Liquor License Checklist
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Toggle General Licensing Rules status
General Licensing Rules
Toggle Licenses are usually valid for one year. status
Licenses are usually valid for one year.
Toggle An initial License fee is required status
An initial License fee is required
The amount varies by region.
Toggle Rewards for Good Behavior status
Rewards for Good Behavior
Maintain a good relationship with the agency and you'll likely receive automatic license renewal for a lower annual rate.
Toggle Follow the Rules status
Follow the Rules
If a complaint is filed against your establishment for violating any drinking laws, your license may be revoked.
Toggle Understand the Licensing Process status
Understand the Licensing Process
Toggle Plan Ahead status
Plan Ahead
Obtaining a ;liquor ;license for your establishment can take up to a year or more. Make sure you take this into consideration when starting the process, so you'll have it in time for opening.
Toggle Know the Region status
Know the Region
The agencies that process and award liqour licenses vary by state, and some regions limit the number of liquor licenses in their communities.
Toggle Estimate the Cost status
Estimate the Cost
Application fees vary by state, region of operation, type of establishment and other factors. Take taxes into consideration as well.
Toggle Hire a Professional status
Hire a Professional
If you're taking ownership of an existing bar, you may be required to buy their licence. Buying and ;transferring ;a ;liquor ;license can be complicated, so you should ;hire a lawyer ;with previous experience in this area.
Toggle Factor in Conditions status
Factor in Conditions
;You may be able to acquire your ;liquor ;license if the population increases, as some communities will issue new permits during times of economic growth. This is usually done through a blind auction, the license is sold to the highest bidder. Consult your attorney for details on this process.
Toggle Know your Class status
Know your Class
The type of establishment you have affects the kind of license you'll need to obtain, and how much you'll pay for it. The licenses are categorized by class, and their specific titles vary by state.
Toggle Dry Counties status
Dry Counties
Some areas in the U.S. have laws prohibiting the sale or serving of alcohol within it's borders. While there may be exceptions for certain private clubs, the rules are tricky so consult with a lawyer first.
Toggle General Liquor License Classes status
General Liquor License Classes
Toggle Beer and Wine status
Beer and Wine
This type of license allows you to serve beer and wine only.
Toggle Brew Pub status
Brew Pub
Reserved for establishments that brew their own beer. Some states may require an additional license for serving the brew to the public.
Toggle Club status
Club
This license applies to golf clubs, country clubs, and other leisure clubs. The state or region dictates whether the club can serve all varieties of ;alcohol ;or just wine and beer.
Toggle Eatery status
Eatery
;Applies ;only to small carry-out places that offer the option of purchasing bottled beer. This license permits the sale of beer only, and you are restricted in the amount you can sell per customer.
Toggle Restaurant status
Restaurant
Typically 40% of sales must be from alcohol. Restaurants can serve beer, wine, and ;liquor.
Toggle Retail status
Retail
This license applies to liquor stores, drugstore and convenience stores to allow the sale of bottled alcohol.
Toggle Tavern status
Tavern
Depending on the region, a Tavern licence may require your establishment to serve food.
Download or Print this Liquor License Checklist
Get a printable version of this checklist in your preferred format: PDF, Word, Excel, or print directly from your browser.
Presented by:
Lauren Meir
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Details
Getting a liquor license is no small task, but our Obtain a Liquor License Checklist outlines what you need to know to help you through the process. Be informed and you'll be ready to serve your patrons in no time. Cheers!
Who it's for
This Liquor License Checklist is for teams that want consistent execution, less rework, and clear ownership.
- Standardize quality - run the same Liquor License steps every time, regardless of who executes
- Save time - reuse a proven Liquor License workflow instead of rebuilding processes from scratch
- Improve accountability - assign owners and see what's done vs. what's pending
- Onboard faster - use the Liquor License checklist as the SOP and training guide
- Coordinate across roles - handoffs are clear and everyone works from the same source of truth
How to use it
How to use this Liquor License Checklist:
- Start by saving it - save as a Template if you'll reuse it, or as a Checklist if it's a one-off project.
- Customize it once for your workflow - remove what doesn't apply and add your team-specific steps.
- Assign ownership and execute - set owners/due dates where needed and track completion as work happens.
- Reuse without rebuilding - when Liquor License comes up again, start from your saved version and run it with clear ownership.
Rate this Checklist
5 stars
Scores 4.80 with 88 votes