Municipal

Patio and sign permits

Exterior signs need a permit in Victoria, Saanich, Langford and Nanaimo; Saanich doesn’t allow roof, projecting, animated or portable signs. Once you hold a business licence, a patio on a Victoria sidewalk or street needs a yearly patio licence: a site meeting with City staff, an application, an inspection once it is built, and $5 million of liability insurance naming the City. Elsewhere, ask your municipality about patios.

Changes are coming

  • Victoria patio licence fees for 2027 — takes effect 1 January 2027. What changes
  • Victoria’s free building, sign and development permits end — takes effect 29 January 2027. What changes
Who issues it
Your municipality
Cost
Signs: $100 each in Victoria (waived until late January 2027), $200 each in Saanich, $100 plus $70 a sign in Langford, $5 per square metre in Nanaimo (minimum $40, maximum $150 a sign). Victoria patios: $100 to apply, then $1.96–$5.78 per square foot for a year, or $0.98–$2.89 for a six-month seasonal licence (2025/26), by area and type; from 2027 rates rise 2.5% a year under an amendment set for adoption in September 2026, replacing a planned doubling.
Forms and pages

Who needs it

Restaurants & cafésFor a patio or signageBakeriesFor a patio or signageBreweries, wineries, cideries & distilleriesFor a patio or signageGrocers & specialty food shopsFor a patio or signageButchers, delis & fishmongersFor a patio or signage

The rules behind this page

Last checked 26 September 2026. We check this guide regularly against Island Health, provincial and municipal sources, but regulations and laws change often and we can’t guarantee it is complete or current. Confirm with Island Health and your municipality before you apply, build or sell.

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