Application Process: Once you submit your Manufacturer's licence application
As soon as we receive your application, we will first make sure you have provided all the necessary information and documentation.
Please note:
It is your responsibility to check with your local government/First Nation to ensure that all of their requirements are being met as well (see Will I need local government or other approvals to get a licence? for more information). If you later discover you will not be able to operate your establishment, we cannot refund your application or licence fees.
Applicant Eligibility Assessment
Once your application is complete, our staff will then determine if you are eligible to hold a liquor licence. This will include verifying that you are a B.C. resident, Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, at least 19 years old, and that you have no ties to a UBrew/UVin or licensed establishment. We will verify that you own the business and have valid interest in the property. We will also conduct a criminal record check — see Criminal Record Search page for more information and to download copies of the forms. If you have held a liquor licence before, we will review your history as a liquor licensee.
If everything is in order, we will send you a letter stating that you are eligible to hold a liquor licence, and that we have approved your prelminary floor plans. We will also include written instructions dealing with the construction of your winery, brewery or distillery. The letter may also provide information on the conditions you will need to meet before your final inspection.
Final Inspection
When your equipment is in place and two weeks before you are ready to begin manufacturing, you will need to call your local liquor inspector to arrange for a final inspection.
The inspector will make sure construction and layout complies with the terms and conditions of your approval in principle, and will go over with you the requirements of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act and its Regulations, and the specific terms and conditions of your manufacturer's licence. You must also enter into a manufacturer agreement with the Liquor Distribution Branch before we issue your licence.
If all is in order, the inspector will give you a copy of the Brewer, Distiller and Agent Licences: Terms and Conditions or the Winery Licence: Terms and Conditions. The inspector will also ask you to contact our Head Office to pay your first-year, pro-rated annual licence fee (please see the licence fee schedule (LCLB010) for exact fees).
