If you are going to open an establishment that will sell liquor in any form, you are going to need to have a liquor license, and maybe even more than one, depending on what kind of facility you are going to have. There are a lot of things that you are going to need to know if you are going to try to get a liquor license for your new business venture.
Off License vs. On License
One thing that you have to decide is what kind of establishment you are going to have. If you are going to strictly sell liquor to be imbibed off the premise, you will need to have an off license. If you are going to sell liquor strictly for consumption on site, then you need an on license. You may need to have both if you are going to have liquor for sale to be consumed on site and sell some for people to take home. The easiest way to find out what kind of license you are going to need is to talk to your state's alcohol licensing board and asking for the different kinds of licenses and how they are broken down.
Availability
Some towns and states limit how many liquor licenses are available in any one place. You may have to go on a waiting list to get your license. Your state or town may off your another option. Sometimes people continue to hold their license even after their business has closed. If that has happened, you may be able to purchase their license from them so that you can open your establishment. If you are going to do this, you should hire an attorney to help you with the process. That way you have a legally binding contract and no one can go back on what the agreement said or say that something was different.
Background Check
Your state or city is likely to require a background check on you as well as any partners you may have. They are going to look for a wide variety of things. You may also want to have an attorney help you with the background check as well. You may have to fill out quite a bit of paperwork as well, and the lawyer can help you with that.
If you want to have a business that sells or serves liquor, you are going to need to have a liquor license. Contact a company, like Arizona Liquor Industry Consultants, for more help.
