Liquor Licensing

While liquor licences are issued by the B.C. Government's Liquor & Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB), applications require a municipal review process.

The City of Penticton provides local government input regarding zoning, building and other city regulations as part of the LCRB review process. Some licence types may require a public consultation process.

Public Notices

The following applications are currently under review by City Staff:

3895 Lakeside Rd - Dragon Boat Pub
Liquor Primary Structural Change (Patio Expansion 2024-PL009745) and Change to Hours of Service (2024-PL009746)

Application Forms:

Liquor Review Licence Application Form

Food Primary or Occupant Load Application

Liquor Licences

In Penticton, the City is involved in following LCRB application types.

If you’re planning to start a new business or modify an existing business, we recommend you make an appointment with us to ensure zoning, Building Code and other regulations are reviewed prior to completing your LCRB applications.

This process requires a review of zoning, occupant loads and Council resolution. Please review the application form above for further details about the process and timeline estimates.
For all new and renovated establishments serving liquor, the Liquor Control & Licensing regulations require an occupant load calculation confirmed by the local authority (Penticton’s Building Department). The occupant load will be determined based on the requirements of the BC Building Code for health and life safety. See the application form for further details and requirements.
Applications for new and permanent amendments must be first reviewed by the City’s Development Services Department, which will then begin the local government review process. The City’s Liquor Licensing Policy has been developed to provide comments to the LCRB.

Our Development Service staff can assist you in preliminary reviews related to zoning and building (occupant loads) and other regulations that may be required prior to your submittal. This process involves reviewing zoning, safety and health regulations and the licence is staff-issuable.

Please see the Liquor Review Application Form above for further details and requirements.
Applications for new and permanent amendments must be first reviewed by the City’s Development Services Department, which will then begin the local government review process. The City’s Liquor Licensing Policy has been developed to provide comments to the LCRB.

Our Development Service staff can assist you in preliminary reviews related to zoning and building (occupant loads) and other regulations that may be required prior to your submittal.

This process requires Council resolution. Please see the Liquor Review Application Form above for further details and requirements.

Special Event Licences

The City is also involved with some Special Event Licenses. These are issued by the LCRB and are available to event hosts who wish to provide any kind of temporary or infrequent liquor service at events such as family gatherings, private functions, community festivals and manufacturer tastings. For more information about Special Event Licences, visit the BC Liquor & Cannabis Regulation Branch website.

If you plan to host a public event at a City-owned facility, or you wish to serve alcohol prior to 9 a.m. or past 10 p.m., your Special Event Licence will be reviewed by the City as part of the rental agreement process. You will be required to fill out the Special Event Licence Application form.

If the event will take place in City-owned facilities or parks, it must be reviewed by City staff. Please direct your inquiries to the Recreation Department on 250-490-2437 or email rentals@penticton.ca.

For any new or changes to existing applications involving changing location, service to whole site setup or extension of hours, please complete the Special Events Licence application.

Events taking place on a city beaches or streets with liquor service will require support by Council.
Please go to the City’s Outdoor Events site for more information.
You can also download this helpful guide on Special Events.

Frequently Asked Questions

Liquor licence review times are dependent on the licence type. Having a complete application with all required drawings and documents will assist staff in processing your request more efficiently.
- New Liquor Primary, Lounge & SEA endorsements may take up to 90 days to process and run parallel to the LCRB review process. An Occupant Load review will be required. It is advisable to review your proposal with staff as soon as possible to ensure zoning and other regulations will not become an issue later on.
- Permanent Amendments to existing licences typically start with the City and may take up to 90 days as a joint parallel review process.
- Temporary changes or Occupant Load confirmation request may take up to 7 working days to process.
Yes, if you are planning on serving liquor at your event, you will be required to identify it as part of your Rental Agreement Booking. City facilities and parks have been classified regarding the acceptable types, occupant loads and hours of service. No further City reviews are required if you are meeting those parameters.

Applications requesting service hours or event sizes outside the predetermined limits will require an SOL application and Council Resolution. Please direct your enquiries to the Recreation Department on 250-490-2437 or email rentals@penticton.ca.
The BC Liquor & Cannabis Regulation Brand requires you to have a Special Occasions Licence for any event involving the service of alcohol to a group of guests.

The City of Penticton only reviews those applications that occur on City-owned property where the hosts plan on serving alcohol prior to 9 a.m. or past 10 p.m. If your event will operate beyond the allowed hours, an Hours Exemption is required and you will be required to fill out the City’s SOL application.

You will still require a special occasions licence if you are serving and/or selling alcohol at private family events or private special events. The definition of these types of events is explained on this LCRB webpage.

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