Overview

Direct Selling is the business of soliciting, negotiating or concluding sales contracts in person at any place other than the seller’s place of business. These contracts are for goods or services that will be purchased by an individual for primarily personal, family or household use.

Note: A direct selling business shall not solicit, negotiate or conclude a consumer transaction for furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, windows or energy audits, in person at a consumer's home unless the following condition is met. Before the business attends at the consumer's home the business is expressly invited into the home by the consumer by:

  • phone, email, text or other electronic communication
  • through the business's website
  • in person at the business's normal place of business or at such other place where the direct selling business is conducting business

How to apply

You will need to complete an application form, provide a security, provide a copy of a sales contract or invoice and pay a licensing fee. To get started, follow these instructions to save and open the application and other applicable forms.

Trouble opening or completing PDF forms?

Fillable forms do not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers. To fill in and save this form:

  1. Click on the PDF link to save it on your computer.
  2. Launch Adobe Reader.
  3. Open the PDF from within Adobe Reader. You can now fill and save your form.

Application for a Direct Selling Business Licence (PDF, 83 KB) 

Your responsibilities

  • Licence holders must notify Service Alberta in writing within 15 days of a change in:
    • business address
    • partners of the business if the licence is issued to a partnership
    • officers or directors of the corporation if the licence is issued to a corporation
  • Licence holders must notify Service Alberta in writing within 15 days of ceasing to carry on the activities for which the licence was issued.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure your licence is in force as long as you continue to do business. Once your licence is issued please make note of the expiry date and ensure your licence is renewed prior to this date.
  • All records, files, books, papers and other related documents must be maintained for 3 years after creation. These records may be subject to inspection by an inspector appointed under the Consumer Protection Act.
  • A business must have a licence and must produce it when asked to by a person it approaches to make a direct sale, an inspector appointed under the Consumer Protection Act, the Director, or a peace officer.
  • The business must provide an identification card for persons selling on its behalf
    • The identification card must have the person’s name and the business name, address and licence number, and must be signed by the signing authority appointed by the business.
    • The individual must produce their identification card when asked to by a person to whom they make or attempt to make a direct sale, an inspector appointed under the Consumer Protection Act, the Director, or a peace officer.
  • If any of the applicant, partners, directors or officers primary residence is Out-of-Canada, a criminal record check is required from the jurisdiction of the individual’s primary residence which follows the requirements set out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada or a check provided by a local policing organization (i.e., state or municipal police service) provided the results include national records. For US applicants, a criminal history record information check performed by a vendor from this list is also acceptable.
  • Compliance

Copies of legislation can be obtained from the Queen’s Printer Bookstore.

Contact

To connect with the Consumer Contact Centre:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-4088
Toll free: 1-877-427-4088 (in Alberta)
Email: sa.businesslicensing@gov.ab.ca