Create a Business Licence Portal Account
 (Choose one email for your company. This email address you enter is the email address that we will use to communicate with you regarding your account profile and services you request. Make sure you have someone monitor that email and arrange for distribution within your company.) 

• For help creating an account, go to Portal Help 

Click the link to sign into the Business Licence Portal.

After creating your portal account and signing in, you can apply for your business licence.

Licence Fee: $200

We review the application details and follow-up with any questions we may have or submittal requirements that are missing from the application.

We confirm if the desired location is appropriately zoned for the business activity. If necessary, you may be contacted by our development officers to guide your through the land-use approval process.

We assign the occupancy classification of the business location to your business licence. In some cases, the business activity might not align with the occupancy classification assigned to the building at the proposed business location. If necessary, you may be contacted by our Safety Codes or Fire Prevention Officers to guide your through the safety code requirements.

The business licence certificate is issued once the land-use approval has been obtained and the occupancy classification is correctly assigned. 

We will notify you by email when your business licence is approved and available for download through your Business Licence Portal account.

The business licence expires at midnight, at month end, one calendar year from the initial date the licence is issued, unless otherwise specified. 

Renewal notices are emailed one month prior to the business licence expiring. Avoid late fees by renewing your business licence by the date noted on your renewal notice and business licence certificate. Businesses will begin receiving a late fee of $50.00 per month if not renewed prior to the licence’s expiration date. 

In addition to the business licence application from, the following types of contractors are required to submit the corresponding pre-requisite for every new business licence and renewal:

• Building General Contractor  (PDF, 175 KB)
• Electrical Contractor  (PDF, 181 KB)
• Gas Contractor  (PDF, 182 KB)
• Gas, HVAC and/or Plumbing Contractor  (PDF, 216 KB)
• HVAC Contractor  (PDF, 183 KB)
• Plumbing Contractor  (PDF, 178 KB)
• Private Sewage Disposal Contractor  (PDF, 318 KB)

If you have any questions regarding the pre-requisite forms, please contact our Inspections Services department at 780-538-0421.

A direct seller is a person who walks from the door of one house to the door of another to speak directly with residents. Direct sellers sell anything from magazines to home improvements. If a contract is signed in person, negotiated or concluded away from the seller’s usual place of business, it is considered a direct sale.

Generally, door-to-door activities are methods for:

• Direct sales of products and/or services (i.e. security systems, lawn aeration services);
• Fundraising for non-profits (i.e. health foundations, school groups);
• Marketing or promotion (i.e. churches, political candidates); or
• Gathering information (i.e. census).

What to expect: 

Once the business applies for their business licence, the business will be contacted to discuss their representatives. Upon approval of the application, each representative will be required to attend a set time and location to pick-up their City issued ID card. In order for each representative to receive their City ID, they must bring their company issued ID card as well as a piece of personal government issued ID.  

What is required: 

To engage in door to door sales, the business is required to maintain a valid City of Grande Prairie business licence during the soliciting and negotiating of sale contracts by their representatives. Plus, each representative is required to obtain a direct seller’s permit.

In addition to the requirements above, the following requirements must be submitted with your application:

• A new criminal record check is required for every new or renewal application for a direct seller’s licence. Criminal record checks older than 90 days will not be accepted.
• A recent headshot photo of each representative.
• A copy of the business' direct seller's provincial licence number with the Province of Alberta.

Businesses that would like to send their representatives door-to-door require a Direct Seller’s Licence from the Government of Alberta. As most representatives are working under the direction of a company, it is the company's responsibility to obtain the Government of Alberta Direct Seller’s Licence; it is not the responsibility of each individual representative. 

Business Licence Fee:

• The company: $200.00* (fee could vary)
• The Direct Seller's individual permit: $75.00

The Direct Seller’s permit is only valid for 6 months from when the permit is issued.

When engaging in door-to-door sales a direct seller must:

• Display both their company issued ID card and their City issued ID permit when first addressing a resident;
• Only engage residents between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.;
• Pass a residence if a “no soliciting sign” is visibly displayed; and
• Always be respectful. Pushy sales tactics can leave a sour impression and it will not only affect you as the representative but the company. If the customer declines the goods or services, please respect their response and carry on. 

Failure to comply will result the business to immediately stop their business activities in the city and the business may receive fines.

To apply - please send an email to blicensing@cityofgp.com. 

Young entrepreneurs under the age of 18 are eligible for a business licence at no cost. A business licence for an entrepreneur is not an obligatory process, but the City encourages you to apply.

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If you are hosting more than two garage sales or yard sales for an extended period of time, you are required to apply for a business license and comply with any land-use bylaw provisions that may be required.

A mobile cooking operation (MCO) is a vehicle, trailer or cart that may be parked or sited on a temporary basis and when stationary, is used to produce, cook, sell or distribute food. This could be a van, truck or trailer converted to contain a mobile commercial grade kitchen.

In addition to the business licence application,  for a MCO to legally operate inside the City limits, all units are required to have an inspection from the Fire Department, Alberta Health Services and City Inspection Services.

What to expect:

Once the business applies for their business licence, the business will be contacted to bring their MCO to a set time and location to have their unit inspected. 

Upon successful inspections, the unit will be awarded a sticker, from each authority for the current year. If one (or more) of the inspection is not successful, the operator will be provided with items that need to be corrected before receiving their sticker.

Once all inspections are deemed successful and the MCO receives their stickers from each authority, the business licence will be issued. All MCOs are required to be inspected on an annual basis. This inspection occurs at the initial business licence application and for every business licence renewal.

Where to park:

MCOs can park on non-residential (commercial parking lots) private property with permission of the property owner. 

MCOs that would like to utilize public/city-owned property, which includes Muskoseepi Park, Centre 2000, downtown, CKC turf field/grandstands, and the Montrose Cultural Centre, must obtain approval first.  
The application form to utilize at these locations can be found here. 

Additional Requirements:

When operating a MCO in Grande Prairie, the MCO is to provide recycling and waste receptacles to customers when their unit is open for business, unless the unit is participating in an event where receptacles are provided by the event organizer.

Home-Based Business entities where the entirety of the operations of the business occur off-site and do not qualify as a home office or a home business will be now classified as an off-site business operation.

Some examples of these types of businesses could include:

• Building general contractor
• Consultants
• Electrical contractor
• Gas contractor
• Gas, HVAC and/or plumbing contractor
• HVAC contractor
• Mobile massage therapist
• Plumbing contractor
• Private sewage disposal contractor
• Welders

Licence Fee: $0.00

A private child care provider is the care of six  or less children under the age of 13 years, not including the operator’s children and provides care in the operator’s residence for more than six hours per week.

What is required:

For every new or renewal of a private child care provider business licence, the following requirements must be submitted with your application:

• A criminal record check with vulnerable sector check for each childcare provider or any person over the age of 18 years residing in the residence during the hours of operation; and
•  A valid first aid certificate in child care.

Licence Fee: $105.00

Additional Information:

Individuals who are caring for six or fewer children do not require a licence with the Government of Alberta but have the option of becoming an approved family day home under a contracted family day home agency. Approved family day home agencies recruit, monitor and support these family day home providers. For more information visit become an approved family day home.

If you intend to provide care for seven or more children, you will be required to be licensed by the Government of Alberta.

Event organizers are required to obtain a business licence for their event.

A person that rents a stall, table or space as a vendor at a tradeshow, farmer’s market, or community event do not require a business licence and are limited to operating only during the scheduled hours of the event and only at that location. A business operating outside of these specific event hours or location will require a business licence.

If your event is to be held outdoors, you will be required to apply for an outdoor event permit.