1. City business licence
The City says Calgary home-based food businesses that prepare or sell food need a business licence. Home preparation is commonly routed to Food Service – Premises.
Built for Calgary home-food sellers
Turn your food into a neighbourhood business
Read the City and AHS requirements in plain language, see exactly how ShobShob gets paid, and start a low-friction application without a licensing questionnaire.
Seller applications are open. Customer ordering is still paused while ShobShob completes its launch gates.
A clearer way to get started
Plain language, official sources, no hidden platform fee
- Separate City licensing from the AHS food-safety path.
- Keep 100% of tips and receive proceeds in your own Stripe account.
- Read the guide and apply in any supported ShobShob language.
$0
Signup fee at launch
The ShobShob signup and seller application are free at launch. City, AHS, and other government fees are separate and paid directly to those authorities.
15%
ShobShob commission
On food sales and any seller-delivery fee; never on tips.
100%
Tips are yours
ShobShob does not take commission from customer tips.
Direct
Stripe payouts
Order proceeds settle to your own connected Stripe account.
Licensing in plain language
Two authorities, two separate decisions
A provincial low-risk food path does not cancel Calgary's municipal requirements. Start with the real food, preparation address, people, water, and sales plan.
2. City location approval
The City decides whether Home Occupation – Class 1, Class 2, or another approval applies. Visits, workers, space, pickup activity, accessory areas, equipment, and construction matter.
3. AHS food-safety path
AHS decides whether the actual operation needs a Food Handling Permit, approved establishment, plan review, inspection, training, event notice, or another step.
4. Item rules, labels, and evidence
Qualifying low-risk home-prepared food has direct-to-consumer, household preparation, ingredient, water, and label rules. Higher-risk food needs the stricter AHS path.
Do not rely on a product name alone
A cookie may be shelf-stable while a cream-filled cookie is not. Canned, pickled, fermented, jam, relish, and salsa products can need technical pH, water-activity, or process evidence. When unsure, ask AHS.
Costs before you sell
2026 government fees and timing
These are dated estimates from current official sources. Pay government fees directly to the authority. The City, AHS, and other authorities decide your actual path and fees.
Fee sources reviewed:
Required for Calgary home-food businesses
A qualifying low-risk home route may start with only the City business-licence fee: CAD $172
This requires the City to accept Home Occupation – Class 1 and AHS to confirm that no Food Handling Permit is required.
City business licence
Required for Calgary home-food businessesHome-based Food Service – Premises fees. These figures exclude the fire and planning rows that do not apply to home-based businesses.
- New licence
- CAD $172
- Annual renewal
- CAD $131
City processing time varies and starts after a complete application is received.
Home Occupation – Class 1
Only if requiredCity location approval with no application fee.
- Application fee
- CAD $0
About 5 business days; no expiry while the operation remains compliant.
Home Occupation – Class 2
Only if requiredCity development permit. Current official City sources conflict, so both published figures are shown.
- 2026 planning fee schedule
- CAD $457
- City home-food guide
- CAD $481
About 10–12 weeks; approval is not guaranteed and expiry varies.
Confirm the current amount with the City before paying.
AHS Food Handling Permit
Only if requiredA qualifying low-risk home-prepared-food path requires no permit. Otherwise, AHS decides the applicable permit class.
- Class I
- CAD $100
- Class II
- CAD $175
- Class III
- CAD $250
- Class IV
- CAD $500
Valid for 1 year. An annual renewal fee applies, but AHS does not publish a separate renewal amount.
Building or trade permits
Only if requiredEach required building, electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing permit has a variable fee. Ask the City before starting work.
- 2026 minimum for each required permit
- CAD $116.50
Timing varies by the permits and review required.
There is no universal total. Never infer your approval path or permit class from these figures; confirm it with the responsible authority.
Optional application help
Get organized without giving up control
ShobShob can help organize the facts and documents requested by official forms, compare your draft with current public checklists, and walk you through submission. You review every answer and declaration, submit through the official City or AHS process, and pay government fees directly.
Planned one-time price
CAD $200 + applicable tax
This inquiry does not book a service or charge you. Only after service and refund terms, tax treatment, capacity, privacy, and counsel gates are complete will ShobShob say whether a pilot slot can be offered.
No payment today. Sign in to send a short inquiry. Do not include ID, SIN or BN, banking information, passwords, or licence or permit documents.
Money and Stripe Connect
You sell directly; ShobShob supplies the marketplace
The seller is the merchant of record. ShobShob helps customers discover, order, message, and pay, while Stripe moves funds through the seller's connected account.
15% commission
ShobShob takes 15% of food sales and any seller-delivery fee. Tips are excluded.
100% of tips
The full customer tip belongs to the seller.
Seller accepts, then customer pays
The seller reviews and accepts the request first. The customer then pays through a direct charge on the seller’s connected Stripe account.
Seller is merchant of record
The customer buys the food from the independent seller. ShobShob is the marketplace.
Direct Stripe account
Proceeds settle to the seller's connected Stripe account on Stripe's payout schedule; ShobShob does not hold a seller balance.
Other deductions: Stripe processing fees and any applicable tax on ShobShob's commission are also deducted. Current Stripe pricing and the exact order breakdown are shown separately; Stripe identity and payout approval do not replace City or AHS approval.
How to start
From idea to seller profile
Licence numbers and documents are optional in routine ShobShob onboarding. You remain responsible for completing every City and AHS requirement before offering or fulfilling food.
Step 1
Read the requirements
Use this guide and the linked City and AHS sources to understand the rules that may apply to your food and location.
Step 2
Confirm with the authorities
Apply with the City and contact AHS early. Ask before construction, equipment installation, or operating.
Step 3
Create your profile
Tell your kitchen story, add photos and location details, provide required CRA reporting information, and accept seller responsibility.
Step 4
Review, payouts, and menu
After marketplace review, connect Stripe and set your menu and schedule. You may optionally submit licence evidence; after review, your profile may show the generic “Credential evidence reviewed” label.
What sellers get
ShobShob is built to remove marketplace busywork while the seller stays in control of the food, schedule, prices, fulfilment, and legal responsibilities.
Menu, pricing, ingredients, allergen details, photos, options, and printable label support.
Weekly availability, lead times, daily limits, and blackout dates.
Pickup plus optional seller-managed delivery with distance-based fees.
Secure checkout, clear order breakdowns, direct Stripe proceeds, and payout status.
Customer messaging, order notifications, custom requests, ratings, and reviews.
A seller dashboard, application checklist, support tickets, and human review for uncertain cases.
Official sources
Learn from the City and AHS directly
These are the current primary pages and useful subpages used for this guide. Official rules, case-specific written direction, current forms, and current fee schedules take priority over ShobShob's summary.
Sources reviewed:
City: Home-Based Food BusinessCity business-licence, location, kitchen, and application guidance.City bylaw: Home Occupation – Class 1The current Land Use Bylaw rules for a possible Class 1 use.City bylaw: Home Occupation – Class 2The current Land Use Bylaw rules for a possible Class 2 use.City: Apply for a business licenceStart the official City application.AHS: Open a BusinessAHS food-business entry point, forms, and operating-model resources.AHS: Starting a Food Business (January 2026 PDF)The current step-by-step AHS startup guide.Alberta: Low-risk home-prepared foodsProvincial conditions, examples, direct-sale limits, and labelling.AHS: Food-safety trainingTraining requirements and course information.AHS: Non-English food-safety resourcesSupplemental translated safety education; not a translated licensing decision.
Rules can change. Alberta has announced Food Regulation changes for January 1, 2027, so ShobShob must review this guide, checker, onboarding, and every translation before that date.
Common questions
What most prospective sellers ask
The short answers below explain ShobShob's current Calgary model. The official authority decides your actual licence and permit requirements.
Do I need a City of Calgary business licence?
The City says Calgary home-based food businesses that prepare or sell food need a business licence and location approval. A narrow personal-chef exception may apply only when all preparation and storage happen in each client's home; confirm it with the City before relying on it.
Does every home-food seller need an AHS Food Handling Permit?
Not necessarily. A qualifying low-risk home-prepared-food operation may not need an AHS permit, commercial kitchen, or routine inspection. The food, process, preparation place, people, water, and sales channel must meet all conditions. Calgary's City requirement remains separate.
Do I have to enter licence numbers or upload documents?
No. Licence and permit numbers and uploads are optional during routine onboarding. You must acknowledge that you—not ShobShob—are responsible for identifying, obtaining, and maintaining every requirement that applies. ShobShob may later request current proof. The generic “Credential evidence reviewed” label appears only after ShobShob reviews submitted evidence.
What does ShobShob charge?
At launch there is no seller signup fee. ShobShob charges 15% on food sales and any seller-delivery fee, never on tips. Stripe processing fees and applicable tax on commission are separate deductions.
Who handles pickup and delivery?
The seller offers pickup and may choose to deliver orders personally with distance-based fees. ShobShob does not operate a driver network.
How does Stripe Connect work?
The seller is the merchant of record and has a Full Stripe Dashboard. After the seller accepts, the customer pays through a direct charge on that seller’s connected account. Stripe deducts ShobShob’s 15% application fee from seller proceeds and pays out the remainder on the seller’s Stripe schedule; ShobShob never holds a seller balance.
Ready to build your kitchen profile?
Start the application in your preferred language. There is no licensing questionnaire, and licence numbers and documents are optional unless ShobShob later requests proof.