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Free tool · For founders

Which licences does your new business need?

Pick your municipality and business type. You'll get the licences, permits and registrations that can apply, who issues each one, the published fee and a direct link to the City's own page.

Toronto: 33 business types · 92 requirements · last verified Oct 31, 2026

Step 1: Where will the business operate?

Pick the municipality. We add cities as we verify their requirements.

Municipality

City of Toronto

York Region

Peel Region

Halton Region

Durham Region

Step 2: What kind of business?

Search by name or a common term, like “barber”, “pizza shop” or “Airbnb host”.

Step 3: What you'll need

Toronto · Nightclub

4 requirements to open a nightclub in Toronto

Issuers
4
Provincial
2
Last verified
Oct 31, 2026

  1. 01Entertainment Establishment/Nightclub licence

    Municipal

    Issued by: City of Toronto — Municipal Licensing & Standards

    Required for businesses with occupant load over 150 that provide amplified music for entertainment/dancing or meet three or more club criteria; applicants need $2,000,000 liability insurance and a liquor licence if serving alcohol.

    Fees as published

    • Application fee: $275.08
    • Licence fee: $825.24
    • Total fee (Application fee + Licence fee): $1,100.32
    • Renewal fee: $738.40 (as listed on toronto.ca, page modified September 30, 2026)
    View on toronto.ca — City of Toronto page(opens in a new tab)

    Last verified:

  2. 02Liquor sales licence (AGCO)

    Provincial

    Issued by: Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)

    Required if the establishment serves alcohol. Apply to the AGCO first; the licence type determines which City of Toronto documents the AGCO needs, and your AGCO file number is required when requesting them from the City.

    No fee published on the source page.

    View on toronto.ca — City of Toronto page(opens in a new tab)

    Last verified:

  3. 03Smart Serve certificate

    Provincial

    Issued by: Province of Ontario

    The City's business-regulations table lists a Smart Serve certificate among the provincial requirements for licensed bars, restaurants and nightclubs that serve alcohol.

    No fee published on the source page.

    View on toronto.ca — City of Toronto page(opens in a new tab)

    Last verified:

  4. 04Food Handler Certification

    Municipal

    Issued by: City of Toronto — Toronto Public Health

    The City lists Food Handler Certification as required for anyone who serves and handles food. Toronto Public Health's program is suspended; certificates from Ontario Ministry of Health-approved providers or any Ontario health unit are accepted.

    No fee published on the source page.

    View on toronto.ca — City of Toronto page(opens in a new tab)

    Last verified:

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with the municipality before opening.

Read the full guideLicences and permits to open a nightclub in Toronto, with FAQs
Partner

Need to register the business? We can help.

Most licence applications ask for a registered business name or corporation. Our partner, Markham Office, helps founders with business registration in Ontario.

Visit Markham Office (partner site) (opens in a new tab)

Get notified when requirements change

Occasional founder updates when we re-verify fees and rules or add municipalities. No spam.

FAQ

About the Licence Checker

Is the Licence Checker free?
Yes. There's no account and no payment. You only give us an email if you ask to be notified about a municipality or a change.
Where does the information come from?
Each item was researched from the municipality's own website and links to the exact page it came from (for Toronto, toronto.ca). Provincial items are included where the City's pages reference them. Every item shows the date we last checked it, and fees are quoted as the page published them.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Your exact requirements depend on your location, zoning and how you operate. Confirm requirements with the municipality before opening, and speak to a lawyer or licensing consultant if your situation is unusual.
Which municipalities are covered?
Toronto (33 business types) today. Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Pickering, Ajax and Oshawa are marked "Coming soon" — pick one to be notified when it's ready.
Is FileSignal part of the City?
No. FileSignal is an independent service and is not affiliated with any government. We link to each issuer's page so you can confirm everything at the source.
What do you record when I use the checker?
Anonymous usage events — that the checker was used and which municipality and business type were looked up — so we know which guides to build next. No name or email is collected unless you submit a form.