Apply, Renew & Pay for a Business Licence

The application and renewal process for a business licence is:

1. Complete a Business Licence Application and either email to gateway@cnv.org or stop by City Hall and place in one of our exterior drop boxes (note: new business accounts that are completing an application are subject to a $50 Application Fee).
2. Once the application has been processed, the application will be reviewed internally.
3. As part of the review, the file may be reviewed by the Planning Department to determine if the proposed business use is permitted at the address.
4. The business may be requested to complete inspections which may include Building, Electrical, Plumbing/Gas and Fire Inspection and, if appropriate, Vancouver Coastal Health Inspection.
5. If all inspections pass, you will be given a Business Licence invoice.
6. Once payment has been completed you will receive your Business Licence.

Business Type

The type of business you operate will determine the application process.

Home Office

A business qualifies as a home office if it meets these criteria:

• Located at their residence in the City of North Vancouver
• No staff on the premises
• No sale or retail
• Using only standard office equipment

Complete the Application or renewal for a Home Office Business License form. If the applicant is not the business owner, please complete the Authorization Letter for Representative form and include it with your Business Licence Application. 

All Other Businesses

All other businesses use the Business Licence Application Form to apply for or review a Business Licence. If the applicant is not the business owner, please complete the Authorization Letter for Representative form and include it with your Business Licence Application.

Business categories include:

• Home Occupation - operating from a home (but not qualifying as a home office), accepting clients into the home, staff operating on the premise
• Resident Business - business operating at a commercial location
• Non-Resident Business - contractors from a different municipality doing business within the City of North Vancouver
• Food Trucks - Food Trucks have additional criteria which apply to their operation. Learn more at Food Trucks & Mobile Food Cart Guidelines & Policy. 
  
  

Pay & Renew Online

You can pay and renew online using CityServe, our online service centre. CityServe also allows you to check the status of your application.

In order to pay or renew you'll need to log into your account or create one. We recommend that businesses create CityServe accounts using a generic email address (e.g. info@..., accounting@..., etc.) to easily manage and control access to their CityServe account as staff change.

To proceed click the button below to launch CityServe. 

The information on this form is collected under the authority of "Business Licence Bylaw, 2018, No. 8640" and will be used only for the purposes related to this bylaw. Information printed on the issued licence is a public record. Other personal information identifying the applicant or owner(s) not printed on the licence is protected under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.