Each state within the US has its own set of laws and regulations when it comes to tobacco and alcohol licensing, therefore businesses and businessmen interested in selling liquor need to carefully study the legislation and requirements of the particular state they want to conduct their business in. Florida, for instance, is a state that focuses greatly on tourism, due to its location, and businesses such as restaurants, pubs and hotels are flourishing here, all being businesses that need a liquor license. In addition, grocery stores or shops that wish to sell alcohol also need a beverage license, although it is a different kind. Not only that, but regulations and fees are also different within different counties in Florida, therefore, if you want to obtain a FL liquor license, then there are certain steps you need to follow, as the process can be quite long and challenging.

First of all, as mentioned above, you need to know the alcohol laws in the state. Florida has its own Tobacco and Alcohol Division that regulates the sale of alcohol and you can find useful information there. You should also be aware of the fact that some counties have limited licenses and if there aren’t any more permits available for your town or location, then you need to redirect your attention from applying for a FL liquor license to buying an existent one. The easiest way to do this would be contracting an alcohol license broker, which is practically a company that intermediates the sale and purchasing of alcohol licenses within the state or even across the US. They can also help you figure out exactly what type of license you need, whether it’s a consumption on-premise(4COP) or package sale liquor license(3PS). Consumption On-Premise are the ones that restaurants or bars need in order to sell beverages on site, while package sale licenses are required by stores that need package sale. Apart from these two categories, there are also other classifications of licenses, such as beer only, beer and wine, beer, wine and spirits, as well as special restaurant licenses(SRX). Making sure that you apply for exactly the type of license you need for your establishment is essential.

Next step is obtaining your FL liquor license is finding out the costs. Each type of alcohol license has a different annual fee, depending not only on its characteristics, but also on location. To that effect a 4COP Quota license in Miami Dade County will have a different cost than a 4COP Quota license in Sarasota County. Last, but not least, the final step is getting your license is actually filling in all the forms and documentation needed. This may sound peculiar, but there is a lot of paperwork that goes into the process and more often than you think applications get rejected because of incomplete or improper paperwork. An alcohol license brokerage firm can help you to this extent as well, as they have probably overseen many applications and transfers, so they know exactly what you need to fill in and submit and they can make sure you don’t forget anything.

To learn more about liquor license or to obtain a FL liquor license, please follow these links!