Business Permits & Home-Based Businesses
What's required to open a business, run one from home, or put up a sign.
Vaudreuil-Dorion doesn't appear to run a separate annual business-licence system - opening a business or changing how a property is used generally goes through the same "certificat d'autorisation" process as a construction permit, with extra specific rules for home-based businesses and signage.
The certificat d'autorisation covers business changes too
Adding a new use, changing the use of a building (or part of one), or changing the legal or trade name of a business operating there all require a "certificat d'autorisation" from the City's designated officer first. In practice, this certificate is the mechanism that functions as a business permit today.
Service de l'urbanisme
- 2000, rue Émile-Bouchard, Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V 1A5
- Mon–Thu 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. & 1:00–4:45 p.m.; Fri 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
A note on the old "certificat d'occupation"
An older, separately-named occupancy certificate requirement was repealed effective December 9, 2024. Despite that, the current permits bylaw still references an owner's duty to make sure any non-residential occupancy "respects the certificat d'occupation issued by the designated officer" - a leftover cross-reference that makes it unclear whether a standalone occupancy-certificate process still exists separately from the change-of-use certificate above. Confirm directly with the City rather than assuming either way.
Verify with the City: Details in this section were unclear or unconfirmed from a direct primary source during research. Confirm with the City before relying on the specifics above.
Running a business from home
A home professional office or service business is allowed in a single or two-family home under specific conditions: it has to be run by the resident-occupant (and in a duplex, that person has to live on the ground floor); no shop window or storefront visible from outside; nothing sold on-site that wasn't made/provided there; only one such business per dwelling unit; and a tenant needs written authorization from the landlord.
- Floor area capped at 35 m² (detached single-family) or 25 m² (semi-detached, row house, or duplex)
- Maximum 2 non-resident employees in a detached single-family home, 0 in a semi-detached/row/duplex
- No exterior signage beyond 0.5 m², and no visible exterior architectural changes
- Maximum 3 clients on-site at once
- No noise, odour, or emissions perceptible at the property line
Signage permits
A "certificat d'autorisation" is also required to construct, install, maintain, modify, or repair a sign, billboard, or advertising panel.
Figuring out what your business needs
Some permit types can be requested online through the City's e-services portal; others need direct contact with the Division des permis et inspections. For a broader picture of which provincial, federal, and municipal permits a given type of business needs, the City points entrepreneurs to Quebec's PerLE tool - a standard resource used across Quebec municipalities, not something specific to Vaudreuil-Dorion.
Fees
General permit and certificate fees are set out in the City's pricing bylaw (no 1709). Specific dollar figures for a business permit weren't confirmed in this research pass - confirm the current fee with the Service de l'urbanisme before budgeting for one.
Verify with the City: Details in this section were unclear or unconfirmed from a direct primary source during research. Confirm with the City before relying on the specifics above.