As a Licensee Retail Store, you can apply:
You must have a Business BCeID to access the online licensing portal.
Once your BCeID has been set up, log into the liquor and cannabis licensing portal. Review and confirm your account information on the Account Profile page.
Relocation applications must be approved before you would like to move to another location and it may take up to six months for processing. Processing timelines are approximate and may vary.
Relocation application fee: $330
If you are planning on relocating your Licensee Retail Store (LRS), you will need approval before you change your establishment address.
An LRS may apply to permanently relocate their store. You may apply to temporarily relocate your store for a five-year period while significant alterations (e.g., renovation, reconstruction) are made to the original location.
A local government or Indigenous nation may have their own bylaws and permits for LRS locations in their jurisdiction. You are responsible for confirming that the new location complies with local rules before applying.
An LRS must be at least 1 km away from an existing, proposed, or hold location* of an LRS or government BC Liquor Store. You must confirm that your proposed location meets the distance requirements before you apply. Refer to the list of liquor store locations and proposed locations, and the Licensee Retail Store Terms and Conditions(PDF,413KB).
If your proposed location does not meet the distance requirements, you are responsible for ensuring your application provides sufficient detail to demonstrate one of the prescribed circumstances outlined in the Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation (60(2)).
*a hold location is the original site of a temporary store that an LRS licensee will return to.
​Licensees must be able to provide proof from their local government or Indigenous nation that the proposed location is:
Prior to issuing a licence at the new location, the LCRB will require documentation from your local government that confirms the location is zoned appropriately to operate an LRS licence.
Once your complete application is received, it will be reviewed to determine if the proposed site meets the distance requirements.
If your relocation application meets the distance requirements, you will be notified about the Preliminary Site Approval in writing. The LCRB will post the proposed location to the list of liquor store locations and proposed locations and restrict other applications within a 1 km radius.
Once you receive Preliminary Site Approval, you will need to submit proof of valid interest of the proposed site within 90 days.
The LCRB reviews your application. If everything is in order they will offer you an Approval in Principle.
When you are ready to open, contact your local liquor inspector to schedule a final inspection. The inspection must be within 12 months of the date of your Approval in Principle.
If the inspection goes well, you may begin operating at the new location. If your rezoning application with the local government was underway when you received your Approval in Principle, you must have proof that the appropriate zoning is in place to receive your final approval.
You must stop operating at the previous establishment location the same date your licence is amended with the new address.
When you are operating at a temporary location, you must apply to move back to your hold location 180 days before you would like to relocate. You will be sent a notification before your five-year term expiry if an application has not been received. Before your expiry date, you must:
If you have not applied to move back to your hold location or have not been approved for an extension, your licence will automatically revert back to the hold location on the five-year term expiry date and placed into dormancy.
You will not be allowed to operate at the temporary location after the five-year term expiry. You must have an approved relocation application before operating at the hold location.
Contact our client support team.
