Check Liquor Licence Status in Ontario

Wondering whether a bar, restaurant, or nightclub is actually licensed to serve alcohol? In Ontario, every establishment that sells liquor must hold a valid Liquor Sales Licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Here is how to verify that a venue's licence is legitimate and what each status means.

Understanding AGCO Licence Statuses

The AGCO assigns a status to every Liquor Sales Licence. The main statuses you will encounter are:

Active — The licence is valid and the establishment is authorised to sell liquor. This is the status shown for all records on this tracker.
Suspended — The licence exists but has been temporarily suspended by the AGCO, usually due to a regulatory violation. The establishment cannot legally sell alcohol while suspended.
Revoked — The licence has been permanently cancelled. The establishment can no longer sell alcohol under this licence and would need to apply for a new one.
Expired — The licence holder did not renew before the expiry date. The establishment is not currently authorised to sell alcohol.
Pending (Under Public Notice) — A new licence application has been filed and the AGCO has posted it for public notice. The establishment is not yet licensed.

How to Check Status Using This Tracker

Quick Status Check

This tracker shows all establishments with an Active Liquor Sales Licence in 13 Ontario cities. If a venue appears in our directory, it holds a valid, active licence as of the most recent AGCO data update (June 2026).

Steps to verify a licence here:

Go to the city directory and select the city where the establishment is located.
Browse or search for the venue by name. Each listing displays the licence number, legal entity, address, and endorsements.
If the establishment appears with a green "Active" badge, it holds a valid licence in the AGCO's dataset.
If the establishment does not appear, it may have a non-active status, may operate under a different name, or may be in a city we do not yet cover.

What This Tracker Does NOT Show

This directory only includes records with an Active status from the AGCO's Liquor Sales Licences open-data file. It does not display:

Suspended or revoked licences
Expired licences that were not renewed
Licences with conditions or restrictions imposed by the Licence Appeal Tribunal
Compliance history or past infractions

For any of the above, you need to check with the AGCO directly.

How to Check for Suspended or Revoked Licences

Contact the AGCO

Phone: 1-800-522-2876 (toll-free in Ontario)
Website: agco.ca

The AGCO publishes Registrar's Actions (suspensions, revocations, conditions) and Licence Appeal Tribunal decisions on its website. You can search these to see if enforcement action has been taken against a specific licence.

Reasons a licence might be suspended or revoked include:

Serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons
Serving minors
Operating outside of permitted hours
Failure to maintain the premises in accordance with the licence
Failure to pay licence fees or comply with conditions

How to Check Pending (New) Applications

If a new bar or restaurant is opening and you want to know whether it has applied for a licence, check the Opening Soon page. We track all current Applications Undergoing Public Notice from the AGCO's open-data file. Each pending application includes:

The applicant's name and proposed premises name
The address of the proposed establishment
The objection deadline (the date by which the public can file objections with the AGCO)

A pending application does not mean the venue is open or will receive a licence — it means the application is under review.

Why Licence Status Matters

Verifying licence status is important for several reasons:

Consumer safety — An unlicensed or suspended venue may not meet health and safety standards required for licence holders.
Legal liability — Event planners and corporate buyers should confirm a venue is actively licensed before booking.
Lease and property transactions — Commercial real-estate professionals verify licence status during due diligence.
Community awareness — Residents near a licensed premises can monitor whether it remains in good standing.

Check Status by City

Start your status check by choosing a city:

Toronto Ottawa Hamilton Mississauga London Brampton Kitchener Niagara Falls Windsor North York Scarborough Etobicoke Oakville

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'Active' status mean on an Ontario liquor licence?

An Active status means the establishment currently holds a valid Liquor Sales Licence issued by the AGCO and is legally authorised to sell alcohol on the licensed premises. It does not indicate anything about hours of operation, menu, or whether the venue is currently open for business on a given day.

Can I check if a bar's liquor licence has been suspended or revoked?

This tracker displays only active licences from the AGCO open-data file. To check whether a licence has been suspended, revoked, or has conditions attached, you should contact the AGCO directly at 1-800-522-2876 or visit agco.ca. The AGCO also publishes Registrar's Actions and Tribunal decisions on its website.

How do I know if a new restaurant has applied for a liquor licence?

When someone applies for a new Liquor Sales Licence in Ontario, the AGCO posts a public notice with an objection deadline. This tracker surfaces those pending applications on the Opening Soon page and on individual city pages. A pending application means a licence was applied for — it does not confirm the venue has opened.