What is an inter-community business?
Provisions of the Inter-Community Business Licence Program
What is an inter-community business?
An inter-community business is a business that performs a service or activity within more than one participating municipality, which means they provide services or do business by moving from client to client and the business does not have a storefront or location other than in their home or principal municipality. The principal municipality is the community in which the business has its location, shop, office or home base. An Inter-community business includes contractors of all types such as trades people, landscaping services, janitorial services, pest control, etc. It also includes other types of mobile service providers such as massage therapists, mechanics, photographers, hairdressers, etc. A mobile business does not include businesses selling goods or services from a fixed or semi-fixed location such as fruit stand/truck, mobile stores, flea markets, horse drawn carriage rides, carnivals, concession stand or trade shows.
Who is eligible?
All mobile businesses are eligible for an Inter-Community Business Licence. However, the following business types are excluded from applying for an Inter-Community Mobile Business Licence under the intermunicipal business licensing scheme:
- Social Escort services;
- Vehicles for hire (for example: taxis, limousines, passenger directed or buses);
- Body Rub services (which includes the manipulating, touching or stimulating by any means of a Person’s body or part thereof but does not include medical, therapeutic or cosmetic massage treatment given by a Person duly licensed or registered under any statute of the Province of British Columbia governing such activities or a therapeutic touch technique.);
- Those businesses selling goods or services to clients from the same location and not moving from client to client (e.g.: fruit stands/trucks, mobile stores, mobile vendors, flea markets, carnivals, trade shows, food truck vendors, etc.); and
- Boat Rental Companies.
Participating communities
- City of Armstrong
- City of Enderby
- District of Lake Country
- Town of Osoyoos
- Town of Princeton
- Township of Spallumcheen
- City of West Kelowna
- City of Kelowna
- Village of Lumby
- District of Peachland
- City of Salmon Arm
- District of Summerland
- District of Coldstream
- Village of Keremeos
- Town of Oliver
- City of Penticton
- City of Vernon
- District of Sicamous
- City of Merritt
- City of Revelstoke
- Regional District of Central Okanagan
Provisions of the Inter-Community Business Licence Program
- Businesses that are not mobile businesses, or are not eligible for an Inter-Community Business Licence must obtain a business licence in each municipality in which they do business, operate or provide services.
- A business that is eligible for an Inter-Community Business Licence MUST still obtain a regular business licence (principal business licence) from the municipality in which they are located.
- In addition to the principal business licence, a mobile business may obtain one additional Inter-Community Business Licence to do business in all other participating municipalities.
- An eligible non-resident business or a business that does not have a business location in any of the participating municipalities, may obtain a standard business licence from any one of the participating municipalities and may then apply for an Inter-Community Business Licence.
- The cost of an Inter-Community Business Licence is $150. Fees are not prorated.
- An Inter-Community Business Licence is valid for the same term as the standard business licence issued from the principal municipality.
- A business holding an Inter-Community Business Licence must comply with all of the Bylaws and Regulations of each municipality in which they operate.