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iAGCO
Apply online for a convenience or grocery store licence using our self-service iAGCO portal.
Annual Fees
Convenience Store Licence: $500
Grocery Store Licence: $3,250*
Contact us
Need help? Contact us now by email or telephone.
Overview
There are two types of alcohol retail licences for convenience and grocery stores.
- Convenience Store Licence: This licence allows you to sell beer, wine (including cider), and ready-to-drink alcohol products in a retail store that meets certain eligibility requirements and has 4,000 square feet or less of retail floor space.
- Grocery Store Licence: This licence allows you to sell beer, wine (including cider), and ready-to-drink alcohol products in a retail store that meets certain eligibility requirements and has more than 4,000 square feet of retail floor space.
Watch this video on becoming a licensed alcohol retailer in Ontario
Eligibility
Who is eligible
You may be eligible for a licence if your business meets these legal requirements. Please see the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 (LLCA) and its regulations for full details.
| Requirement | Convenience store licence | Grocery store licence |
|---|---|---|
Retail floor space indoor space that is fully enclosed by walls in which products or services are offered for sale to the public. This does not include outdoor space. (See Additional eligibility information for help on how to calculate retail floor space.) | Any store with 4,000 square feet or less of retail floor space should apply for a Convenience Store Licence. As an example, a small grocery store with less than 4,000 square feet of retail floor space should apply for the convenience store licence. | Any store with more than 4,000 square feet of retail floor space should apply for a Grocery Store Licence. As an example, a large convenience store or a qualifying big box retail store with more than 4,000 square feet of retail floor space should apply for the grocery store licence. |
| Amount of retail floor space dedicated to selling food | At least half of your retail floor space is used for food products (excluding prepared food products that may be consumed on site). | At least 10,000 square feet OR half of your retail floor space is dedicated to food products (excluding prepared food products that may be consumed on site). |
| Food variety | You sell a variety of at least five of the following types of food products: canned foods, frozen foods, dry goods, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, meat or meat alternatives, dairy or dairy alternatives, non-alcoholic beverages, baked goods and snack foods. | You sell a variety of each of the types of food products: canned foods, frozen foods, dry goods, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, meat or meat alternatives, dairy or dairy alternatives, non-alcoholic beverages, baked goods and snack foods. |
| Not a pharmacy | Your store does not primarily identify to the public as a pharmacy. A pharmacy can be located inside the store. | Your store does not primarily identify to the public as a pharmacy. A pharmacy can be located inside the store. |
For full eligibility requirements, see the Convenience Store Licence Obligation Guide and/or the Grocery Store Licence Obligation Guide.
Who is not eligible
You are not eligible for a licence if, for example:
- Your store is primarily identified to the public as a pharmacy as defined under the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act.
- The retail floor space isn’t fully enclosed by walls (such as kiosks, stands or stalls).
- You do not meet the food product requirements.
- Your store is located within a First Nations community that has decided not to allow alcohol retail stores.
Additional eligibility information
How to calculate the retail floor space
You can find out the retail floor space by measuring the length and width of the space and multiplying these values (area = length x width).
Example:
30 feet long x 60 feet wide = 1800 square feet
Spaces where products or services aren’t offered to the public, such as storage rooms or washrooms, should be removed from the calculation. You can do this by measuring the non-usable space(s) and subtracting it from the total.
Example:
Main sales area: 30 feet long x 60 feet wide = 1800 square feet
Storage room: 5 feet long x 5 feet wide = 25 square feet
Net retail floor space: 1800 square feet - 25 square feet = 1775 square feet
You can calculate spaces with irregular shapes by breaking up the area into smaller boxes, calculating the area of each box, and adding up all the areas.
The image below is an example of how to calculate retail floor space.
First Nations
A First Nation has the authority to decide whether retail stores are allowed within their community. If a First Nation decides that alcohol retail stores should not be allowed, the Band Council may pass a resolution and send it to the AGCO. We will not issue any licences within these communities.
If your store is located within a First Nations community, follow these steps before you apply:
- First, check the list of First Nations communities that have decided not to allow alcohol retail stores. Please do not apply if your store is located within one of the First Nations communities on the list. We cannot process applications for store located within these communities.
- Next, obtain a resolution from your Band Council indicating their approval for your store to be licensed.
Once you have applied, an Eligibility Officer will reach out to you to ensure we have all the required information to process your application.
Please refer to Regulation 746/21 under the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 (LLCA) for full details.
Learn more about alcohol retail stores within First Nations communities.
Winery Retail Store Requirements for Grocers
If you currently host or are considering hosting an Offsite Winery Retail Store (WRS) at your grocery store, special rules may apply, including lease protections, product sales restrictions, and limitations on issuing Grocery Store Licences in certain situations. Visit the Requirements for Grocery Stores with Offsite Winery Retail Stores web page to learn more.
Fees
| Licence | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| Convenience Store Licence | $500 |
| Grocery Store Licence | $3,250* |
The fees are subject to annual inflationary adjustments starting on April 1, 2025 tied to Ontario’s Consumer Price Index (CPI).
A rebate is available for eligible small grocery stores. More information can be found here.
Step 1: Prepare your application
Before you apply, you’ll need to:
Consider how long it takes
Think about when you should apply. You’ll need enough time to:
- Get your licence from the AGCO (a few days / 3-6 weeks)
If you hold another, active AGCO licence or registration (e.g. a lottery retailer registration) most will see their retail licence issued within a matter of days. Others can expect the AGCO’s eligibility review of their convenience or grocery store application to take 3-6 weeks. - Buy product from the LCBO (about 6-8 weeks)
The LCBO will reach out to guide you through this process. You’ll need time to get access to their sales portal (about 2 days), order and receive your products (about 6 to 8 weeks). - Train your staff (timing varies)
Any person involved in the sale, sampling, delivery, or taking orders for the sale of alcohol must hold a valid certificate that demonstrates the successful completion of a responsible liquor sale and delivery training program approved by the AGCO Board. All of the AGCO Board approved training programs can be found on the Responsible Liquor Sale, Service and Delivery Training page. Please note that some trainings are more specific to stores holding a convenience and grocery store licence.
The AGCO has launched an open call for liquor retail training programs. Any new AGCO Board approved training programs will be announced as they become available.
Earliest selling dates: Please note that new licensees cannot sell alcohol until:
- September 5, 2024 for new convenience store licences.
- October 31, 2024 for new grocery store licences.
Be sure to factor these dates into your plans!
Prepare your grocery store to participate in the Ontario Deposit Return Program (ODRP)
Licensed grocery stores must accept empty alcohol containers and provide refunds for the deposits to the consumer starting October 31, 2024. The LCBO will reimburse grocery stores for the deposits they refund to customers. Grocery stores that are within 5km of an existing Beer Store location will be required to participate in the ODRP starting in 2026. These grocery stores and convenience stores are however, required to post the closest place or places where containers can be returned.
Documents you’ll need
You may be asked to provide the following information and documents to support your application:
- Franchisor legal name
If you are a franchisee, please have the legal name of the franchisor on hand. - Signature forms
Sign and upload the form that is applicable to you:- Corporation
This person(s) has binding authority to submit the application on behalf of their corporation. - Agent or representative
This agent or representative is signing on behalf of the applicant. - Partners
For all partners in a Partnership/Limited Partnership.
- Corporation
An Eligibility Officer may contact you if additional information is required once we start processing your application. In addition to the above documents, you may be asked for this information:
- Licence or Endorsement Number: if you hold either a Liquor Sales License or By-the-Glass Endorsement.
- Seller Registration Number: if you hold a Seller (OLG Lottery/BOT/e-raffle Sales) Registration at the same premises.
- Band Council Approval (for First Nations): If your store is located within a First Nations Community, you will be asked to provide a resolution from your Band Council indicating their approval for your store to be licensed. You can submit your application without this, but we will ask for it once we start processing your application.
Step 2: Apply online
Use your existing iAGCO account: If you’re an existing licence or registration holder (such as a lottery registrant), be sure to apply using your existing iAGCO account so that you can use your “existing applicant information” on your new application. This will save you time and allow us to process your application more quickly.
- Log-in to your existing iAGCO account.
- Don’t have an account? Create a new one.
- Can’t remember if you have an iAGCO account? Use the password reset feature to check if there is an account associated with your e-mail address.
- Don’t have an account? Create a new one.
- Complete the application questions, upload all required documents, and pay the fee to submit the application.
- You’ll receive an e-mail confirmation and receipt.
Step 3: Wait for a decision
Processing your application
We try to process all applications promptly. An Eligibility Officer may reach out to you if we require additional information to process your application. There may be delays if there are complexities with the application or if we need to request more information from you.
Important: We cannot process your application in a timely manner until we receive all the required information from you.
Receiving your licence
We’ll notify you as soon as your application is processed, whether it is approved or not. If your application is approved, you’ll get an e-mail with a copy of your licence attached.
Checking the status of your application
You can check the status of your application from your iAGCO account main page. All submitted applications are displayed under a section called “My Applications Under Review”. There you will find a list of applications that have been submitted and are being processed.
Know your responsibilities
As a licence holder you are responsible for following all the requirements that apply to you. Visit the convenience and grocery store compliance page to see all the resources that are available to help you in understanding your obligations.