A Special Occasion Permit (SOP) is required any time liquor is sold or served anywhere other than in a licensed establishment or a private place (for example, a corporate boardroom or a residence). Note: liquor cannot be sold at a residence.

SOPs are for occasional, special events only, and not for personal profit or running an ongoing business. A permit may be revoked if the Registrar established under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act (AGCO Act) has reason to believe the event is being used for personal gain.

Types of Special Occasion Permits

Special Occasion Permits may be issued for the following types of events and activities:

• Private Events are limited to invited guests only and may not be publicly advertised. The public cannot be admitted and there can be no intent to gain or profit from the sale of liquor at the event (e.g., a wedding). 

• Public Events are open to the public. These events can be advertised and fundraising and/or profit from the sale of liquor at the event is permitted. Public events include events of provincial, national or international significance, or designated by a municipal council or its delegate as an event of municipal significance. 

  There are several types of eligible public events:

  • Charity Events are public events conducted by a charitable organization registered under the Income Tax Act (Canada), a non-profit association or organization for the advancement of charitable, educational, religious or community objects.
  • Bring-your own Events are public outdoor events held at ground level where attendees, 19 years and older, may bring their own liquor (BYOB) for consumption at the event. Events may either be:
    • held in connection with, and in proximity to, a professional, semi-professional or post-secondary  sporting event; or
    • an event that has been designated by a municipal council or its delegate as a cultural or community event.
  • Industry Promotional Events are public events held to promote a manufacturer’s product(s). Manufacturers or a licensed representative can provide or sell samples and take orders for liquor purchases.
  • Auctions are conducted by a charitable organization, administrator or executor of an estate or law enforcement officer acting within the scope of their duties. Auctions may be conducted wholly or partly online.

This guide provides an overview of bring-your-own events.

For information on private events, other public events and industry promotional events and auctions, see the AGCO's Special Occasion Permit Guide or Auction Guide.

A bring-your-own event permit is required for events where attendees that are 19 years of age or older may bring their own liquor (BYOB) for consumption at the event, within the permitted area.

To be eligible for a bring-your-own event permit in Ontario, the event must meet the definition of a bring-your-own event as set out in the Permit Regulation . 

A bring-your-own event must be a public event, held at an outdoor premises that is at ground level, and is either: 

• held in connection with, and in proximity to, a professional, semi-professional or post-secondary sporting event; or
• an event that has been designated by a municipal council or its delegate as a cultural or community event.

For both types of events, attendees 19 years and older are allowed to bring their own liquor for consumption at the premises. Permit holders also have the option of allowing for the sale of alcohol under a Sale Bring-our-own Permit. 

A bring-your-own event held in connection with a sporting event, could include the following types of sporting events:

• Professional sporting events may include sports where the participants are major league teams such as members of the Canadian Football League (CFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), American Hockey League (AHL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Soccer (MLS).
• Semi-professional sporting events may include sports where the participants are minor league teams such as members of Ontario Hockey League (OHL), AAA baseball, United Soccer League Championship.
• Post-secondary sporting events may include sports where the participants are extramural, varsity or intercollegiate sports teams

Applicants applying for a bring-your-own event held in conjunction with a community or cultural event must provide the AGCO proof that the municipal council or their delegate in which the event will take place has designated the event as a cultural or community event. 

Please note that amateur or recreational sporting events, including events organized and played through intramural sports leagues at post-secondary institutions or otherwise, and cultural or community events that have not been designated by a municipal council or its delegate are not eligible for a bring-your-own event permit.

A bring-your-own event permit may be “Sale” or “No-Sale” depending on whether alcohol will be sold and served at the event.

Under a no-sale bring-your-own event permit, attendees 19 years or older may bring their own liquor for consumption at the event, within the permitted area.

Under a sale bring-your-own event permit, liquor purchased under the permit may be sold and served at the bring-your-own event and attendees 19 years of age or older can bring their own liquor for consumption at the event, within the permitted area.

As part of the application, the applicant must indicate whether liquor will be sold at the event. This includes where money is collected for liquor, such as an admission charge to the event (e.g., drink tickets included in the admission charge), the sale of liquor (cash bar), liquor tickets sold to attendees, or the collection of money and/or other forms of payment for liquor before the event.

The AGCO regulates the sale and service of liquor in Ontario and provides assistance to applicants and permit holders in understanding how to conduct an event in a responsible manner.

The Registrar may review applications for bring-your-own event permits to determine if there are any risks associated with the event. The Registrar has the authority to attach conditions to a bring-your-own event permit to mitigate any risks that may be related to the event. Conditions might include, for example, limiting the hours of sale, service and consumption of liquor, or requiring licensed security staff to be hired/on duty during the event. 

For more information, see Risk Based Permitting Criteria and Conditions. 

A police officer or AGCO Inspector may revoke a bring-your-own event permit while the event is underway if they reasonably believe that the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, its regulations or the standards and requirements established by the Registrar are being contravened in connection with the event.

Any bring-your-own event permit holder may be issued a monetary penalty as a result of specific breaches of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, its regulations and and the standards and requirements established by the Registrar. 

For further information on monetary penalties, refer to the Schedule of Monetary Penalties.

An applicant can apply for an SOP online by creating an iAGCO account . Through the iAGCO account, the applicant can check the status of the application and, once it is approved, print the permit.

Bring-your-own event permit application fees are non-refundable. For a list of current fees, please refer to the Liquor licensing fees for Special Occasion Permits.

An application for a bring-your-own event permit must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the event.

Notification to Municipal Authorities

Applicants for a bring-your-own event permit must provide written notice to the local municipal clerk’s department, police, fire and health departments informing them of the event, and include a sketch identifying the physical boundaries. If a tent, marquee, pavilion or tiered seating is used, the local building department should be notified in writing.

The applicant’s timelines for notifying local authorities are:

• 30 days before the event takes place, if fewer than 5,000 people per day are expected to attend the event; or
• 60 days before the event takes place if 5,000 or more people per day are expected to attend the event.

If the event or activity is to take place in an area under the control of the National Capital Commission, written notice to the Chair of the Commission is also required.

Copies of all municipal notification letters will be required to be submitted to the AGCO as part of the application process.

APPLICANT INFORMATION

An applicant must be 19 years of age or older to obtain a bring-your-own event permit. If the applicant is an organization, association or company, the application must be completed by a member or representative who will be at least 19 years of age at the time of the event, who has signing authority for the organization, association or company. Applicants must provide all information, materials, documentation or approvals as may be requested.

RESPONSIBLE PERSON(S)

The permit holder/responsible person must be present throughout the bring-your-own event and is responsible for the safety of people attending the event. They must ensure the event is run in compliance with the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, its regulations and the standards and requirements established by the Registrar.

The permit holder/responsible person indicated on the application will be noted on the permit. If there is more than one responsible person, all must be named and at least one of the persons named must be present at the SOP event at all times.

The permit holder or, if applicable, designate shall make the permit available for inspection upon request.

NOTE: If the permit holder/responsible person is unable to attend, it is the responsibility of the permit holder to designate in writing someone to attend the permit event on their behalf. The designated person is responsible for ensuring that all legal requirements for the permit event are met. The designated person must not be someone who has previously been refused a permit by the AGCO.

EVENT NAME, LOCATION AND DETAILS

As part of the application, the permit holder will be required to provide details related to the bring-your-own event, including the:

• Event Name (e.g. Toronto Argos Fan Tailgate Party, Brockville Community Movie Night)
• Location Name (e.g. Stadium/Field parking lot, park, name of building/property where the bring-your-own event will be held)
• Address of the bring-your-own event location. (If the address of the proposed location for the bring-your-own event is unknown (e.g. parking lot), please use an address as close to the proposed location as possible).

Note: If the event is being held at various locations (whether it is on the same day or over the course of several days), a separate permit is required for each location/address.

DATES AND TIMES OF EVENT

Liquor may only be sold, served and/or consumed during the hours specified on the permit.

Note: The bring-your-own event can begin/continue beyond hours specified on your permit; however, the sale, service and/or consumption of liquor is limited to the time authorized on the permit.

A bring-your-own event permit will be effective on the same day as the sporting event or municipally designated cultural or community event to which the bring-your-own event is connected, and the hours must be between 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on any day except New Year’s Eve (December 31) where hours may be between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. the following day.

• Date(s): Indicate the date on which the bring-your-own event will take place. If the event runs into the following day (e.g. until 2:00 a.m.), indicate the first day (e.g. if the event begins April 9th at 7:00 p.m. and ends April 10th at 2:00 a.m. it should indicate “April 9”).
• Start Time: Indicate the time at which the sale, service and/or consumption of liquor will begin.
• End Time: Indicate the time at which the sale, service and/or consumption of liquor will end. Please note that the signs of liquor must be cleared no later than 45 minutes after the end of the serving period. For example, if your permit indicates an end time of 4:00 p.m., all liquor and signs of service and/or consumption must be cleared by 4:45 p.m.

MULTIPLE DAY EVENTS 

A single permit may be issued for multiple day events if the nature, purpose, location and target audience of the event or activity are the same for each day, and as a result of doing so, the permit holder is not operating an ongoing business, or does not appear to be doing so.

BRING-YOUR-OWN EVENT INFORMATION

All bring-your-own events be must held in connection with, and in proximity to, a professional, semi-professional or post-secondary sporting event in Ontario or be a cultural or community event that has been designated by a municipal council or its delegate.

The applicant will be required to provide the following information. 

Live sporting event: 

1. Type of sport
2. Category (i.e. Professional, semi-professional or post-secondary)
3. Governing body or league (e.g., Canadian Football League (CFL), National Basketball Association (NBA))
4. Date, time and location of the sporting event
5. Estimated attendance
6. Name of participating teams   

Municipally designated cultural or community event:

1. Type of cultural or community event (i.e. outdoor movie screenings, street markets, fairs, etc.)
2. Date, time and location of the event
3. Estimated attendance
4. Designation by a municipal council or its delegate as a cultural or community event

If the applicant is applying for more than one bring-your own event in the application, they must provide the above information about the sporting or cultural or community event connected with each bring-your own event date.

BRING-YOUR OWN EVENT LOCATION 

The applicant must provide a description of the outdoor area where the bring-your own event will be held. Please use specific descriptions (e.g. parking lot, park, fenced area) and name of the area, if applicable.  

The applicant must indicate in the application whether liquor will be sold, served or consumed in tents, marquees, pavilions or tiered seating areas (e.g. bleacher seating, stadium-type seating, seating arranged in sloping tiers). 

The location/area where the bring-your own event is to take place must meet the following requirements:

• The permit/location area where liquor will be sold, served or consumed must be outdoors and at ground level.
• The permit location/area where liquor will be sold/served/consumed must be readily distinguishable from adjacent areas where the permit does not apply. This means that all areas that are not part of the permit area must be clearly and visibly separated from those areas covered under the bring-your own event permit.
• A premise used as a dwelling, not including the common areas of a multiple unit residential building, shall not be used for the sale, service or consumption of liquor under a permit.
• The location may not be in a dry area if liquor is to be sold at the event. A dry area is an area/municipality where liquor is not sold.
• The location cannot be disqualified as set out in the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019.

The permit holder will be required to confirm that they are authorized to use the proposed permit area for the bring-your own event.

VEHICLES IN THE PERMIT AREA

Under a bring-your own event permit, permit holders may allow vehicles to enter and park within the permit area (i.e. a bring-your own event taking place in a parking lot).

Permit holders are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of patrons attending the event.

ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE

Indicate how many people are expected to attend the event per day.

SALE OF LIQUOR

This question must be answered “yes” if money will be collected for liquor either directly, through the sale of liquor or drink tickets at the event (e.g. cash bar, sale of drink tickets), or indirectly through an admission charge that covers liquor (e.g. drink tickets included with admission) or the collection of money for liquor before the event.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

The following documents will be required for the application:

• Detailed Sketch – A detailed sketch showing the dimensions of the bring-your own event area for which the permit will apply. If there are tents, marquees, pavilions or tiered seating, please include them within the sketch.
  Example:
  
• Notification Letters – Copies of letters sent to the local municipal clerk’s department, police, fire and health departments informing them of the outdoor event. As well as a copy of the letter sent to the local building department if a tent, marquee, pavilion or tiered seating is used within the permitted area.
• Proof of Designation – Designation by a municipal council or its delegate as a cultural or community event.  

Note: Supplementary documents may be provided to support the review of the application.

If you are selling or serving liquor at your bring-your own event, all liquor must be purchased in Ontario from LCBO.

Applicants should contact the Canada Revenue Agency  for information concerning any collection of Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) or other obligations they may have related to the HST and the sale of liquor under the permit.

The receipts for all liquor products purchased under the permit must be readily available for inspection during the bring-your own event for presentation upon request.

Storage of Liquor

Liquor that has not been consumed that was purchased by the permit holder under the bring-your own event permit for sale or service at the event must be removed from the premises at the end of the event. When returning unopened liquor, the permit holder must produce the permit and a copy of the payment records (e.g. receipts and/or invoices). Check with the LCBO for further details.

If a multiple day event permit is issued, the permit holder may store liquor in accordance with the standards and requirements established by the Registrar.

If there is a change to the permit area(s) or the bring-your own event after the permit is issued, including any of the following, the permit holder must submit a change request:

• if there has been a change in the event date, hours and/or location.
• if liquor will be served, sold or consumed in tents, marquees, pavilions or tiered seating.
• if there has been a change to whether the permit holder will charge for liquor directly, through the sale of liquor or drink tickets at the event (e.g. cash bar, sale of drink tickets), or indirectly through an admission charge that covers liquor (e.g. drink tickets included with admission) or the collection of money for liquor before the event.
• if the sporting event or municipally designated cultural or community event for which the bring-your own event permit has been issued is cancelled.

In some cases, a new permit may be required. If the permit holder does not notify the AGCO by submitting such a request, administrative action may be taken against the permit holder including, but not limited to, the immediate revocation of the bring-your own event permit. Application fees are non-refundable.

PATRONS DEPARTING WITH UNFINISHED LIQUOR

Under a bring-your-own event permit, the permit holder must allow patrons to bring their own liquor for consumption at the event.

It is the responsibility of the permit holder (sale bring-your-own or no-sale bring-your-own) to not allow patrons who brought liquor to the permitted premises to remove any of the liquor from the premises when the attendee departs, except in the following circumstances:

1. The attendee is departing in a motor vehicle other than a form of public transportation, but only if the liquor is,
   1. in a sealed and unopened container, or
   2. packed in baggage that is fastened closed or not otherwise readily available to any person in the motor vehicle.
2. The permitted premises is within or adjacent to a public place in which the possession and consumption of liquor are permitted and the attendee is departing to that public place.
3. Any other circumstance, if the liquor is in a securely closed container.

ADVERTISING

The permit holder may advertise or promote the availability of liquor only in accordance with the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, its regulations and the standards and requirements established by the Registrar.

SECURITY

The permit holder must provide sufficient security to ensure that unauthorized persons do not attend the event and to ensure that the conditions of the permit and requirements of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, its regulations and the standards and requirements established by the Registrar are observed.

SERVER TRAINING

The AGCO has a list of Board-approved training programs that provide licensees and their employees with the knowledge needed to sell, serve and deliver liquor safely, responsibly, and in compliance with the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, its regulations and the standards and requirements established by the AGCO Registrar. While not a requirement, permit holders and/or their staff may wish to consider taking this training to learn more about the safe and responsible sale and service of liquor. 

For more information, please see the AGCO Board Approved Programs.