---
title: 'The Full LCRB Penalty Table: What Every Contravention Costs'
description: All 54 line items in Schedule 2 of BC Regulation 241/2016, cross-referenced
  against waiver data to show which penalty tiers are routinely imposed.
source: Duty Room
source_url: https://dutyroom.com
published_on: '2026-05-04'
updated_on: '2026-05-04'
market: ca
submarket: bc
sectors:
- all
category: enforcement
canonical_url: https://dutyroom.com/ca/bc/reports/lcrb-penalty-table
data_vintage: 2016-2026
---

# The Full LCRB Penalty Table: What Every Contravention Costs

All 54 line items in Schedule 2 of BC Regulation 241/2016, cross-referenced against waiver data to show which penalty tiers are routinely imposed.

Schedule 2 of [BC Regulation 241/2016](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/241_2016) sets every monetary penalty and suspension day the LCRB can impose on a licensee or permittee. Fifty-four line items across 18 categories. The range runs from $1,000 for an advertising violation to $25,000 for selling liquor while your licence is suspended. If you've been told "it depends on the contravention," this is the table that determines what it depends on.

The penalties below are administrative, not criminal. Criminal prosecution under [LCLA s.57](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/15019) carries maximums of $100,000 and 12 months imprisonment, but criminal charges are rare. Almost all enforcement follows the administrative path: a Notice of Enforcement Action, a waiver offer, and a penalty from these ranges.

> **Data vintage.** Schedule 2 as consolidated to March 24, 2026. Waiver and enforcement data from the LCRB's 2026 Waiver Summary Report (254 records, February 2023 to November 2025) and 2025 report (208 records, July 2024 to September 2025). Penalty table extracted via structured parsing of Schedule 2 into a 54-row table with 16 fields per item.

## How the escalation works

Every contravention has three penalty tiers: first, second, and subsequent. The LCRB looks back 24 months for licensees and 12 months for permittees. If you had a minors contravention 23 months ago and get caught again today, you're in the second-offence column. At 25 months, the clock has reset and you're back to first-offence pricing.

For the first liquor contravention within the lookback window, the licensee chooses between the monetary penalty and a licence suspension. The LCRB doesn't choose for you. That choice disappears for second and subsequent contraventions in some categories, where the General Manager's delegate sets the penalty.

The standard waiver offer is the minimum of the applicable range. A first-offence minors contravention gets offered at $7,000 or 7 days. Contest at hearing and the delegate can impose anything within the range, up to $11,000 or 11 days for a first offence.

## The penalty tiers

Three distinct penalty bands cover the 54 items.

**Top tier: $7,000 to $25,000.** Twenty items carry first-offence minimums of $7,000 and escalate to $25,000 for subsequent contraventions. These are the contraventions the LCRB treats most seriously: unlawful sale of liquor, supplying liquor to minors, allowing violent or disorderly conduct, tied houses and inducements, failure to produce records, and providing false information. The $7,000/$11,000/$25,000 staircase is the one most operators encounter, because selling to a minor (item 7) lives here and accounts for [65% of all enforcement actions](lcrb-minors-enforcement.md).

**Middle tier: $3,000 to $15,000.** Nineteen items start at $3,000 and top out at $15,000. Serving an intoxicated person, allowing intoxicated patrons to remain, overcrowding beyond occupant load, drink promotions encouraging intoxication, and minors present in the establishment all sit in this band. The $3,000 first-offence minimum is also where most intoxication-related waivers land (3.4% of all waivers in the 2025 report).

**Bottom tier: $1,000 to $11,000.** Fifteen items start at $1,000 and cap at $11,000 on subsequent offences. SIR training failures, staff drinking while working, allowing liquor to leave the service area, advertising violations, entertainment non-compliance, structural alterations without approval, and the catch-all provision for anything not specifically listed. The $1,000 minimum is the lowest penalty in the schedule. SIR training violations appear here and account for 12% of waivers.

## Suspension, cancellation, and obstruction: the $15,000 floor

Six items in one category carry the harshest penalties in the schedule. Selling or serving liquor while your licence is suspended starts at $15,000 and a minimum 15-day suspension, with no escalation discount for first offences. Second and subsequent offences stay in the same $15,000 to $25,000 range but the suspension can run to 90 days.

Obstructing an inspector or peace officer falls into the same category. Refusing entry to the General Manager or their delegate, failing to facilitate an inspection, or obstructing a peace officer all carry the $15,000 floor. These penalties don't escalate because they start at the top. A 90-day suspension for a restaurant doing $2 million in annual revenue represents roughly $493,000 in lost sales.

The JJ's Pub case ([2024 BCLCRB 41](https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bclcrb/doc/2024/2024bclcrb41/2024bclcrb41.html)) showed that even warning other bars about the presence of LCRB inspectors can attract a $1,000 penalty. The obstruction provisions are interpreted broadly.

## The full table

### Unlawful sale and purchase of liquor

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unlawful sale of liquor (LCLA s.8(2)(a)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 2 | Unlawful purchase of liquor (LCLA s.8(2)(e)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 3 | Selling or serving unauthorized liquor (LCLA s.8(3)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 4 | Selling liquor purchased under another licence or permit (Reg s.140) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

### Operating outside of licence purpose

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Food service not primary purpose under food primary licence (Reg s.18(1)(a)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 6 | Food service not primary purpose for caterer, or caterer lacking equipment/personnel (Reg s.26(a)/(b)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

### Minors

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Supplying liquor to minors (LCLA s.77(1)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 8 | Minors in establishment or liquor store (LCLA s.79(1)/(2)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |

Item 7 is the single most enforced contravention in BC. Of 254 waivers in the 2026 report, 157 were for supplying liquor to a minor, most triggered by the [Minors as Agents Program](lcrb-minors-enforcement.md). The standard waiver offer is the $7,000 minimum or 7 days. Of the licensees who accepted a waiver in the 2025 report, 93 chose the suspension and 47 chose the monetary penalty. That split is striking: the suspension costs a $2 million restaurant roughly $38,356 in lost revenue, more than five times the fine.

Item 8 (minors present in the establishment) carries a lower penalty. Allowing a minor to be on the premises is a $3,000 first offence. Selling them a drink is $7,000.

### Allowing disorderly or unlawful conduct

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Allowing violent, quarrelsome, riotous or disorderly conduct (LCLA s.61(2)(b)(iii)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 10 | Allowing unlawful activities or conduct (LCLA s.61(2)(b)(iv)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

### Intoxicated patrons

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Selling or serving liquor to intoxicated person (LCLA s.61(2)(a)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 12 | Allowing person to become intoxicated (LCLA s.61(2)(b)(i)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 13 | Allowing intoxicated person to enter or remain in service area (LCLA s.61(2)(b)(ii)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |

Seven intoxication waivers appeared in the 2025 report (3.4%). Low volume, but these often arise from incidents with worse downstream consequences than a MAP test: injuries, altercations, police calls.

### Weapons

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Allowing person with knife or weapon to enter establishment (LCLA s.61(2)(b)(v)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |

### Disturbance of persons in vicinity

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Failure to prevent operation from disturbing persons in vicinity (term/condition) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

### Overcrowding

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Person/patron capacity exceeded but occupant load not exceeded (Reg s.78(1)(a)/(2)(a)) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 17 | Person/patron capacity AND occupant load exceeded (Reg s.78(1)/(2)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 18 | Maximum attendance/occupant load exceeded at catered event (Reg s.97(e)/(f)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 19 | Maximum attendance/occupant load exceeded under temporary use area authorization (Reg s.101(b)/(c)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 20 | Maximum attendance/occupant load exceeded at special event (Reg s.117(j)/(k)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |

The schedule distinguishes between exceeding your licensed person capacity (item 16, $1,000 first offence) and exceeding the fire-code occupant load (item 17, $3,000). Going over your liquor-licence capacity is a regulatory issue. Going over the fire marshal's occupant load is a safety issue. The penalty reflects the difference. Four capacity waivers appeared in the 2025 report (1.9%).

### Liquor service

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Failure to complete SIR training or recertification (LCLA s.60(1)) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 22 | Failure to clear patrons within 30 minutes after service ends (Reg s.89(a)) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 23 | Unused liquor at residential event not returned / failing to take liquor from patrons within 30 minutes (Reg s.26(i)/s.90(1)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 24 | Allowing consumption beyond 30 minutes after service ends (Reg s.91(1)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 25 | Employees consuming liquor while working (Reg s.142(1)/(3)) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 26 | Permitting consumption of liquor not sold by licensee (Reg s.141(2)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 27 | Allowing liquor to be taken from service area (Reg s.141(4)) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 28 | Unlimited drinks for single price or sales strategy promoting intoxication (Reg s.82(1)/s.118) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |

SIR training failures (item 21) are the second most enforced contravention after minors: 25 waivers in the 2025 report, 12% of all enforcement. The $1,000 penalty is the lowest in the schedule, but the contravention often signals a broader compliance gap. If your staff don't have current SIR certification, an inspector will note it, and the question becomes what else is out of order.

Staff drinking on shift (item 25) generated 3 waivers in the 2025 report. The [enforcement heat map](enforcement-heat-map.md) cross-references one of those to a multi-domain offender: the same establishment later appeared in the ESB violations database for wage theft.

### Production of records

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Failure to produce records, liquor, or other things (LCLA s.43(a)(iii)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

### Advertising

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Advertising liquor (LCLA s.64) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |

### Entertainment

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Failure to comply with adult entertainment term/condition | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 32 | Failure to comply with non-adult entertainment term/condition | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |

### U-Brew/U-Vin

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Failing to ensure customer performs listed tasks (Reg s.44) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 34 | Payment, acknowledgment, invoice, storage, labelling, record-keeping requirements (Reg ss.43,45-48,50,51,172) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 35 | Failing to ensure beer or wine is not sold at U-Brew or U-Vin (Reg s.49) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

### Tied houses and inducements

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | Tied houses and inducements (LCLA s.62(1)/(2)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 37 | Failure to report tied house arrangements to General Manager | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

The largest single LCRB penalty on record is $1.09 million against Molson for inducements. That penalty came under LCLA s.62, which prohibits manufacturers from offering gifts, incentives, or exclusive arrangements to licensees.

### Default in monetary penalties

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Failure to pay monetary penalty within required time (LCLA s.51(10)/s.53.1(12)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |

Failing to pay a penalty is itself a $7,000 contravention. The escalation here is designed to prevent operators from simply ignoring a fine.

### Suspension, cancellation, and obstruction

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | Selling or serving liquor while licence suspended (LCLA s.8(2)(a)) | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days |
| 40 | Selling liquor at catered event while licence/endorsement suspended or cancelled | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days |
| 41 | Manufacturer selling liquor while licence/endorsement suspended or cancelled | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days |
| 42 | Selling at food/beverage festival while licence/endorsement suspended or cancelled | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days |
| 43 | Obstructing peace officer or refusing entry (LCLA s.44(6)) | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days |
| 44 | Not allowing General Manager entry, not facilitating inspection, or obstructing General Manager (LCLA s.43(a)(i)-(ii)/s.43(b)) | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 15-90 days |

These six items have no escalation between first, second, and subsequent offences. The penalty starts at $15,000 and stays there. The 90-day maximum suspension is the longest in the schedule. The LCLA statutory maximum for s.8 violations is $50,000; for other contraventions, $25,000. Items 39 through 44 approach those statutory ceilings from the first offence.

### Miscellaneous contraventions

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | Providing false or misleading information (LCLA s.57(1)(c)) | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-21 days | $15,000-$25,000 / 21-41 days |
| 46 | Selling at catered event without catering authorization (LCLA s.8(2)(a)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 47 | Manufacturer selling at market without market authorization | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 48 | Selling at food/beverage festival without temporary off-site sale authorization | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 49 | Selling or serving without temporary use area authorization (LCLA s.8(2)(a)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |
| 50 | Structural alteration or changing service area without amending licence (Reg s.79(1)(a)/(2)) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 51 | Failure to comply with Liquor Distribution Act s.5 agreement (term/condition)[^1] | $15,000-$25,000 | $15,000-$25,000 | $15,000-$25,000 |
| 52 | Failing to keep register of liquor purchases (Reg s.80(4)) | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |
| 53 | Unlawful dilution or adulteration of liquor or refilling bottles (Reg s.144(1)/(3)) | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days | $11,000-$15,000 / 11-15 days |

### General (catch-all)

| # | Contravention | 1st penalty | 2nd penalty | Subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Contravention of any provision not specifically referred to in this Schedule | $1,000-$3,000 / 1-3 days | $3,000-$7,000 / 3-7 days | $7,000-$11,000 / 7-11 days |

Item 54 is the catch-all. Anything not covered by the other 53 items falls here at $1,000 for a first offence. The JJ's Pub warning-other-bars contravention mentioned above was penalised under this kind of provision.

## Where the penalties actually land

The table sets ranges. The waiver data shows where penalties cluster in practice.

Of 208 waivers in the 2025 report, 93 were 7-day suspensions, 47 were $7,000 monetary penalties, 27 were 1-day suspensions, 21 were $1,000 monetary penalties, and 10 were $3,000 monetary penalties. The remaining 10 were 2- or 3-day suspensions.

That distribution tells you two things. First, enforcement concentrates on the $7,000 tier (minors contraventions) and the $1,000 tier (SIR training, service area violations). The $3,000 middle tier shows up less often. Second, suspensions outnumber monetary penalties roughly 2:1 among licensees who accept waivers. The economics behind that choice are covered in [the minors enforcement report](lcrb-minors-enforcement.md).

The [enforcement heat map](enforcement-heat-map.md) shows where these penalties land geographically. White Rock, small highway towns, and tourist corridors produce enforcement rates per licence many times higher than Vancouver.

## Building a due diligence defence

If you're reading this table after receiving a Notice of Enforcement Action, the penalty range tells you the financial exposure. The [due diligence playbook](due-diligence-playbook.md) covers the specific documentation that separates the licensees who beat their contravention at hearing from the 73% who don't.

The penalty table is the price list. The playbook is the insurance policy.

[^1]: Item 51 carries monetary penalties only; no suspension days are specified in Schedule 2 for this contravention.

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