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Business licensing

You may need to apply for a business operating licence if you plan to operate a business in Mississauga.

If your business has more than one location, you’ll need to apply for a separate licence for each location. If you already have a business operating licence, it needs to be renewed annually.

Before you sign a lease or buy a commercial property for your business, you’ll need to make sure that the property is zoned to permit your business activity.

If you’re taking over an existing business in a fixed location, you’ll need to confirm that the property’s Zoning Certificate of Occupancy is still valid.

If you plan to start a new business, you may need to apply for operating licence if your business activity includes any of the following:

  • Adult bookstore
  • Adult entertainment business
  • Amusement arcade
  • Auto service station
  • Billiard parlour
  • Body rub business owner
  • Breeding or boarding kennel
  • Clothing donation drop box
  • Fireworks sales (also requires a fire prevention inspection and an approval letter)
  • Medical marihuana production facility
  • Methadone clinic or pharmacy
  • Night club
  • Parking lot
  • Pawnbroker
  • Personal services setting
  • Pet Shop
  • Public hall
  • Restaurant or retail food premises (eatery)
  • Salvage yard
  • Second hand goods shop
  • Tanning facility
  • Tobacco sales
  • Vehicle pound facility

If you plan to start a new business, you may need to apply for operating licence if your business activity includes any of the following:

  • Auctioneer
  • Body rub attendant
  • Carnival or circus
  • Second hand goods shop employee
  • Trader / Hawker peddler

Applicants must apply in person, except for a carnival or circus licence, which can be applied for by an authorized agent.

Business licence requirements

Depending on the kind of business you’re running, you’ll need different supporting documents and approvals. These include (but are not limited to):

Applications for certain types of business licenses require the individual, partners or directors to provide a Police Criminal Record Check. The Police Criminal Record Check can be from any Canadian Police service and must not be older than 60 days when you submit your application for a license. Criminal Record Checks from third party sources will not be accepted. Learn where you can get the Criminal Record Check.

Check the Business Licence Requirements Chart for documents you’ll need to submit with your application. Additional documents not on this list may be required.

Depending on the nature of your business, inspections and approvals of your location may be required. These include:

How to apply

Apply in person

A business owner or director can provide an authorization letter for an agent to complete and submit an application on their behalf.

  1. Complete the Business Licence Application.
  2. Book an appointment to visit the Compliance and Licensing Enforcement office located on the ground floor of 3235 Mavis Road.
  3. Bring your application and supporting documents to your appointment and pay your licence fees.

If all of the requirements are met and your documents are in order, your licence will be issued right away.

Apply online

You can apply online and manage your licence online for the following business licences only:

Renew your licence

You can renew your business licence in person or by mail.

  1. Complete sections 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the Business Licence Application.
  2. Submit your application and supporting documents and pay your licence fees in person or by mail to the following address:

Compliance and Licensing Enforcement
3235 Mavis Road, ground floor
Mississauga, ON L5C 1T7

If your licence has expired, it can’t be renewed. You must apply for a new licence.

Contact us

If you have questions about licensing your business, contact us.

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