Business Licences
Establishment & Mobile Licence
Contact Us
Business Licensing:
City Hall, 1st Floor
71 Main Street West, Hamilton
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Licensing and By-Law Services:
330 Wentworth Street North, Hamilton
Monday & Wednesday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Call 905-546-2782 option 2
Email [email protected]
BizPaL
Find the permits and licences you need for your business.
BizPaL is a collaborative effort of the City of Hamilton, Service Ontario and Industry Canada.
Requirements & Fees
Business Licence Reference Guide
Breakdown of fees, checklist and inspection requirements for Establishment, Mobile & Trade Licences.
Many businesses in Hamilton must be licensed to operate legally for public health and safety, consumer protection and/or nuisance prevention. A business licence protects the health and safety of the public who use their service or products and also helps ensure consistency for business owners and customers.
Hamilton’s Licensing By-law No. 07-170 provides the rules and regulations for each type of business.
What Businesses Require a Licence
There are two categories of business licenses:
- Establishment licence
- Mobile licence
For a complete list of businesses that require a license, refer to the Business Licence Reference Guide.
A business licence application must be submitted by:
- an individual owner
- a partner in a partnership
- the president or a signing officer of the corporation
- or written authorization by the president and/or signing officer of the corporation
Do I need to renew my business licence? Most business licenses are valid for one year from the date issued. You must renew the licence every year. As a courtesy, the City may send out renewal notices by mail. However, it is the licence holder’s responsibility to ensure the licence is current.
Apply for or Renew a Business Licence
Apply for your application online through the City of Hamilton’s Customer Portal.
New and returning applicants can submit applications, track progress, and manage information securely online.
If this is your first time applying online with the City of Hamilton, you’ll need to complete two simple steps.
Step 1: Create a City of Hamilton Account (my.hamilton.ca)
You will need to create an account at my.hamilton.ca/
- This is the City’s centralized access point that allows you to easily view, access, and submit a wide range of City services using one account.
- Once your City account is created, you can sign in anytime to manage your services online.
Step 2: Access the Customer Portal
- After signing into my.hamilton.ca/, select the Business Related Services category to create your Customer Portal account to complete the setup.
- Once you are setup on the Customer Portal, navigate to Getting Started and select Business Licensing to apply, amend or renew a Business Licence and follow the steps
Need Help?
- For assistance with my.hamilton.ca and login troubleshooting visit My.hamilton Portal FAQs
- For assistance with applying, visit Planning, Permitting, Licensing & By-Law System
If you already have:
- a my.hamilton.ca account, and
- a Customer Portal account,
Sign into my.hamilton.ca/ and select the Business Related Services category.
Navigate to Getting Started and select Business Licensing. Select an action and follow the steps.
Need Help?
- For assistance with my.hamilton.ca and login troubleshooting visit My.hamilton Portal FAQs
- For assistance with applying, visit Planning, Permitting, Licensing & By-Law System
Complete the Business/Trade Licence Application Form
If your business licence requires a photo ID or in person service, you will need to visit our office location:
Dependent on the type of licence, one or more of these applications may also be required:
Documentation required varies depending on the type of business licence. In addition to the business registration or corporate profile some licences require a:
- Zoning Verification certificate
- Premises plan or floor plan
- Police criminal check
- Ministry of Transportation driver abstract
Refer to the Business Licence Reference Guide for more information on application requirements by licence type.
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