Working in more than one town? Mobile business licences in BC

A landscaper based in one town might mow in four others. A roofer might have jobs in six municipalities in a month. In BC, each municipality can require a business licence for work done within its boundaries, so mobile trades can end up holding a stack of licences. Public tenders often ask you to hold the right one before you start work.

That is why BC has mobile business licence programs.

What is a mobile business licence?

An inter-municipal mobile business licence lets a business that works in several communities buy one licence and use it in every community in the same program. You usually still need a regular licence in your home community if you have a base there, but the mobile licence covers the rest of the program's area.

The province lists 17 mobile business licence partnerships covering 104 communities. They are grouped by region, including the Kootenay, Lower Mainland, Northeast, Okanagan-Similkameen, Thompson-Nicola and Vancouver Island areas. Each program decides which kinds of businesses are eligible. Most are aimed at trades and contractors who do work at customers' sites.

There is no province-wide licence. If your work spans two programs, you may need two mobile licences, plus local licences in any town that is not part of a program.

How do I get one?

You apply through a participating local government, often your home municipality or the one where you do the most work, not through the province. The province's mobile business licence page lists the programs and links to each one. Fees and rules are set by the partnership. In practice:

1. Check your service area against the list of programs.
2. Pick a participating community to apply through.
3. Meet the local conditions, such as a home-community licence or proof of trade qualifications.
4. Pay the fee and carry the licence, or a copy, when working.

Do public contracts need a business licence?

Often, yes. Many municipal tenders require the successful contractor to hold a valid business licence for that municipality, or a mobile licence that covers it, before work starts. Some ask for the licence number in the bid. Check the tender's requirements section. See the paperwork list for public contracts.

Some details to watch:

• Regional districts and electoral areas often do not license businesses the way municipalities do.
• Federal sites do not usually require a municipal business licence, but other permits may apply.
• First Nations lands have their own rules. Ask the community. See working for First Nations as buyers.
• Subcontractors may also need licences in some municipalities.

Why it matters for growth

Licences are a small cost, but they shape where you can easily bid. If you are thinking about expanding your service area, a mobile licence program that covers your region makes it cheaper and simpler to say yes to work in neighbouring towns. Combined with alerts that cover a wider area, it can open up a lot more public work.

When you set your CrewBid areas, think about the communities your licence already covers. Those are the places where winning work costs you nothing extra in paperwork. Read who's who in BC public buying to see what those communities typically buy.

Keeping track

Make a simple list of every licence you hold: issuing community, licence number, coverage and expiry date. Put renewal reminders in your calendar. An expired licence can delay the start of a contract, and some buyers check before they issue a purchase order. Keep copies in your bid library so they are ready for every tender.