Payday loans
By law, any person or business who operates a payday loan business in BC or to BC residents needs a licence. Lenders can do business in person, by telephone, or over the internet.
What is a payday loan?
Payday loans are defined as small, short term loans – $1500 or less – that must be repaid within 62 days when the borrower receives their paycheque or other forms of income.
Read the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act.
Read the Payday Loans Regulations.
How to get licensed
You are required to provide the following to be licensed.
Step 1: Provide proof of registration or incorporation
You must provide proof of incorporation or registration during the application process. To register your business, visit OneStop BC Business Registry. If you are located outside of BC, you need to register extra-provincially with Corporate Registry. If you are starting a new business, visit Small Business BC for helpful information for new business owners.
If your business is a partnership or proprietorship, you must provide:
- names of the partners or proprietors
- current copy of any trade name registration(s) under which you intend to operate
If your business is a corporation, you must provide
- names of directors, senior officers, and beneficial owners with voting shares
- current copy of any trade name registration(s) under which you intend to operate
If your head office is located outside of BC, you must provide a certificate of registration from your home jurisdiction showing your legal business name and any other names under which you intend to conduct business.
Step 4: Complete a criminal record check
Senior officers, partners or proprietors of your business must complete a criminal record check.
For Canadian residents, get your criminal record check through our third-party supplier. The results will be sent directly to us.
Get a criminal record check.
For non-Canadian residents, a criminal record check from your home jurisdiction is required.
Step 5: Provide business documents
You will need to submit the following documents:
- standard loan agreement. If you are located outside of British Columbia, you must include the address of your BC office in your loan agreements, for the purpose of service of documents, per the Payday Loans Regulation, section 12.
- sample loan agreement for $300 for 14 days, with all fees and charges
- rate structure for a payday loan, with interest and permissible charges
- cancellation notice form
- a form acknowledging the receipt of the loan cancellation
- sample debt collection notification and forms
- it’s important to review these documents to ensure your communication with borrowers is in compliance with the law
Licence application forms