Business Licences and Permits

The City’s review of the Business Licensing By-law has been completed and Business Licensing By-law 122-2024 is effective November 4, 2024. Details on the review along with the approved program enhancements are available in Report SF-24-06. Previous Temporary Licence Exemptions that were in place related to Food Shop Licences, Short Term Food Shop Licences, and Class A/Class B Peddler Licences (General Peddlers and Special Event Organizers) no longer apply. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

Modular Licensing

A business that operates more than one (1) regulated business class at one (1) location can apply for a Primary Licence with the ability to receive Additional Licence Endorsements to operate additional regulated business classes at the same location.

The Primary Licence is the required class with the highest level of Application Requirements and Licensing Approvals.

Additional Licence Endorsements may require additional Application Requirements and Licensing Approvals and are subject to a nominal $50 application fee.

The main licence classes that may be eligible for modular licensing at this time include:

• Smoke, Tobacco and Vapour Product Shops
• Vehicle Establishments
• Public Halls
• Class “A” Food Shops

However, if someone operates a business out of one (1) location that requires more than one (1) City licence, they may also be eligible for a modular licence. Business operators are encouraged contact to Licensing Services for more information.

Business Licence Classes

Exemption Requests

You can apply for an exemption to the Business Licensing By-law. The fee for an exemption request is $125.

To apply, please complete the Exemption Request to Business Licensing By-law Application form and submit it to the Licensing Office by email, mail or in person.

Zoning

Is your location zoned correctly for your type of business, and do you have the required number of parking spaces? Call Municipal Licensing and Standards at 905-436-3311, ext. 2299 or email: [email protected] to find out.

View our Zoning webpage for more information.

Licences to Serve and/or Sell Alcohol

To serve and/or sell alcohol in Oshawa, you must apply for a liquor licence/permit from the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario (A.G.C.O.). In addition, specific licences require municipal clearance or approvals from the City of Oshawa. Once you apply to the A.G.C.O., they will tell you what else they require from you. Please visit the A.G.C.O.'s website to apply.

Municipal Clearance for a Liquor Sales Licence

As part of the liquor sales licence approval, the A.G.C.O. may require the Municipal Information Form to be signed by Licensing Services and municipal clearance/approval letters from the building, fire and health departments.

Special Occasion Permits

All Special Occasion Permits (S.O.P.) must be completed on the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario's online portal. For help determining which type of S.O.P. you require, please see the A.G.C.O.'s Special Occasion Permit Application Guide or contact the A.G.C.O. at 416-326-8700.

Public Events require the municipality to deem the event an event of municipal significance.

For Public Events, please submit the following to the Licensing Services Office:

• Event of Municipal Significance Application form
• Fee: $50

When your application is submitted to Licensing Services, we will review it and provide you with a letter of Municipal Significance. You will then submit that letter to the A.G.C.O.

If your S.O.P. event is taking place on City property, please review our Municipal Alcohol Policy. This policy lists which City-owned or operated facilities, parks, and lands allow S.O.P. events. It also outlines the procedures, rules, and responsibilities for applicants who host S.O.P. events on City property. 

Manage Your Liquor Sales Licence

Information related to changing, renewing or transferring an existing Liquor Sales Licence, can be found on the A.G.C.O.’s website. You can manage these changes yourself through the A.G.C.O.'s online portal.

Information related to temporarily extending your indoor Liquor Sales Licence to an outdoor patio can be found on A.G.C.O. Temporary Outdoor Physical Extension page. You must get a letter of approval from the City of Oshawa for your temporary patio and notify the A.G.C.O. of your approval, the duration of your approval and any conditions on the approval. To request a letter of approval from the City, please send the details of your proposed temporary extension to the City's Licensing Office by email. 

If you have specific questions concerning your Liquor Sales Licence, contact the A.G.C.O. directly.

Licensing Approvals

As part of the licensing process, we may contact the following agencies to provide approval for business licence applications:

• Licensing & Standards (Zoning) 
• Municipal Law Enforcement Services 
• Durham Regional Health Department
• Durham Regional Police 
• Fire Services 
• Building Services 
• Planning Services 

Provincial Regulations

To register a business name and incorporate a business, please see Service Ontario's Business Registry page.

Small Business Resources

BizPaL is an online source of information on permits and licences to start or grow your business. BizPaL will help identify what you may require, quickly and easily. Find everything from a single source; entrepreneurs spend less time dealing with red tape - saving effort and money in the process - and more time building their business.

If you are considering opening a new business in Oshawa, contact Business and Economic Development Services to discuss your business requirements.

Visit Invest Oshawa for incentives and support to ensure the success of your business. 

Licences previously issued under Repealed Business Licensing By-law 120-2005 are valid for the duration of licence term and are subject to the requirements, regulations and conditions found in By-law 120-2005. Any renewal of a licence after that term has expired is subject to the requirements, regulations and conditions of Business Licensing By-law 122-2024.