Applying for a Retail License
< Click on the links to the left for more information about each license type and to download an application.
Applicants should also consider the following requirements when applying for a license:
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- Proximity to Community Locations - click here - All retail licensees are required to meet certain proximity restrictions, meaning they must not be located too close to schools, churches, parks, playgrounds, or libraries.
- Owner and Manager Background Checks - click here - Criminal history background checks are required for most owners and anyone employed to act in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
- Manager and Employee Training - click here - Every individual who is employed to sell or furnish alcoholic beverages, as well as managers, must complete and pass an approved alcohol server training within 30 days of employment. Every manager employed in a DABC retail licensed business must also complete a manager training program.
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Seasonal Licenses also Available:
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- A summer seasonal license runs from April 1st, until October 31st
- Winter seasonal license runs from November 1st to March 31st
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Airport Lounge
An Airport Lounge License is issued to a person for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises of a public airport lounge. Airport lounges may be established at international airports with U.S. Customs offices.
Alcoholic beverages may be sold from 8:00 a.m. until 12 midnight.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Airport lounge licenses run from November 1st to October 31st and renewals must be submitted by September 30th annually.
Application Form: Airport Lounge Liquor License
Fees:
Initial fee - $8,000
Application fee - $300
Renewal fee - $6,000
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Detailed summary of the Airport Lounge License
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $10,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Local Consent - Airport Lounge
Banquet
An On-Premise Banquet License allows the storage, sale, service, and consumption of liquor, wine, heavy beer, and beer for contracted (not open to the general public) banquet activities or contracted privately sponsored events (which are events restricted by an admission fee) on the premises of a hotel, resort facility, sports center, convention center, performing arts facility, or an Arena. All banquet licenses must be able to host conventions and conferences, have adequate kitchen or culinary facilities on the premises and be able to provide complete meals. Alcoholic beverages may be sold on any day from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m. Each banquet licensee must maintain at least 50% of its total banquet business from the sale of food.
The banquet license may also provide room service to guest sleeping rooms in hotels and resorts.
To qualify for a banquet license, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
A Hotel is a commercial lodging establishment that offers temporary sleeping accommodations for compensation. It must have at least 1000 square feet of function space, consisting of meeting and/or dining rooms that can be reserved for private use under a banquet contract and be able to accommodate a minimum of 75 people.
A Resort Facility is a commercial recreational facility or area that is designed primarily to attract and accommodate people to a recreational or sporting environment. It must have at least 1500 square feet of function space consisting of meeting and/or dining rooms that can be reserved for private use under a banquet contract and accommodate a minimum of 100 people. It must have adequate kitchen or culinary facilities on the premises of the resort to provide complete meals.
A Sports Center is a facility that is designed primarily to accommodate people at sporting events and has at least 2500 square feet of function space consisting of meeting and/or dining rooms that can be reserved for private use under a banquet contract and be able to accommodate a minimum of 100 people. It must also have a fixed seating capacity for more than 2,000 persons.
A Convention Center is a facility that primarily provides business or function space to conventions and/or conferences and provides food and beverage functions under a banquet contract. The convention center must have at least 30,000 square feet.
A Performing Arts Facility is a multi-use performance space that is primarily used to present various types of performing arts, including dance, music, and theater. There must be over 2,500 seats that is owned and operated by a governmental entity in cities over 100,000 people. A performing arts facility does not include sporting events or sporting competitions.
An Arena is an enclosed event venue with an occupancy capacity of at least 12,500 people. The arena must be managed and owned either by the same person, or a person who has a majority interest in, or can exercise control or authority over the management of each person who owns or manages a space at the venue
Report Banquet Events in Advance: Every banquet licensee must file a report to the DABC containing advance notice of their events. Quarterly Report Form
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Banquet licenses run from November 1st to October 31st and renewals must be submitted by September 30th annually.
Application: On-premise Banquet
Fees:
Initial fee - $750
Application fee - $300
Renewal fee - $750
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Detailed Summary of the Banquet License
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $10,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Local Consent - Banquet
Bar Establishment
A bar establishment license allows the storage, sale, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises of a bar (a social drinking establishment), an equity (such as a country club), or a fraternal (such as a mutual benefit or patriotic association that is organized under a lodge system). Food must be available for customers the entire time the bar is open, but there is no required percentage of food sales.
Liquor, wine, heavy beer and beer may be sold from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. every day.
Social drinking bars are usually open to the public, though the licensee may choose to be private and restrict access to only those who are on a list and/or pay a fee. No one under the age of 21 is allowed in social bars and they are required to verify proof of age of persons who appear to be 35 years of age or younger by a scanner or electronic age verification device
Equity and fraternal licensees must have membership requirements. Qualifications for membership are set in their bylaws or house rules, however a member must be an individual who is 21 years of age or older. Equity and fraternal licensees are not required to have the electronic age verification device, and minors may be on the premises - but may not be in the bar area.
Bar licenses run from July 1st to June 30th, and must be renewed annually during the month of May.
Application Form: Bar Establishment License
Fees:
Initial fee - $2,750
Application fee - $300
Renewal fee - $2,000
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Detailed summary of the Bar Establishment License
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $10,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Bar - Local Consent
Beer Recreational Amenity
An on-premise beer retailer license (not a tavern) allows the sale of beer for consumption in establishments that are tied to a recreational amenity and directly adjoins the licensed premises. The recreational amenity must be owned by the license holder or contracted with a government entity who owns the recreational amenity. The license holder must maintain 70% food sales or may include the gross sales from the recreational amenity.
A "recreational amenity" establishment is defined as one of the following:
- Billiard parlor
- Pool parlor
- Bowling facility
- Golf course
- Miniature golf
- Golf driving range
- Tennis club
- Sports facility that hosts professional sporting events and has a seating capacity of 6500 or greater
- Concert venue with a seating capacity of 6500 or greater
- Certain government-owned facilities (convention center, fair facility, equestrian park, theater, or concert venue)
- Amusement park (with one or more permanent amusement rides and located on at least 50 acres)
- Ski resort
- Venue for live entertainment (if the venue is not regularly open for more than five hours on any day, food is available whenever beer is sold or furnished, and no more than 15% of its total annual receipts are from the sale of beer)
- Concessions operated within the boundary of a park administered by the Division of Parks and Recreation, or the National Parks Service
- Venue for karaoke
- Other commission-approved activities (made by rule) that does not involve the use of a dangerous weapon
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Beer recreational licenses run from March 1st to the last day of February, and renewals must be submitted by January 31st annually.
Application Form: Recreational Amenity
Fees:
Initial fee - $300
Application fee - $300
Renewal fee - $350
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Recreational Amenity
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $5,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Beer Recreational - Beer Local Consent
Hotel License
A HOTEL is defined as having a minimum of 40 guest rooms and be capable of hosting private banquets such as conventions, conferences, and provide food and beverages under a banquet contract. There must be at least 1000 square feet of function space consisting of meeting and/or dining rooms that can be reserved for private use and can accommodate a minimum of 75 people. (The Commission has the authority to waive the minimum function space for small cities, unincorporated areas of a county, and towns).
The Hotel License allows a hotel to have three or more “sublicenses”within its premises boundaries. One advantage is that the Hotel License is NOT subject to the regular quota restrictions. Therefore, some licenses, such as a bar (that may be more difficult to get under normal circumstances) would be more readily available. Renewals are also less expensive than having separate licenses. Hotels with a minimum of 150 guest rooms may still operate multiple locations of their full restaurant, limited restaurant or bar locations within a hotel.
If a hotel chooses to obtain the Hotel License, they are required to have a banquet sublicense which includes room service. Other sublicenses can include a full restaurant, a limited restaurant, a beer only restaurant, or a bar sublicense.
A hotel licensee may have a bar and a restaurant in the same room if each premises is clearly delineated. This delineation must be a permanent physical structure that separates each sublicense, such as a wall, rail, or other architectural feature.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Restaurant licenses run from November 1st to October 31st and renewals must be submitted by September 30th annually.
Effective November 1, 2020, a hotel may also obtain a Hospitality Amenity License, but it cannot be a sublicense. It must be applied for separately from the hotel license. More details to come.
Application Form: Hotel Application
Fees:
Initial fee - $5,000 for three sublicenses + $2,000 for additional sublicenses
Application fee - $500
Renewal fee - $1,000 for each sublicense
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Hotel Summary
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $10,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Hotel - Local Consent
Master License
Master Licenses were created for full and limited restaurants with common ownership of five or more locations, called “sublicenses.” Please contact the licensing and compliance at 801-977-6800 if you are interested in applying for a master license.
A master license and each designated sublicense are considered one license for the purposes of the quota for the restaurant type. However, each sublicense is considered in the enforcement ratio which took effect in July of 2012.
- Fees
- Initial licensing - application fee of $330, an initial licensing fee of $10,000 for a full service master and $5,000 for a limited service master, plus initial licensing fees for any new locations.
- Renewal – The renewal fee for a full service master is $1000 and $500 for a limited service master – these fees are in addition to the renewal fees required for each sublicense
- Adding a sublicense - $330 plus initial licensing fee
- Violations
- If there is a violation of at a location covered by the master license, disciplinary action may be taken against the single location, staff of the location or a combination.
- Disciplinary action may be taken against the master license if, within a one year period, 25% of the locations have been found to have committed a serious or grave violation or at least 50% of the locations covered by the master license have been found to have any violation
- Prohibition on Product Transfer - A master licensee may not transfer alcoholic products between different locations covered under the master license
- Seperate Records - Each location covered by the master license must maintain their own records on its premise.
Off-premise Beer
Licenses are issued for the storage and sale of (5% alcohol by volume or less) beer to go from retail businesses such as gas stations, convenience, and grocery stores. Prior to July 1st, 2018, off-premises beer retailers only needed LOCAL licensing. The law now requires all off-premises retailers to obtain a state license.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Licenses run from March 1st to the last day of February and renewals must be submitted by January 31st annually.
Application: Off-Premise Retail Beer License
Fees:
Initial fee - $250
Application fee - $75
Late penalty - $625 (for existing businesses who did not comply by July 1st, 2018)
Renewal fee - $175
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Off-Premise Beer License
The following document is incorporated in the application form, but is also available for individual download:
- Local Consent: Off-Premise Retail Beer License
- Bond: No bond required
Package Agency
Package agencies are issued to individuals and/or companies on a contract basis with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. These are liquor stores that offer a modest selection of products. They may be located in hotels, resorts and in the less populous cities and communities of the state. The law permits one package agency for each 18,000 persons of the state population. Products are sold for consumption off of the agency premises and purchasers must be twenty-one years of age or older.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Hours of operation vary to accommodate the specific needs of the area or location, but the general span of hours is from noon to 11:00 p.m. Package agencies are closed on Sundays, state and federal holidays.
Application Form - Package Agency
Fees:
Application Fee - $125
License Fee Schedule
Bond: $1,000
Surety Bond Form
Reception Center
A Reception Center license allows for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of liquor, wine, heavy beer, and beer for contracted 3rd party private events on the premises. The reception center must be at least 5000 square feet and must have adequate culinary facilities to prepare full meals on the premises and under the control of the licensee. Each banquet licensee must maintain at least 50% of its total banquet business from the sale of food.
Alcoholic beverages at a Reception Center may be sold on any day from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m.
Report Reception Events in Advance: Every reception center licensee must file a report to the DABC containing advance notice of their events. Quarterly Report Form
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Licenses run from November 1st to October 31st and renewals must be submitted by September 30th annually.
Application Form: Reception Center License
Fees
Initial fee - $750
Application fee - $300
Renewal fee - $750
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Detailed summary of the Reception Center License
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $10,000 -Surety Bond Form
- Reception Center - Local Consent Form
Resort
Resort Licenses are issued for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises of a resort building that has at least 150 dwelling or lodging accommodations (50% of which must be owned by a person other than the resort licensee) and the building must be at least 400,000 square feet. The resort building must be affiliated with a ski area that abuts the resort building premises. Only four (4) of these resort licenses are available statewide.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Licenses run from November 1st to October 31st and renewals must be submitted by September 30th annually.
Application: Call the DABC licensing division at 801-977-6800 for application inquiry.
Fees:
Initial fee - $10,000
Each additional sub-license over four - $2,000
Application fee - $300
Renewal fee: $1,000 for each sublicense
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Detailed summary of the Resort License
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $25,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Resort - Local Consent
Restaurant - Beer Only
Beer-only restaurant licenses are issued for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of beer (but not heavy beer which contains more than 5% alcohol by volume) on the premises of a restaurant that is engaged primarily in serving meals to the general public. Patrons may only purchase beer in conjunction with an order for food that is prepared, sold and served at the restaurant. Each restaurant must maintain at least 70% of its total restaurant business from the sale of food.
Beer-only restaurants may sell beer from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturday, Sunday, legal holidays and private parties, the hours of sale may begin at 10:30 a.m.
A restaurant may have a visible bar with certain restrictions. If a restaurant bar has seating within 5 or 10 feet, depending on the approved floor plan, no one under 21 years of age may be seated there. The use of an I.D. scanner (approved electronic age verification device) is required for those persons who appear to be 35 years of age or younger, and who order beer.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Beer-only restaurant licenses run from March 1st to February 28th and renewals must be submitted by January 31st annually.
Application Form: Restaurant - Beer Only
Fees:
Initial fee - $825
Application fee - $330
Renewal fee - $605
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Restaurant - Beer Only
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
Restaurant Limited
Limited-service restaurant liquor licenses are issued for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of wine, heavy beer and beer on the premises of a restaurant that is engaged primarily in serving meals to the general public. Patrons may only purchase alcoholic beverages in conjunction with an order for food that is prepared, sold and served at the restaurant. Each restaurant must maintain at least 70% of its total restaurant business from the sale of food.
Licensed restaurants may sell heavy beer and wine from 11:30 a.m. to midnight and beer until 1:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturday, Sunday, legal holidays and private parties, the hours of sale may begin at 10:30 a.m.
A restaurant may have a visible bar with certain restrictions. If a restaurant bar has seating within 5 or 10 feet, depending on the approved floor plan, no one under 21 years of age may be seated there. The use of an I.D. scanner (approved electronic age verification device) is required for those persons who appear to be 35 years of age or younger, and who order beer.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Restaurant licenses run from November 1st to October 31st and renewals must be submitted by September 30th annually.
Application Form: Restaurant - Limited Service
Fees:
Initial fee - $1,275
Application fee - $330
Renewal fee - $750
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Restaurant - Limited Service Handbook
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $5,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Local consent - Limited-Restaurant
Restaurant Full
Full-service restaurant liquor licenses are issued for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of liquor, wine, heavy beer and beer on the premises of a restaurant that is engaged primarily in serving meals to the general public. Patrons may only purchase alcoholic beverages in conjunction with an order for food that is prepared, sold and served at the restaurant. Each restaurant must maintain at least 70% of its total restaurant business from the sale of food.
Licensed restaurants may sell liquor, heavy beer and wine from 11:30 a.m. to midnight and beer until 1:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturday, Sunday, legal holidays and private parties, the hours of sale may begin at 10:30 a.m.
A restaurant may have a visible bar with certain restrictions. If a restaurant bar has seating within 5 or 10 feet, depending on the approved floor plan, no one under 21 years of age may be seated there. The use of an I.D. scanner (approved electronic age verification device) is required for those persons who appear to be 35 years of age or younger, and who order beer.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Restaurant licenses run from November 1st to October 31st and renewals must be submitted by September 30th annually.
Application Form: Restaurant - Full Service
Fees:
Initial fee - $2,200
Application fee - $330
Renewal fee - $1,650
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Restaurant - Full Service
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
Tavern
Tavern licenses are issued for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of beer on the premises. Taverns are defined as beer bars, parlors, lounges, cabarets, and night clubs. Taverns do not have a food requirement.
No one under the age of 21 may be employed by or be on the premises of any establishment defined as a tavern. The use of an I.D. scanner (approved electronic age verification device) is required for persons who appear to be 35 years of age or younger upon entering the premises.
The hours of sale are from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. every day. Liquor may not be stored or sold on the premises.
Applications for new licenses must be submitted no later than the 10th of the month in order to be considered on that month's DABC commission agenda. However, more complex applications may take longer to research and may be deferred to another month's commission meeting by the DABC. Local licensing will also be required. Check with your local business licensing before applying with DABC. Incomplete applications will be rejected or returned and may then be resubmitted when complete. Please follow your application checklist carefully.
Tavern licenses run from March 1st to the last day of February, and renewals must be submitted by January 31st annually.
Application Form: Tavern
Fees:
Initial fee - $1,500
Application fee - $300
Renewal fee - $1,250
License Fee Schedule
Handbook: Tavern
The following documents are incorporated in the application form, but are also available for individual download:
- Bond $5,000 - Surety Bond Form
- Tavern - Beer Local Consent