Getting Started with Your Liquor License in Florida

Residents and visitors especially in Florida want to go out and have fun. This suggests that alcohol is a big attraction for restaurants and clubs in Florida. As such, many company owners are looking to invest in a license for liquor. A license allows you to sell beer, wine, or liquor, based on the type of alcohol you plan to have at your place of business.

If you intend to sell only beer or wine, it would be reasonably easy to get a liquor license. A kit license or merely a consumption-on-premise license may be issued. You will get a special restaurant alcoholic beverage license if you own a restaurant and obtain much of your revenue from cooking, but choose to sell drinks as well. You can sell beer, wine, and liquor with this certificate as long as it is eaten on the premises.

Availability

There is something you need to reconsider if you plan on supplying hard liquor such as whisky, vodka, or scotch. At this present moment, none of these permits are available from the Alcoholic Drinks and Tobacco Section. Only as the population of a Florida county raises their resident count will new licenses become eligible. This means that in order to win the right to apply for this license, you have to enter a lottery.

There are very expensive quota permits. A one-time charge and a recurring fee must be charged by you. Your only other choice is to purchase an existing one from someone who might be out of business or who does not want to sell alcohol at their establishment anymore.

Process for Getting a Liquor License

The process is very straightforward. You must fill out an application for a license, which is available from the Alcoholic Drinks and Tobacco Branch. In person, you can pick up an application, get one sent to you, or have one online. Make sure you absolutely fill it out and pay the fees that are necessary. The costs vary according to the county and the kind of alcohol you expect to see. It can cost as little as a few hundred dollars or as much as a few thousand dollars to pay the annual tax. You can mail it in or hand-deliver it to a local licensing bureau until the application is complete.

Completed licenses must be approved within three months, but you could obtain your license even earlier if you obey all the guidelines on the paperwork and the license is not complicated. 

Read more on key factors that influence alcohol licenses

For businesses looking to distribute alcohol in Florida, there are several kinds of liquor licenses available. It is important that you not only choose the correct certificate but also consider the procedures and expenditures involved. If there are no new licenses available, you might have to obtain a license from a current owner. 

Professional Liquor License Broker

With the help of a professional liquor license broker, you will quickly be able to navigate the treacherous processes that the hospitality industry has become infamous for. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, we are a wealth of knowledge and expertise in operating and licensing. Allow us to understand your business goals as you have envisioned them, and let us help you achieve them. Liquor License Professionals a Trusted Source to help you buy your liquor license in Florida. Call now to get started.