Have you just opened up a brand establishment in Arizona? Well, congratulations then! But you also must ensure that you stay on the right side of the law. Keep in mind that you cannot serve alcohol out of your establishment without proper liquor licensing in Arizona.
If you plan to serve alcohol, you must get a permit from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC). The state of Arizona uses a quota system for dispensing liquor licenses. This makes it a little difficult to attain a liquor license, as compared to getting one in a non-quota-based state.
So what are the things you must keep in mind to get a liquor license for your establishment without hassle? Read on to find out!
Steps you must take to attain a liquor license in Arizona.
Here are the top steps you must execute correctly to get your liquor license in Arizona done efficiently:
Understand the type of license you need
You must first figure out what kind of alcohol you want to sell out of your establishment. For instance, do you want to sell beer, wine, or spirits? Or do you want to sell all three?
Furthermore, you also need to decide if you want to serve alcohol on premises or for off-site consumption. There are separate licenses for all these things, and you can’t serve alcohol if you don’t have the right ones.
Here are some licenses to give you a brief idea:
- Bar liquor license (series 6)
- Beer and wine bar liquor license (series 7)
- Liquor store license
- Beer and wine store license (series 10)
- Restaurant license (series 12)
Clear out the various requirements for the type of license you need
Once you know what licenses you need, the next step is to gather the required documents. Go through the application kits created by the DLLC to understand the detailed requirements for your respective license category.
Generally, you will need to meet the following requirements:
- Location and zoning requirements
- Health approval
- Transaction privilege tax license
- Training, etc.
Figure out the license cost
Once you have all the license requirements, the next step is determining what these licenses will cost you. Since Arizona offers quota-based licenses, you will have to buy your license from the private market, either through an agent or a broker. After this, you will then have to apply for a transfer.
To give you a rough idea, here are the two categories license fees fall under:
- Application Fees: Generally around $100 for transfer requests and first-time applications.
- Insurance Fees: To be paid once your application is approved. Furthermore, you will have to renew these annually. For instance, let’s say your restaurant license costs $2000, and you will have to spend an additional $585 to renew it.
Once you get the appropriate liquor licensing in Arizona, you are good to go. However, keep in mind that you read the alcohol serving guidelines without fail to not land into trouble. For instance, you are only allowed to serve thirty-two oz. Beer, one litre of wine or four oz. of distilled spirits to a person at any time. This is done only to ensure their safety.
So, get your licenses and thoroughly review the serving limitations to avoid legal issues. Wish you the very best for your business venture!
