Related Links

Ministry of Agriculture

Veterinary Drug Licences

Four classes of licences may be issued:

  1. Limited Medicated Feed Licence - for a business where medicated feeds are sold but not manufactured (i.e. purchased as bagged medicated feed. The annual fee is $12.00 and expires on March 31st each year. The licensee is required to record all purchases of medicated feed that have been imported for sale from another province or another country in the Veterinary Drug Purchase Register. The original copy of the Veterinary Drug Purchase Register must be forwarded to the Chief Veterinarian before February 28th each year to cover all out-of-Province purchases for the previous calendar year.
  1. Medicated Feed Licence - authorizes the licensee to manufacture and to sell feeds medicated with veterinary drugs listed in Schedule A, Table 1 to the limit shown in the M.I.B. Upon the written order (prescription) of a registered veterinarian, the licensee may manufacture medicated feeds with veterinary drugs in strengths above those listed in the M.I.B. and with veterinary drugs not listed in Schedule A, Table 1.

    The annual fee is $55.00 and expires on March 31st each year. The licensee is required to record all drug purchases in the Veterinary Drug Purchase Register. This must be kept up-to-date as each batch of drugs are purchased. The original copy of the Veterinary Drug Purchase Register must be forwarded to the Chief Veterinarian before February 28th each year to cover all out-of-Province purchases for the previous calendar year.

  1. Veterinary Drug Licence - authorizes the licensee to sell the veterinary drugs listed in Schedule A, Table II. Licences may be limited to certain products, i.e., hatcheries may only sell poultry products, tack shops are usually restricted to horse wormers and wound dressings, in which case it is specified on the licence. The annual fee is $55.00 and expires on March 31st of each year. The licensee is required to record all drug and biologicals in the Veterinary Drug Purchase Register as they are received. The original copy of the Veterinary Drug Purchase Register must be forwarded to the Chief Veterinarian before February 28th each year to cover all out-of-Province purchases for the previous calendar year.
  1. Veterinary Drug Dispenser Licence application is only issued to a person after they have successfully passed the written exam. The exam covers the properties, use and abuse of veterinary drugs and related information. Every Medicated Feed Licensee or Veterinary Drug Licensee must have a Veterinary Drug Dispenser present at all times at the premises
    • when and where medicated feeds are being manufactured, or
    • when open for business for the sale of veterinary drugs

    The Veterinary Drug Dispenser Licence is normally valid for five (5) years ($12.00 fee), and must then be renewed by re-examination. Re-examination may be required for any licensee at any time at the request of the Chief (Provincial) Veterinarian.

    This means that businesses that have a Medicated Feed Licence or a Veterinary Drug Licence must have a person holding a current Veterinary Drug Dispenser Licence on the premises during the manufacture of medicated feeds or for the sale of veterinary drugs on the premises during working hours.

    Under the Pharmacists, Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act and Regulations of B.C. it is illegal for a drug wholesaler to sell directly to a farmer. It is also illegal for drugs to be transported in B.C. except by a wholesaler to a properly licenced outlet, veterinarian or pharmacist. Farmers may transport or have delivered, drugs purchased by them from a B.C. licenced veterinary drug retail outlet, veterinarian or pharmacist to their farm for their own use.

    These regulations do not affect the sale of veterinary drugs by pharmacists or registered veterinarians.

Get Acrobat Reader ImageAdobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files. This program may be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe web site (www.adobe.com)