Red Deer, Alberta
How do I look up a business licence in Red Deer?
The City of Red Deer requires a business licence and publishes licence information on reddeer.ca. A check takes a few minutes, and the Alberta steps follow.
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. Open the City of Red Deer's licence pages
Search "business licence" on reddeer.ca to reach the city's licence pages. Search the exact name on the quote, then the trade name.
Official source: reddeer.ca (search "business licence") (City of Red Deer; checked 2026-10-20).
3. Read the category and the expiry
A licence names the business, the category and the expiry. Compare the category with the work on the quote.
4. Money before the work is done: check the prepaid contracting licence
A business that takes a deposit before the work is complete may need Alberta's prepaid contracting licence; the province's licensed-business search shows it.
Official source: Find out if a business is licensed (Government of Alberta (Service Alberta); checked 2026-10-20).
5. Compulsory trades: check the tradesperson's credentials
Electrical, plumbing and gasfitting are compulsory trades in Alberta; the Tradesperson Lookup Tool checks a person's certificate by name.
Official source: Tradesperson Lookup Tool (Government of Alberta, Apprenticeship and Industry Training; checked 2026-07-15).
6. If nothing comes up
Ask which municipality issued the licence and under which name; a business based in a nearby county may hold it there.
Questions people ask
Is the city licence the same as the Alberta prepaid contracting licence?
No. The city licence is permission to operate in Red Deer; the prepaid contracting licence is a provincial consumer-protection requirement for businesses that take money before the work is done. Check both.
Or ask Jay
Jay does these steps for you and writes up what the records show, with the source and date for each finding. The $39 Full Check (no tax added) also reads your quote and insurance papers, and a person reviews every Full Check before it goes out. The $19 Quick Check is opening soon.
Order a Full CheckSee a sample Full Check
Three quotes. One Jay check. Then 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 2026-10-20; sources last checked on the dates shown beside each step.