Business Licenses

The City of St. John's is responsible for the following business licenses. For all other licenses, please contact the provincial or federal governments.

Note that the fees charged for these applications and licenses change annually.

Amusement Machine License

Commercial establishments that have amusement machines on their premises (e.g pinball games, video games, pool and billiard tables, juke boxes, etc.), are required to pay license fees annually. Operators/distributors of amusement machines are also required to be licensed annually.

Lodging House License

A lodging house is a dwelling which can accommodate between five and 16 people who share common kitchen and/or bathroom facilities. Establishments which offer boarding to four people or less generally do not fall into this category. Lodging houses are inspected and licensed annually.

Mobile Sign Companies/Distributors

The City of St. John's licenses mobile sign companies/distributors annually. A licensed company provides certification from a professional engineer that the required specifications (e.g. design and anchoring) are met. Only licensed companies can distribute mobile signs in the City of St. John's.

Mobile Vendors Licenses

Anyone wishing to conduct sales from a stand, cart, table, bike or motorized vehicle outdoors, on a public street or from private property, must apply for a license. In addition to a completed application the following approvals are required:

For the sale of all food items: approval from Service NL

For units containing propane installations: certification from a recognized propane agency

Things to consider

Location: vending businesses are generally only permitted in Commercial and Industrial Zones
Storage: a commercial area is required to store the units when not in use
Insurance: proof of $2 million automobile liability insurance for all motorized vehicles used in conjunction with your vending business (for transporting and/or storing product) and proof of $2 million commercial general liability insurance is required

The City of St. John's does entertain applications from people interested in vending from private commercial sites. A copy of the written agreement between the vendor and property holder must be provided. The location of the unit on the site must meet the approval of the Licensing Officer.

The City permits vending from public parking spaces in the following commercial zones:

Churchill Square: One site leased where the vehicle is permitted to remain on site throughout the year.
Downtown: Five sites designated as lease sites, where vehicles are permitted to remain on the site throughout the year. On Harbour Drive, parking is permitted on metered spaces while a vending business is in operation. Meters are to be paid at the hourly rate and vehicles must not be left unattended.

Mobile Vending Permit Application

Mobile Vending By-Law

Open Air Market, Churchill Square

The City has designated a small area of the Churchill Square parking lot as an open air market, generally referred to as the “farmers market”. Fourteen parking stalls are allocated for the market area which are renewable annually in May.

Things to consider

For the sale of all food items: approval from Service NL is required
Insurance: proof of $2 million automobile liability insurance for all motorized vehicles used in conjunction with your vending business (for transporting and/or storing product) and proof of $2 million commercial general liability insurance is required

Lot Space Application

Mobile Vending By-Law

Taxicab Licenses

All taxicab companies and vehicles operating in the City of St. John's are licensed annually.

The taxi industry in St. John's is regulated by the St. John's Taxi By-Law which limits the total number of operator licenses issued by the City in a calendar year to 374 licenses, ten of which shall be restricted to accessible taxis.

Transient Dealer's License

A person who is a non-resident of the City who occupies a premises in the city temporarily for the purpose of selling goods or merchandise from that premises is required to first obtain a license to do so.