence for your reference. A courtesy notice will be mailed to your mailing address on file identifying any documents required to renew the licence, but as a licensee you are responsible for ensuring that your business licence is valid while operating. If you have not received your renewal notice and your licence is about to expire, contact ML&S at mlsbusinesslicence@toronto.ca. Existing licensees must renew their licences online or in person, and renewal fees can be paid in person, online, or by sending a cheque. If you fail to renew your licence according to the by-law, your licence will be cancelled and you will have to reapply. For a Plumbing Contractor licence, the renewal fee is $293.14.
Figures the opened City of Toronto pages do not state
The opened City page states the Plumbing Contractor fees, the application and renewal routes, the zoning rule, the screening criteria, and the annual expiry set out above. It does not state the fees for other licence categories, a processing time for any application, or the full document list for categories other than the one opened. Those figures were cut from this guide rather than filled in from another source. Check the fee and the document list on your own category's page on toronto.ca, or email mlsbusinesslicence@toronto.ca, before you apply.
Related guides:
- How to get a business licence in Richmond, BC: Richmond's business licence process, which runs under BC rules rather than Toronto's Chapter 545 system.
- Do freelancers need a business licence in Canada?: when a freelancer's work triggers a municipal licence and when it does not.
- How to get a building permit in Toronto: the City of Toronto's building permit process, which is separate from the business licence and covers the work on the premises.
The Toronto business licence path
- Find your licence categoryToronto licenses by category under Chapter 545, and each category has its own page, documents, and fees
- Gather the documents for your categoryIdentification, corporate documents, and proof of premises, with the full list on your category's page
- Apply online or in personThe online application takes 10 to 15 minutes and cannot be saved, or apply in person at 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor
- Pay the application feeThe application fee is non-refundable and is due when you submit a complete application
- Pass the zoning approvalZoning approval is required for most new business licence applications, and City staff start it after your application is received
- Renew every yearThe licence expires annually on the anniversary of the date it was first issued
Questions people ask
Does every business in Toronto need a City business licence?
No. Toronto licenses businesses by category under Chapter 545 of the Toronto Municipal Code, and not every business falls into a licensed category. Restaurants and drinking establishments, renovation contractors, plumbing and heating contractors, personal-service businesses, driving schools, and public garages are among the categories the City licenses. Retail stores selling only new non-food goods are the classic example of a business that generally does not need a municipal operating licence. Use the City's licence finder to check your category.
Who issues business licences in Toronto?
Municipal Licensing & Standards, known as ML&S, administers business licensing under Chapter 545 of the Toronto Municipal Code. The same division inspects premises, investigates complaints, and enforces licence conditions. Other City divisions handle building permits and right-of-way permits, which are separate from the business licence.
How do I apply for a business licence in Toronto?
Apply online or in person. The online application takes 10 to 15 minutes and cannot be saved, so have all required documents ready to upload before you start. Licence application fees can be paid online or by sending a cheque. In person, services are available at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for walk-ins, and you must bring hard copies of all requirements, because applications will not be started unless all requirements are provided and digital copies are not accepted.
What does a Toronto business licence cost?
Each category sets its own application fee and licence fee in the City's licensing fee schedule, so there is no single price. As an example, a Plumbing Contractor licence carries an application fee of $234.62 and a licence fee of $260.50, for a total of $495.12, with a renewal fee of $293.14. The application fee is non-refundable and is due when you submit a complete application, and the licence fee is due when the application is approved. Check the fee on your own category's page before you apply.
Do I need zoning approval for a Toronto business licence?
Zoning approval is required for the majority of new business licence applications. When zoning approval is required, City staff will initiate the approval process after the application is received. Zoning approval is not required if you are taking over an existing business that has a valid business licence, or had one that expired less than three years before your application, for the same licence category. In that case you must complete and sign the Occupancy Declaration Form.
How long does a Toronto business licence last, and how do I renew it?
Your licence will expire annually on the anniversary of the date that the licence was first issued, and the expiry date is written on your licence. A courtesy notice is mailed to your mailing address on file identifying any documents required to renew. You are responsible for ensuring your business licence is valid while operating. Renew online or in person, and if you fail to renew according to the by-law, your licence will be cancelled and you will have to reapply.
Sources
- City of Toronto, Plumbing Contractor — who can apply, the online and in-person application routes, the office address and hours, the application and licence fees, the zoning approval rule, the screening criteria, the annual expiry, and the renewal fee.
- City of Toronto, Restaurants, Bars and Entertainment Establishments Business Licence Finder — the licence finder tool and the January 1, 2025 licence category names for eating, drinking, and entertainment businesses.