Credit card processing and merchant services in Coquitlam, BC
Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody are listed together in one of B.C.'s mobile business licence partnerships. Trades, caterers and mobile salons crossing those lines need payments that travel with them.
Between 2016 and 2021, Coquitlam's occupied private dwellings rose 9.0% to 55,949, faster than its population, which grew 6.7% to 148,625 and ranked sixth in B.C. That's a lot of front doors for businesses that do their work at a customer's home.
Plenty of those businesses cross city lines. B.C.'s mobile business licence page lists Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody among the participating local governments in a Lower Mainland partnership, one of 17 partnerships linking 104 communities across the province. The Province doesn't issue these licences. You apply through a participating local government, eligibility and costs vary from one partnership to the next, and the Province names construction, trades, catering and mobile salons as common examples. Ask the City whether your business qualifies before you count on one licence for all three cities.
Getting paid depends on the work. A renovation crew billing in stages can send each invoice from the virtual terminal as a payment link, so the client pays online and no card number ends up on a work order. A mobile stylist finishing at a client's kitchen table can take a tap on a mobile card reader.
Caterers have a tax split to get right. Most taxable sales carry 12%, the 5% GST plus 7% PST, but B.C. exempts food for human consumption from PST and taxes liquor at 10%. A dinner and the bar tab that goes with it belong on different tax lines, and the event deposit can go out weeks ahead as a payment link.
We price on interchange-plus, with no long-term contract to sign. Send a statement for a free statement review, and find the provincial rules and their sources on our British Columbia page.
Rules that matter in Coquitlam
Coquitlam's mobile business licence partnership
B.C.'s mobile business licence page lists the City of Coquitlam, the City of Port Coquitlam and the City of Port Moody among the participating local governments in a Lower Mainland partnership. The Province doesn't issue mobile business licences. You apply through a participating local government, and eligibility and costs can differ between partnerships, so confirm with the City that your type of business qualifies.
Source: Government of British Columbia, Mobile business licences
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
Is there a mobile business licence that covers Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody?
B.C.'s mobile business licence page lists all three among the participating local governments in a Lower Mainland partnership. The Province doesn't issue the licence itself: you apply through a participating local government, and eligibility and costs vary by partnership. Ask the City of Coquitlam whether your type of business qualifies before you book work in the other two cities.
How should a Coquitlam renovation company take progress payments?
Bill each stage as an invoice or payment link from the virtual terminal. The client enters their own card details online, each payment ties back to an invoice, and no card number gets written on a work order. At the final walk-through, a mobile card reader can take the last payment on the spot. For deposits on bigger jobs, see our guide to card processing for contractors.
Do Coquitlam caterers charge PST on the food?
Not on the food itself. B.C. exempts food for human consumption, prepared meals included, from PST, while liquor carries 10% PST and soda the general 7%. A wedding dinner and its bar tab land on different tax lines, so split them on the invoice, and take the deposit by payment link so the client keys in their own card.
Can a Coquitlam cleaning business bill regular clients automatically?
Yes, with each client's agreement. The virtual terminal can keep a card on file and run recurring billing on a set schedule, so a weekly or monthly clean gets paid without a new invoice each time. Get the client's consent in writing, tell them the amount and the schedule, and send a receipt for every charge.
Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
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