Business Licences
Business Licence Categories:
- Adult Entertainment - Owner and Operator
- Auctioneer
- Automobile Service Station
- Bed and Breakfast/Guest House Establishment
- Bill Distributor
- Body Modification
- Body Rub Parlour
- Carnival/Circus
- Donation Bin Business
- Entertainment Lounge
- Escorts/Personal Service
- Food Store
- Heating - Master/Contractor
- Hawker/Pedlar
- Hospitality Services
- Holistic Centre
- Holistic Practitioner
- Livery Plateholders and Drivers
- Lodging House - Class 1 and Class 2
- Mobile Food - Vendor
- Mobile Sign Lessor
- Old Gold Dealer
- Pet Shop
- Plumber - Master / Contractor
- Public Hall
- Public Parking Lot
- Residential Rental
- Retail/Resale and Pawnbroker
- Salvage Yard
- Short-Term Rental
- Special Sale
- Taxicab Driver
- Taxicab Plateholder
- Taxicab Broker
- Tobacconist
- Transportation Network Company
Licence Categories and Fees:
- Regulations are set out in Business Licensing By-law 395-2004, Public Vehicle Licensing By-law 137-2007 (amended by By-law 150-2018) and Body Rub Parlour By-Law 131-2011.
- All licence categories require the applicant to show two pieces of government-issued identification including one photo identification (ID) as well as one ID demonstrating proof of status in Canada (e.g. birth certificate, Canadian passport, Canadian citizenship card, permanent resident card, work permit, etc.)
- View the current Licensing Fee Schedules:
- Acceptable methods of payment are as follows:
- In person: Canadian cash, business cheque, debit, Mastercard and Visa
- By mail (where regulation permits): Business cheque only
Complaints:
- You may file a complaint/compliment through the City of Windsor's 311 Customer Contact Centre.
- Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, a complainant's personal information cannot be released.
Registering a Business Name:
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To register a business name, you must do so through the Province of Ontario offices: www.cbs.gov.on.ca. This is different from registering with the City of Windsor to obtain a business licence.
Starting a Business:
- The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre (SBEC) (www.webusinesscentre.com), a no-charge public service, is available to assist new and existing business entrepreneurs. Free consultations are available by appointment for those seeking guidance on government rules and regulations, available funding, marketing, cash flow or preparing a business plan.
- For help determining which permits you will need from all three levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal), visit BizPaL.
Renewal Applications:
- Renewal applications will be forwarded to licensees approximately 1 month prior to the deadline.
- View a complete list of Deadlines for Licence Applications.
Renewal applications are sent as a courtesy. The licensee must ensure they renew their business licence(s) on or before the deadline date(s).
Many documents found in this section are displayed in portable document format (PDF) and require Adobe Reader (also called Adobe Acrobat). If you do not have this application, you can download it free from Adobe's website.
Licensing Division
Suite 110 - 350 City Hall Square West
Windsor, Ontario
Canada
N9A 6S1
Hours of Operation:
- Business, animal, and lottery licensing:
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (except holidays) - By-law Enforcement Unit (400 City Hall Square East, Suite 402):
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (except holidays)
Phone:
For general information, call 311.
For detailed inquiries, call (519) 255-6200.
Email: licences@citywindsor.ca
Licence Categories Affected by New Fire Fees (PDF)