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Liquor licensee and applicant screening

Last updated on January 12, 2024

Under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, licence applicants are screened to ensure they are "fit and proper" or suitable to hold a licence. This is a public safety measure.

Associates and affiliates of an applicant or licensee may also be screened. 

Screening can happen at any time during the application process or term of a licence. 

On this page: 

Who submits a personal history summary 

You must submit a Personal History Summary form and screening documents as instructed in the form when applying for: 

  • A new liquor licence
  • A licence transfer as the new owner
  • Approval as a new shareholder of 10% or more voting shares
  • Approval as a new director/officer of society or public corporation

The following individuals for each business type must submit a Personal History Summary form and screening documents (i.e., criminal record check) specified in the form.

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Sole Proprietor

Individual. 

 

Partnerships

All partners.

 

Public Corporation or Society

All directors. 

 

Private corporation

All shareholders holding 10% or more voting interest.
 
You do not need to submit a criminal record check, personal history summary, or driver's abstract if you are a:
  • Non-voting shareholder 
  • Shareholder of less than 10% of voting shares
    • Submit only your full name and birthdate. 
 

Local government or First Nation

Designated or chosen representatives. 

 

Trusts

Trustee(s).

 

Executors

Executor(s) or Administrator(s).

 

Receivers

Receiver. 

 

Other corporations not listed (i.e., educational institution, cooperative, military mess, strata council)

The screening requirement varies depending on the type of legal entity, for example:
  • Top four (deans) of the Board of Governors for an educational institution
  • Criminal record checks are not required for a military mess due to the level of scrutiny federal military personnel undergo

Other types of legal entities are determined on a case-by-case basis.

 

Submission instructions

Please see the following overview of instructions from the Personal History Summary form. 

Criminal record checks must be obtained in the last four months through your local Police, RCMP detachment, or Commissionaires. 

If you are

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Living in Canada for 5 years or more

You must submit a criminal record check. 

 

Living in Canada for less than 5 years

You must submit a criminal record check and Statutory Declaration from the province, territory, or local government where you reside. The Statutory Declaration must be signed by a lawyer, Notary Public, or Commissioner for Taking Affidavits: 

  1. Stating you have not been charged or convicted of a criminal or drug/alcohol-related offence under the laws of any country or the laws/bylaws of any provincial, state or local government; OR
  2. Providing details of any charges/convictions/sentences (date, disposition, sentence or fine); AND/OR
  3. Providing details of any alcohol/drug related driving infractions in the last 5 years.

Additional information may be requested.

 

Living outside Canada and have lived in Canada in the past

You must submit a criminal record check and Statutory Declaration from the country, state, or local government where you reside. The Statutory Declaration must be signed by a lawyer, Notary Public, or Commissioner for Taking Affidavits: 

  1. Stating you have not been charged or convicted of a criminal or drug/alcohol-related offence under the laws of any country or the laws/bylaws of any provincial, state or local government; OR
  2. Providing details of any charges/convictions/sentences (date, disposition, sentence or fine); AND/OR
  3. Providing details of any alcohol/drug related driving infractions in the last 5 years.

Additional information may be requested.

 

Living outside Canada and have never lived in Canada

You must submit a Statutory Declaration from the country, state, or local government where you reside. The Statutory Declaration must be signed by a lawyer, Notary Public, or Commissioner for Taking Affidavits: 

  1. Stating you have not been charged or convicted of a criminal or drug/alcohol-related offence under the laws of any country or the laws/bylaws of any provincial, state or local government; OR
  2. Providing details of any charges/convictions/sentences (date, disposition, sentence or fine); AND/OR
  3. Providing details of any alcohol/drug related driving infractions in the last 5 years.

Additional information may be requested.

If you have a criminal record or drug-related infractions

A criminal record is reviewed on a case-by-case basis with all available information, including:

  • Patterns of behaviour, warnings, or convictions related to liquor on criminal record check or drivers abstract.
  • Compliance history in relation to previous or existing licence connections.
  • In rare cases, refusal to submit required documents related to applicant suitability.

If you have any alcohol or drug-related infractions: 

  • You may be required to submit a drivers abstract from the last five (5) years

Uploading the documents to the application

  1. Log into the liquor and cannabis licensing portal with your Business BCeID.
  2. Scroll down to the section In Progress Applications. Locate the application you would like to add documents to and click on + Add Supporting Documents.
  3. Drag and drop the completed documents to the gray box or select Browse to locate the files on your computer to upload. 
  4. Once the upload is complete, you will see your document listed.

Contact information

If you have questions or need technical support, please contact: 

Client support team
LCRBLiquor@gov.bc.ca