Every business operating or located in the City of Port Alberni requires a business licence.  The Business Licensing Bylaw regulates the operation of businesses within the City. 

A Business Licence application usually takes 15-45 working days to process.  Our goal is under 30 days, but may take longer depending on the nature of the business activity and the availability for an inspection. The Business Licence/Development Services Department will review your application, ensure it is complete, and forward it to the appropriate municipal departments and in some instances, other agencies for approvals. You can request the status of your application at any time during the process by calling 250-720-2835.

The majority of our licence fees are $132.00 per year for regular Retail & Service. Business Licence fees are as per Schedule A – Fee Schedule of the Business Licence Bylaw.  The fees vary depending on the nature of the business and they range from $132.00 to $2,500.00 per year.  The cost is reduced by 50% after July 1 and stays in effect for the remainder of the year.

The fee for an Inter-Community Business Licence is an additional $150.00 per year. The Inter-Community Business Licence allows businesses to conduct business in any of the 12 participating municipalities.

In Person at City Hall (Cash, cheque, money order, or debit)
Mail to City Hall (cheque or money order only)
Online through City of Port Alberni online payment and services
At most financial institutions in person or through an online or telephone banking service

City Hall
4850 Argyle Street
Port Alberni, BC  V9Y 1V8

Payment is due on January 1. Full payment must be received before your City of Port Alberni Business Licence will be issued. If unpaid by January 31, a 25% penalty will be added to the account and the account will be eligible to be sent to collections.

You will need to notify the City so that your business licence file can be closed. Failure to close file will result in an invoice being sent to you at renewal time.

Fill out a Business Licence application form with the business name change and bring into City Hall. There is no fee for a business name change.

We will contact you by telephone or email to inform you of why you have not been approved.  Most non-approvals are due to building, fire, or zoning non-compliance.  You can avoid any zoning issues by ensuring your property has the correct zoning for your type of business prior to applying for a business licence. Building and/or fire non-compliance may be given a list of the deficiencies during the inspection and what needs to be done to gain compliance.

Yes, but you must obtain a sign permit. The City of Port Alberni regulates the number, size, type, form, appearance, and location of signs with a sign bylaw tailored to various zones in the community. Click here for more information.

Yes, a business Licence is required by every business operating in the City of Port Alberni, whether mobile or stationary.

The City of Port Alberni requires certain businesses to have an inspection report and approval from Island Health in order to obtain a business licence.  This includes all food premises (all premises that will be storing, handling or serving food (including drinks), some personal service establishments (tattooing, piercing, micro-blading, permanent makeup, etc), and pools/hot tubs.  More information is available here.

Yes, as long as each one has a valid business licence and the zoning bylaw allows it.

If you’re not sure what licences or permits you need, check out BizPal for a checklist of permits available from federal, provincial, and municipal levels of government. This is not required for the City of Port Alberni business licensing, but may help you.

OneStop is offered by the Provincial government to consolidate some provincial and federal business registration requirements. To register your business on-line, go here. This is not required for the City of Port Alberni business licensing, but may help you.