Warehousing and Distribution - business guide
Businesses that direct, manage or coordinate the distribution and sale of goods, including food products, or who are engaged in warehousing or wholesale required to obtain a City of Calgary licence. .
Businesses that do require a municipal licence:
Do
- Door-to-door sales
- Canvassers
- In-home product sales
- Warehouses renting space to other businesses
- Self-storage facilities
- Business records storage
- Businesses operating on bare land enclosed by a fence or barrier
- Wholesalers, selling to other businesses
- Distributors
- Bicycle couriers
Businesses that do not require municipal licensing are:
Don't
- Warehouses for a business storing its own goods
- Couriers (not including bicycle couriers)
- Moving companies (unless offering storage)
- Delivery services
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
Direct selling
An approval is required if your business goes door-to-door or conducts business at any place other than the place of business.
When applying for your provincial licensing through Service Alberta, you will be asked to identify your business as either a prepaid contracting business or a direct seller.
A prepaid contracting business:
- Solicits, negotiates or concludes prepaid contracts in person at any place other than the sellers’ place of business, and
- Accepts money before all the work is done and/or the services are provided
A direct seller:
- Solicits, negotiates, or concludes sales contracts in person, at any place other than the seller’s place of business
You can present your provincial licence in person at the Planning Services Centre, fax it to the Business Licence Division at 403-537-3034 or email it to licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca.
Door-to-door energy and appliance sales are not permitted by the province. See the door-to-door energy sales ban for more information.
Location
To sell from private or public property, written approval is required. A distribution manager cannot sell or display goods on City streets, sidewalks or boulevards, City-owned lands, parks, LRT stations or Plus 15 walkways.
Warehousing businesses cannot be located in a residential district. These businesses may operate from a fully enclosed building or from bare land that is enclosed with a fence or barrier.
Advertising canvasser or distributor
A person who goes door-to-door to sell advertising space in any type of printed publication published in the city or who distributes advertising material, samples or merchandise from building to building requires a business licence. Radio and TV stations are exempt from this licence type as are persons distributing advertising material solely regarding their own business.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising canvasser or distributor | |||||||
| Bicycle courier agency | |||||||
| Distribution manager | |||||||
| Warehousing | |||||||
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.
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