You will need to renew your licence every 2 years.
Licences must be renewed before their date of expiry. If your licence expires, the licence number is no longer valid and it cannot be renewed. However, you can apply for a new licence on your existing My CFIA party profile.
To amend or renew your licence follow these steps:
- sign in to My CFIA
- select the party profile that you requested the licence under
- scroll down, select the Issued Permissions tab and find the licence you would like to amend or renew
- select the hyperlinked permission number to open the licence you would like to amend or renew
- select the amend or renew button and follow the prompts to amend or renew your licence
- if your licence requires amendments in the activities section, this should be completed after the licence has been renewed
Changing your business structure or selling your business
Your licence is not transferable (Feeds Act, subsection 5.2(5)). A licence is issued specifically to a person (for example, an individual or business) who is identified in the licence application. The person named in the licence must always be the same person who conducts the activity(ies) authorized in the licence. As a licence holder, it is your responsibility to determine whether a particular change results in a change to the "person" holding the licence. These changes could include a sale or change in ownership, change in controlling shareholders and amalgamation.
If you are unsure whether a change in your business structure will result in a change to the "person" holding the licence such that a new licence is required, you may wish to consult a lawyer or other professionals who specialize in this area. Additionally, the Canada Revenue Agency provides guidance on change of legal status that may assist you in determining whether a particular change in your business results in a change to the person identified in the licence.
Depending on the circumstances, you may need to amend or surrender your existing licence to appropriately reflect the change. If you determine the change amounts to a different person holding the licence, a new licence would be required for the new person to conduct the activities set out in the licence.