As of January 1, 2024, asbestos abatement contractors must be licensed to operate in British Columbia.

This means you need to ensure that your asbestos abatement contractor holds a valid Asbestos Abatement Licence (AAL) before permitting them to carry out asbestos abatement work.

Verifying that your contractor is licensed

Our Asbestos Abatement Licence (AAL) Registry allows businesses, contractors, and homeowners to identify who is, or was, licensed to perform asbestos abatement work in B.C.

Asbestos Abatement Licence Registry

You can sort the columns in the registry by clicking on the appropriate column heading (e.g., WorkSafeBC account number, legal name, or licence number) and looking for your contractor. You can obtain this information from the contractor.

Inclusion in the registry does not constitute an endorsement or referral from WorkSafeBC for particular licensees. We encourage you to take steps to choose an asbestos abatement contractor carefully. This includes:

• Using our registry to verify information from the contractor about their licence status. If your preferred contractor does not have their licence yet, encourage them to apply. For more information, see Learn about licences.
• Obtaining an up-to-date clearance letter from WorkSafeBC prior to the start of any work. You may also wish to review insurance coverage requirements for homeowners.

Why your contractor needs to be licensed

A valid AAL indicates that the licensee meets the statutory definition of asbestos abatement contractor or independent operator and has agreed to the terms and conditions of a licence, which includes compliance with health and safety requirements under the Workers Compensation Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.

The new regulations include an obligation for owners and prime contractors to ensure that, before permitting an asbestos abatement contractor to carry out asbestos abatement work at a workplace, that asbestos abatement contractor holds a valid AAL. To be valid, a licence must be issued by WorkSafeBC and must not be expired, cancelled, suspended, or refused.

Terms of use for the registry

The AAL Registry is updated daily and reflects the most current information available to WorkSafeBC. However, WorkSafeBC does not warranty the quality, accuracy, or completeness of the information in this registry.

Information about each person who is or was an asbestos abatement licensee is maintained in this registry for 10 years.

The information in this registry is published in accordance with s. 59.09 of the Workers Compensation Act. Your use of this registry is governed by and subject to the WorkSafeBC Website Terms of Use.

Licence status

Licences are valid for one year and must be renewed annually.

Valid licences will be listed in the AAL Registry with the following status:

• Issued: The licence issued by WorkSafeBC is current until the listed expiry date.

Invalid licences will be listed in the AAL Registry with one of the following statuses:

• Expired: The licence issued by WorkSafeBC has expired.
• Cancelled: WorkSafeBC has cancelled this licence.
• Suspended: WorkSafeBC has suspended this licence.
• Refused: WorkSafeBC refused the most recent licence application.

For more information

If you cannot find an asbestos abatement contractor in this registry or require additional assistance, please contact Licensing Services.