Business Licensing

The summary below is provided for convenience only and is not comprehensive. For the full regulations please see the Fireworks By-law 2015-18.

• All Fireworks displays require a permit
• Everyone selling fireworks requires a license
• Fireworks may only be sold seven (7) days prior to and including Victoria Day and Canada Day
• Fireworks may not be sold to anyone under 18
  
• Fireworks may not be set off on any road, or municipal property
• Fireworks may only be set off on Victoria Day, Canada Day or the days immediately before or after
  

Fireworks (Sales and Display) Application Form

Completed applications may be emailed to [email protected] 

A Hawker and Pedlar means any person who goes from place to place or to a particular place with goods, wares or merchandise for sale.  All hawkers and pedlars must obtain a license The most frequently obtained licences are:

• Class A Operator – door to door sales
• Class B "Special Sale" – any event at which goods, wares or merchandise are offered for sale at a particular place other than a shopping mall for a specified period of time of not more than seven consecutive days conducted by a person who is a hawker or pedlar as defined by the By-law.
• Class E "Show Sale" – an event organized by an individual or company and consisting of several participating vendors.

Hawkers and Pedlars Application Form

Completed applications may be emailed to [email protected]

Newspaper boxes may not be placed on any road allowance without completing the application and paying the annual fee.

Newspaper boxes may not be:

• Within 50 feet of any intersection
• Impair or obstruct movement of vehicles or pedestrians or visibility
• Attached or secured to any utility pole, sign, hydrant
• Placed on a road allowance next to any residential property
• Placed within 50 feet of a public transit stop without approval
  

For the full regulations please see the Licensing By-law.

Newspaper boxes Application Form

Completed applications may be emailed to [email protected]

To operate an outdoor serving area you must obtain an annual license. To obtain a license you must complete the application and pay the annual fee.

Outdoor Serving Area Application form

Completed applications may be emailed to [email protected]

The summary below is provided for convenience only and is not comprehensive.

Outdoor Serving Area Requirements

• Outdoor Serving areas may not be located within 40 feet of the property line of a residential property or road allowance;
• Outdoor serving areas located within 200 fee of residential areas may not be used between 1 a.m. and 11 a.m. the following day;

For the full regulations and requirements see the Outdoor Serving Area By-law 2016-29

For information on the Downtown Newmarket Street Patio Program please visit the Patio program webpage. (link to ec dev site)

To operate an Personal Wellness Establishment you must obtain an annual license. To obtain a license you must complete the application and pay the annual fee.

 For a copy of the application, please click here. To review the new regulations, please refer to the Town's Business Licence By-law here.

Business owners seeing to renew their Personal Wellness Establishment Business Licence, please click here for a copy of the renewal application. 

As a result of feedback received during public consultation, the Town has translated the Business Licensing By-law and Personal Wellness Establishment Application into Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Please see the below links to access the translated documents:

Korean: By-law, Application
Simplified Chinese: By-law, Application
Traditional Chinese: By-law, Application

Business owners seeking to apply for a Personal Wellness Establishment Business Licence are encouraged to review our PWE Fact Sheet and contact the Town's Licensing Division to get more information on the application process. The Licensing Division also encourages all interested stake holders or residents to provide additional feedback by contacting:

Town of Newmarket, Licensing Division

Phone: 905-953-5300 ext. 2221

Email: [email protected]

On June 29th, 2020 the Town of Newmarket passed a Business Licencing By-law requiring Pet Stores to obtain a licence to operate within the Town. 

Fees and Licence

The annual business licence fee for Pet Stores is $150.  Recognizing that the By-law was adopted on June 29th. 2020, the Town is prepared to reduce this fee by 50 percent.  Therefore you will only be required to pay $75 in 2020.

As a result of COVID-19, the Town of Newmarket has made changes to the application process in an effort to support local businesses.  

• First, the $50 application fee that is usually required to be submitted with any Business Licence application has been waived.  

• Second, the Town is offering a 90 day deferral of the $75 licence fee for any businesses that provide documentation to support financial hardship.

Completed Applications can be emailed to [email protected]

• All Pet Stores must be maintained in a sanitary, well-ventilated clean condition and free from odours
  
• All animals must be kept in sanitary, quarters, and at appropriate temperatures
  
• All cages must be appropriate sizes, be equipped with receptacles for food and water, etc.
  
• Food and fresh water must be provided daily as appropriate for animal
  
• All licensed pet stores must:
  
• provide to the purchasers of a cat or dog a health assessment from a licensed Veterinarian
  
• only permit cats or dogs in the store for the purposes of sale animals from municipal animal shelters, registered human societies, registered shelters, or a recognized animal rescue group
  
• provide all cats or dogs reasonable exercise
  
• not sell any animal until it has reached the normal age for weaning
  
• provide purchasers with all available information pertaining to the sale of the animal including a receipt showing the name and address of the vendor and purchaser, the date of sale, the sale price, the breed or crossbreed, sex, age, and description 
  
• maintain a registry of each dog or cat purchased which includes the date of purchase, description of the dog or cat, name, address, and contact information of the person from whom the animal was obtained
  

• Short term Rental Company Application
• Form 1 - Licensing Fees Agreement
  
• Short term Rental Operator Application
• Short term rental sign fact sheet
  

Summary of Regulations

The summary below is provided for convenience only and is not comprehensive. For the full regulations please see the Business License By-law. 

• No more than one short-term rental is permitted on a lot
• short term rentals may only be operated within one dwelling unit on a lot
• short term rentals must provide one off-street parking space for each bedroom, in addition to one off-street parking space for the permanent resident of the property
• each bedroom intended to be rented shall be clearly identified through the application process by providing a floor plan
• any changes to the number of bedrooms rented shall be updated through a licence amendment application

An operator (such as homeowner) of a short-term rental shall not:

• rent out any vehicle, tent or accessory building
• rent more than 3 bedrooms
• permit more than 6 overnight guests
• rent bedrooms that are not identified on the licence application

An operator (homeowner) of a short-term rental shall:

• post or display the business licence number on any marketing, advertising or promotions
  
• provide to each guest and the Town the telephone number of the person who is present or available to respond to concerns regarding these regulations
  
• market their business only on an approved platform
  

• apply for and obtain a licence
  
• execute an agreement with the Town governing the use, retention and disclosure of operator and guest information
  
• keep a record of each transaction for 3 years which shall include:

• name, address and licence number of the Operator
• number of nights the short term rental was rented
• nightly and total price charged
• whether the rental was an entire-unit rental or room rental
• provide the records referred to above to the Town on request 
  

On March 3, 2020 the Town of Newmarket passed a by-law requiring mobile businesses to obtain a license to operate within the Town.  Licenses will be required by business owners, not individual drivers (with the exception of driving school instructors). As of April 1, 2020 all applications for mobile business licensing are available. 

Completed applications can be emailed to [email protected].

Mobile businesses include:

• Taxicab Companies
  
• Application
• Transportation Network Companies (e.g. Uber, Lyft)
  
• Application 
  
• Drive School Instructors
  
• Application
• Refreshment Vehicles (e.g. ice cream trucks, hot dog carts)
  
• Application
  
• Limousine Companies
  
• Application
  
• General Businesses
  
• Application
  

A mobile business is not:

• A stall at a farmer's market
• A business which uses a vehicle only as a way to transport its goods/services to a customer (e.g. a courier)
• Any other form of business that is restricted from regulation by a Municipality under the Municipal Act.