Restaurants, Cafes, Bars & Pubs
Restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and other eating and drinking establishments with seating must have a licence.
Individuals, partnerships or corporations.
Apply in person at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office at East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Ave., 3rd floor.
$500.64
Original documents required for all applications and renewal transactions.
Include two pieces of government-issued identification (one must be photo ID):
- Canadian Passport (photo ID)
- Driver’s Licence (photo ID)
- Canadian Birth Certificate
- Citizenship Card
- Permanent Resident Card
- SIN Card (Social Insurance Number)
- valid Work Permit
Note: first and last names must match on all identification. We do not accept Health Cards.
Corporations and partnerships must also provide the following:
- a business location/address
- a copy of provincial business name registration or signed franchise agreement
- a partnership agreement
or:
- a copy of Articles of Incorporation (if there has been a change to the list of officers and directors, please also provide a current Corporate Profile Report)
If the president, director or officer of the corporation is unable to apply in person at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, a designate may apply on their behalf. The designate must:
- have an original letter advising of their signing authority on the corporation letterhead
- provide two pieces of identification for themselves
- provide two pieces of identification for each officer and director of the corporation, or, if original identification is not available, notarized photocopies of the identification
Applicants must provide an original Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check issued by a Canadian Police Service within 280 days prior to the application.
Please note:
After November 1st, 2018, under Province’s Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015, Municipal Licensing and Standards will require “Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Checks” for all applications and renewals. “Criminal Record Checks” will not be accepted.
Prior to submitting an application, you must apply to for a Preliminary Project Review for Business Licence (LPR).
These businesses must also provide:
- adequate supervision of dining rooms, including outside eating areas
- a sufficient number of attendants to ensure that outside eating areas are kept clean and free of garbage at all times
- a sufficient number of appropriate containers for garbage, recycling and organics
Accreditation for staff who handle food
Staff who handle food in these establishments must have Accredited Food Handler Certification. This includes waiters, waitresses, hosts, hostesses, bartenders, cooks and every other person serving or making available food or drink.
Your licence will expire annually on the anniversary of the date that the licence was first issued.
The renewal fee is $301.76
A renewal notice, identifying any documents required to renew the licence, will be mailed to the address on file.
Payments received after the licence expiry date are subject to late fees in addition to the annual licence fee.
If you fail to renew your licence within 90 days of the specified renewal date, your licence will be cancelled and you will have to reapply.