Special Occasion License checklist for indoor space

The licensee and managers of any special occasion licence event, including family events, must have a Responsible Beverage Service Certificate, either Serving It Right or Special Event Server.

• For events with 500+ people, Serving It Right is required
• For events with fewer than 500 people, either Serving It Right certificate or a Special Event Server certificate is required

The licensee, manager, and all servers - paid or volunteer - must be certified.

Find the appropriate request form for your event (refer to "Forms" in the side menu) and submit to the appropriate signing authority.

You may need approval from up to 3 signing authorities, who may impose additional conditions before giving permission to hold your event. They will provide the conditions in writing.

Find your signing authority:

• Residences
• Faculties/departments

Submit the form to Scheduling Services at least 30 days before the event date, along with:

• A copy of your Responsible Beverage Service Certification
• A piece of government-issued photo ID
• If your event has 100+ guests: your Safety and Emergency Response Plan (in the Forms section on this page), including a site map indicating exit strategies

After you submit your documents

We will email you (usually within one business day) to let you know whether or not your request has been approved in accordance with University Policy 13: Serving and Consumption of Alcohol at University Facilities and Events.

In some cases we may need more time to process your application. We'll let you know if this is the case. 

Once we have approved the space 

We will submit your application and supporting documents to Campus Security and the RCMP on your behalf.

Apply  online for your Special Occasion Licence (SOL) at least 14 days before your event. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure all necessary local government approval is obtained.

• Once the SOL application has been approved, you’ll receive an email to let you know that you can pay the fees online and print your license. 
• The SOL must be signed and on display near the bar area during your event, along with receipts from your liquor purchases.

Note: The RCMP processes applications on a first-come, first-serve basis and cannot guarantee turn-around times. They may also impose additional conditions before granting permission to hold your event. If there are concerns with your application, the RCMP will contact you in writing.