Entertainment and Events - business guide

All businesses in Calgary require land use approval. Each space in a building has its own specified, approved use that cannot be changed without an approval, permit or both.

To view the allowable uses within a land use district, refer to the Land Use Bylaw. To determine the land use district of a property, visit myProperty.

You can also refer to Commercial, industrial and mulit-residential for more information, or contact our Planning Services Centre at 403-268-5311 to investigate land use approval for your business.​​

This licence type requires recommendation by the Calgary Police Service through the Police Information Checks unit. Approval is completed by the Calgary Police Service and is initiated on your behalf through your business licence application.  Please note that previous police checks cannot be used as a substitute for this approval process.

You are required to provide two pieces of valid, government issued identification, one of which must contain photo identification (ID).

You can show your ID:

• In person at the Planning Services Centre:
  3rd floor
  800 Macleod Trail S.E.
  Calgary, AB

• By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca

• By fax: 403-537-3034

Please reference your Business ID (BID) in the email or fax.

Please note: for licenses requiring a statutory declaration or a City-issued ID card, proof of identification must be shown in person.

This approval generally takes about two weeks.

Acceptable forms of government issued photo identification include:

• driver’s license
• passport
• Alberta photo identification card (issued through registry offices)
• firearms license
• Nexus card
• permanent resident card
• Secure Certificate of Indian Status card (federally issued)
• aviation document booklet
• certified refugee protection claimant document

(For youth between the ages of 12 to 15 years old who cannot provide any of the listed photo identification options, a student photo ID will be considered).

Acceptable forms of government issued identification include:

• provincial health care card
• birth certificate
• marriage certificate
• immigration documentation (includes valid document issued by Immigration and citizenship Canada)
• citizenship card
• citizenship certificate

An Alberta Health Services (AHS) location inspection is required to ensure public safety. Any business involving the sale, preparation, manufacturing or storage of food products requires this inspection. Any business involved in personal service such as aesthetics or massage is also required to have this inspection. Contact AHS at 403-943-2296 for more information and to book a date. 

Inspection results can be submitted:

• In person at the Planning Services Centre:
  3rd floor
  800 Macleod Trail S.E.
  Calgary, AB

• By email: licencedivisionteam@calgary.ca

If AHS advised you that your business type does not require a health inspection, please record the name of the individual you spoke with,   their telephone number, and the reason provided.  Please provide these details  to The City’s Planning Services Centre.

Obtaining your business licence

A business license will be issued when  all outstanding approvals are complete. If you wish to inquire about the status of your licence, please contact the Planning Call Centre at 403-268-5311. 

The authorized business licence will be sent to the applicant in the mail, or if requested, can be held at our permit pick-up counter. When a commercial business is operational, the physical copy of your business licence must be posted in a highly visible location where the public can easily see it.

If you intend to make any changes to your business after receiving your licence, please visit Manage your business for more information.