Manufacturing and Production - business licensing
Businesses that create a tangible product are required to obtain a City of Calgary licence as a manufacturer. No separate licence is required to sell the product that is being manufactured if it is sold on the licensed premises.
Businesses that do require a municipal licence:
Do
- Artists
- Countertop fabricators
- Factories
- Machine shops
- Metal shops
- Industrial design and testing
- Laboratories (non-medical)
- Manufacturing
- Pet food manufacturing
- Chemical manufacturing
- Foundries
- Floral arrangers
- Jewelers
- Machine shops
- Seamstresses and tailors
Businesses that do not require municipal licensing are:
Don't
- Denturists
- Web designers
To speed up the business licence approvals process, customers with a myID business account can receive a digital copy of their business licence via email. Customers applying for a new business licence or renewing an existing licence can use this service. To learn more about the benefits of a myID business account, please visit myID business account (calgary.ca).
Rules and regulations
Wastewater management
Businesses that produce or process stone, granite, rock and/or tile products must install a pre-treatment system to remove solids from wastewater. Businesses producing metal products must install a recovery or filtering system to remove shavings, grindings, and other harmful contaminants from wastewater.
All devices and systems must be cleaned regularly to prevent:
- clogged pipes
- sewer backups
- water treatment plant issues, and
- harmful particles from entering the sanitary system and environment.
For more information, review the Drainage Bylaw and the Wastewater Bylaw.
Manufacturing guns/ammunition
If your business is manufacturing guns and ammunition, contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) at 1-800-731-4000. The chief fire arms officer of Alberta requires proof that a municipal licence has been issued before providing a federal gun dealer's licence.
Gift baskets
A business that makes gift baskets requires a manufacturer licence. If alcohol is to be included in a gift basket, the business must be licensed by AGLC. If the liquor is only being delivered with the gift basket and not sold separately at the place of business, no city licence for alcohol beverage sales or liquor store is required.
Tailor/seamstress
If a business is manufacturing clothing and supplying the material, then a manufacturer licence is required. If a customer is supplying the material, and a business only does alterations, no licence is required. A retail dealer licence is required if a business is also selling retail goods along with services.
Welding
A welding business from a home or garage needs consultation with a safety codes officer prior to applying for a home occupation permit or business licence. If there is installation services, a contractor licence type is required.
Fees
For business licence fees, see the Business Licence Fee Schedule. The business licence fee schedule is broken down by licence type. If your business requires multiple licence types, the highest category fee will be charged.
These fees do not include:
- the costs related to required permits to meet land use approval
- any third-party approvals/inspections that may be required to obtain your licence.
- Business Activities
- Location of Business
- Fee payment at the time of application*
- Ownership
- Name of Business
- Contact information for the business and owner
- If you are applying online, a myID account
- Two pieces of government issued identification
Additional information
Obtaining your business licence
A business license will be issued when all outstanding approvals are complete. If you wish to inquire about the status of your licence, please contact the Planning Call Centre at 403-268-5311.
The authorized business licence will be sent to the applicant in the mail. Or if requested, can be held at our permit pick-up counter. When a commercial business is operational, the physical copy of your business licence must be posted in a highly visible location where the public can easily see it.
If you intend to make any changes to your business after receiving your licence, please visit Manage your business for more information.
How long is my licence good for?
Business licences expire one year from the issuance date. Forty-five days before the licence expires, a notice is mailed out advising the licensee of the expiry date. Any outstanding fines must be paid prior to renewal.
Business ownership changes
A business licence or business ID is not transferable from one person to another or from one person's business premises to another.
Multiple premises
A business operating from more than one location requires a separate business licence for each premises.
Licence type combinations
To ensure the proper approvals are generated for a business, multiple licence types may be attached to a single business licence. For example, a cabinet maker would require a manufacturer licence type; if the business is also installing the cabinets, a contractor licence type is required. Both licence types will appear on the same business licence document and only one renewal will be required.
Charitable organization
All charitable organizations must be associated with another licenced business activity. Approval must be granted by the province before applying for a municipal licence.
Businesses not eligible for a charity status:
- Alcohol beverage sales
- Tobacco retailer
All fundraising activity is governed by the charitable fundraising act. Charitable organizations that are only fundraising should contact Service Alberta, Consumer Services at 1-780-427-4088 or 1-877-427-4088.
All applicants for this licence type should first consult with the province about eligibility for this designation and register their business, prior to applying for a municipal business licence. Contact Service Alberta at 1-780-427-4088 (or toll free in Alberta only at 1-877-427-4088) for more information.
You will be contacted by a file manager to review your application and provide you with next steps.
Required
| Licence type | Land use | Police | Fire | AHS / Health | Provincial | AMVIC | ID card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | |||||||
| Food service - premises | |||||||
| Contractor | |||||||
| Wholesaler | |||||||
| Furniture refinishing | |||||||
| Secondhand dealer |
If your business requires multiple licence types, approval processes are only generated once per licence. For example, only one fire inspection is required even if multiple licence types require that inspection.
Land use approval
All businesses in Calgary require land use approval. Each space in a building has its own specified, approved use that cannot be changed without an approval, permit or both.
To view the allowable uses within a land use district, refer to the Land Use Bylaw. To determine the land use district of a property, visit myProperty.
You can also refer to Commercial, industrial and mulit-residential for more information. Or, contact our Planning Services Centre at 403-268-5311 to investigate land use approval for your business.
Calgary Police Services approval
This licence type requires recommendation and completion by the Calgary Police Service through the Police Information Checks unit. Approval is initiated on your behalf through your business licence application. Please note that previous police checks cannot be used as a substitute for this approval process.
You are required to provide two pieces of valid, government issued ID, one of which must contain photo ID.
You can show your ID:
- In person at the Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor
800 Macleod Trail S.E.
Calgary, AB
- By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca
- By fax: 403-537-3034
Please reference your Business ID (BID) in the email or fax.
Please note: for licenses requiring a statutory declaration or a City-issued ID card, proof of identification must be shown in person.
This approval generally takes about two weeks.
Acceptable forms of government issued photo identification include:
- driver’s license
- passport
- Alberta photo identification card (issued through registry offices)
- firearms license
- Nexus card
- permanent resident card
- Secure Certificate of Indian Status card (federally issued)
- aviation document booklet
- certified refugee protection claimant document
(For youth between the ages of 12 to 15 years old who cannot provide any of the listed photo identification options, a student photo ID will be considered).
Acceptable forms of government issued identification include:
- provincial health care card
- birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- immigration documentation (includes valid document issued by Immigration and Citizenship Canada)
- citizenship card
- citizenship certificate
Fire Prevention Bureau approval
Alberta Health Services (AHS) approval
An Alberta Health Services (AHS) location inspection is required to ensure public safety. Any business involving the sale, preparation, manufacturing or storage of food products requires this inspection. Any business involved in personal service such as aesthetics or massage is also required to have this inspection. Contact AHS at 1-833-476-4743 for more information and to book a date.
Inspection results can be submitted:
- In person at the Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor, Municipal building, 800 Macleod Trail S.E. - By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca
If AHS advised you that your business type does not require a health inspection, please forward the email confirmation as proof to The City’s Planning Services Centre.
Please be aware of all current provincial public health restrictions for in-person dining.
| Business Licence approval type | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Alberta Health Services | Contact AHS at 403-943-2288 for timelines |
Provincial licensing approval
Certain business activities require provincial licensing in addition to your municipal business license. These activities have been identified as licence types on the chart above (see required approvals chart).
Contact Service Alberta at 1-780-427-4088 (or toll free in Alberta only at 1-877-427-4088) and provide details of the licence types you are currently applying for with The City of Calgary. Service Alberta will direct you to the appropriate provincial contact which will provide further direction in regard to fulfilling the provincial licensing requirements necessary for obtaining your municipal business licence.
Provincial licenses must be submitted to The City’s licence division to obtain the municipal license.
You can present your provincial licence:
- In person at the Planning Services Centre:
3rd floor
800 Macleod Trail S.E.
Calgary, AB
- By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca
- By fax: 403-537-3034