Kelowna, British Columbia
How do I check a contractor's business licence in Kelowna?
Want Jay to do these checks for you? A person reviews every check.
No tax added. Report by 8 p.m. Pacific the next day.
Kelowna needs a licence for any business that operates in the city. The city has an online search of the licences it has issued. A contractor from West Kelowna, Vernon or Penticton may instead hold a mobile licence. Here is how to check both.
The free steps
1. Start with the exact name on the quote
Write down the business name exactly as the quote prints it, including Ltd., Inc. or a number. A trade name, a numbered company and a sole proprietorship can all be registered under other words, so if a search shows nothing, ask the contractor which name and number appear on their registration or licence before you read anything into it.
2. Search Kelowna's business licences
The City of Kelowna's business licence search shows the licences it has issued. Licences are issued each year. Search the exact name on the quote, then the trade name.
Official source: Business licence search (City of Kelowna; checked 2026-11-08).
3. From out of town? Ask about the mobile licence
A contractor can work in Kelowna with an inter-community mobile licence added to the licence from their home town. Towns in the program include West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, Vernon, Penticton, Summerland and Salmon Arm. Ask for the home town and the licence number.
Official source: Inter-community mobile licence (City of Kelowna; checked 2026-11-08).
4. Still not sure? Ask the city
Kelowna's business licensing office is at 250-469-8617. Give the exact name on the quote and ask whether it holds a current licence. Write down the date and the answer.
5. Electrical or gas work: check Technical Safety BC
Electrical and gas contractors in BC are licensed by Technical Safety BC. Its search shows the licence class and status.
Official source: Find a licensed contractor (Technical Safety BC; checked 2026-10-20).
6. Know what the free search cannot show
A licence or a registration says the business holds permission under that name today. It does not show whether past work was good, whether the insurance is in force, or whether the quote covers what you think it does. Those are the insurance and quote steps, and they take a few minutes more.
Questions people ask
Does a Kelowna business licence mean the contractor is qualified?
No. A licence lets the business operate in the city. It does not test skills. Trade certificates and Technical Safety BC licences are separate.
What does a Jay check add?
Jay searches the public records for the exact name on your quote, with the source and the time checked for each one. Her report says plainly when a record is not found. The $25 Company Check looks at the company before you get a quote. The $39 Full Check also reads your quote and insurance papers, and $59 buys both on one contractor. A person reviews every Full Check before it goes out.
Or ask Jay
Jay does these steps for you and writes down what the records show, with the source and date for each one. No quote yet? We check the contractor's public records before you contact them. Have a quote? We check your quote, the contractor's insurance and public records. A person reviews every check.
Check first. Then pay the deposit.
Information, not a verdict. A record that is not found is not evidence of wrongdoing, and nothing here is legal, insurance or safety advice.
Published 2026-11-08; sources last checked on the dates shown beside each step.