Apply for a business licence
All businesses in the City of Cape Town must apply for a business licence if their operations include the sale or supply of meals, if they offer health or entertainment services, or if meals are being hawked (e.g. hot dogs, hamburgers etc).
When to apply
A business licence is required for health and entertainment businesses that:
- provide turkish baths, saunas or other types of baths;
- provide massage and/or infra-red treatment;
- provide the services of an escort;
- keep three or more mechanical, electronic or electrical devices (coin-operated gaming appliances);
- keep three or more snooker or billiard tables;
- keep or conduct a nightclub or discotheque;
- keep or conduct a cinema or theatre; or
- conduct an adult premises in terms of
Section 24 of the Films and Publications Act, 1996.
Please note
There are three categories of business which dictate the price you pay for your licence.
Category 1: Sale and supply of meals — R25
Category 2: Health and entertainment — R25
Category 3: Hawking meals — R10
How to apply
Step 1: Download and complete the Business Licence Application form, which you can find in the document downloads section below.
Step 2: The following completed forms may be required when applying for a non-hawker business licence:
When you are applying for a health and entertainment licence, a
SAPS Clearance Certificate
will be required. This can be applied for at your nearest SAPS station.
For adult film business operations, please include a clearance issued by the Film & Publications Board.
You will also need:
- a certified copy of the business owner’s ID
- a certified copy of the managing director or main staff member’s ID
Step 3: Hand your documents in to the nearest
Environmental Health Office. You will be issued with a printed instruction to make a cash payment for the licence.
Step 4: Visit any of our cash offices to make the payment.
Step 5: Take the receipt from that payment back to the
Environmental Health Office. Your information will then be captured electronically and submitted, along with your forms, to the relevant parties for comment.
Step 6: Once comment has been provided, we will contact you about whether or not your application was accepted or rejected.
If you comply with all the requirements, you will be issued with a licence. If you do not comply, you can apply for a 14-day grace period to make the necessary changes to your premises so that they meet the requirements.
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