Tips For Getting And Maintaining A Liquor License For Your Restaurant

If you are looking to get a liquor license for your restaurant in the near future, you should know that this can sometimes be easier said than done. Your state's alcohol beverage board may have a long list of requirements that will have to be met before your application will even be considered. If you want to increase the chances of successfully obtaining a liquor license on the first try, here are a few tips that might help.

Hire a Lawyer

Applying for a liquor license often requires a lot of paperwork to be filled out and there is often a lot of fine print that needs to be read and understood. If you don't have any experience with this kind of thing, you need to hire someone who does. A lawyer with expertise in liquor licensing can help you get on the right track and will make sure all of your paperwork is correct before it is submitted. You don't want to have your license denied because you overlooked something technical that an attorney would have easily caught.

Take Care of Any Other Issues First

Once you have the lawyer and the paperwork is filled out, you should take one more look at your existing business and make sure there are no red flags that could hurt your application. If someone from the state comes by to inspect your business, you don't want to have any potential health code violations or any other problems that could make the alcohol board doubt your competency. 

Follow the Law to the Letter

Once you successfully get the license, your job is not over. Your job is never over if you want to keep your license. Make sure you follow all specific requirements in your state to maintain your license year after year. To protect yourself, always ask for ID when someone purchases alcohol and don't be afraid to cut off a customer that has clearly had too much.

The list of requirements to get a liquor license will vary by state. It's important to have a full understanding of these requirements and how to correctly handle any paperwork involved before you send your application in. For best results, contact an attorney who is an expert in liquor licensing to help guide you through the process. A good lawyer will be able to spot any potential issues so you can take care of them before you apply.

Contact a company like Arizona Liquor Industry Consultants for more information and assistance.