Manage a Liquor sales in grocery store licence

You must tell the AGCO about any changes to your business. This includes changes to ownership and/or management.  

You may need to provide additional information, depending on the situation. Examples of information we might need include personal disclosure information if there’s a change in the ownership structure or you hire a new manager who oversees day-to-day operations of the sale of beer and cider or beer and wine.

If you’re planning to renovate a grocery store that has a beer and cider or beer and wine licence, and which may impact the sale of beer, cider or wine, you need to tell the AGCO. You’ll also need to submit updated floor plans of the premises. All areas and retail space need to be outlined and labelled, including the dimensions of each area. 

You can select a two-year or four-year term when you renew your licence. There are fees that reflect these terms.

To renew your licence, you must:  

• Complete the tax compliance verification process and obtain your tax compliance verification number through the Ministry of Finance’s Tax Compliance Verification portal  
• Attest that your status is “Compliant” (see this information bulletin for more details)

The AGCO will remind you by email or mail 60 days and 7 days before your licence expires. You must apply to renew your licence and submit the right fee before this expiry date. You can apply to renew your licence through the iAGCO portal.

If we get your application and fee(s) by the expiry date, you can continue operating until you receive your renewed licence. 

To renew your manufacturer’s licence, the AGCO will need confirmation that:  

• Your tax status is up-to-date (check your status on the Ministry of Finance’s Tax Compliance Verification portal) 
• If you’ve changed owners, you’ve reported it to the AGCO (if you haven’t, you’ll need to apply for a liquor sales licence transfer first)   

Renew your licence

The AGCO issues licences for to sell beer and wine or beer and cider at a specific grocery store location. If a different person wants to acquire the licence or if you’re relocating your grocery store to a different location, you’ll need to transfer your licence. 

Transfer of licence to a different person 

As a grocery store operator, you can transfer your beer and wine, or beer and cider grocery store licence to a different person, provided that person meets the regulatory requirements and the Registrar approves it.  

You’ll need to apply to transfer the licence to a different person. You may need to submit these documents: 

• Personal disclosure information for people associated with the business that oversee the sale of beer, wine or cider in grocery stores including: 
  • Sole proprietors 
  • Partners in partnership 
  • Officers and directors of a corporation 
• Business name registration 
• Floor plans of the premises with all areas and retail space outlined and labelled (e.g., grocery retail space; pharmacy; storage area), including dimensions of each area and store “plan or guide” (if available) 

Transfer application (structure change)

Transfer — Relocation of licence to different location 

You can relocate your licence to a different store in the same geographic region, if the AGCO approves the transfer and you meet the regulatory requirements.

You’ll need to apply to transfer the licence to a different relocation.  

To be eligible for a transfer to a different location, you either need to: 

• Own both stores 
• Be affiliated with the other store 
• Own a store that is part of the same franchise system 
• Be within the same geographic region 

In addition, the proposed grocery store must not be located within five kilometres of an LCBO agency/convenience outlet.

Transfer application (transfer business)
 

If you decide to close your business, or you don’t want to sell beer and cider, or beer and wine at your business, you must surrender your licence to the AGCO and submit a voluntary surrender of licence form. 

Surrender your licence