Licenses and Permits General Information

General Information
Utah law puts alcoholic beverages into two categories: liquor and beer. Liquor includes distilled spirits, wine and wine based products, and beer that contains more than 3.2% alcohol by weight (4% by volume). Beer includes all beer and beer based products that contain 3.2% or less of alcohol by weight (4% by volume).

All packaged liquor is sold through state owned liquor stores or state authorized package agencies at prices set by the state. Retail Licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption are required for restaurants, on-premise banquet and catering facilities, airport lounges, private clubs, and on-premise beer retailers.

There are also various permits that are issued for: special use (religious wine, industrial or manufacturing, scientific or educational, health care facility, and public service entities such as airlines, trains, etc.), single events, and temporary beer.

Other license types are issued for manufacturers (winery, distillery, brewery, and local industry representatives); and distribution (liquor warehouses, and beer wholesalers). A certificate of approval is required for out-of-state brewers.

Licenses and permits are issued by the commission once a month. Applications must be made by the 10th of each month.

Retail Licenses

Package Agencies
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.

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, and on days of state and national elections until after the polls are closed. Package agencies may also be closed until after the polls are closed on the days of some local elections if closure is required by local ordinance and local authority notifies the department at least 30 days in advance of the local election.

Application Fee: $100 Annual Renewal Fee: None Bond: $1,000

Restaurants - full service
Restaurant liquor licenses are issued for the storage, sale, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises of a restaurant that is engaged primarily in serving meals to the general public. Restaurant licenses run from November 1 to October 31. The total number of licenses allowed by law is one per 5000 people in the state.

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 from 12 noon to midnight. The hours of beer sales are from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. On a regular general, regular primary, or statewide special election day, liquor may not be sold until after the polls are closed. On the day of local municipal, special district, or school elections, restaurants may not sell liquor only if required by local ordinance. There are no statewide restrictions on election days for beer sales.

For a detailed summary of the Restaurant License, click here

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

Restaurants - limited service
Limited 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. Restaurant licenses run from November 1 to October 31. The total number of licenses allowed by law is one per 13,000 people in the state.

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.

Limited restaurant licensees may sell wine, and heavy beer from 12 noon to midnight. The hours of beer sales are from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. On a regular general, regular primary, or statewide special election day, wine and heavy beer may not be sold until after the polls are closed. On the day of local municipal, special district, or school elections, restaurants may not sell liquor only if required by local ordinance. There are no statewide restrictions on election days for beer sales.

For a detailed summary of the Limited Restaurant License, click here

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $5,000

On-Premise Banquet and Catering
An on-premise banquet license allows the storage, sale, service, and consumption of liquor, wine, heavy beer, and beer for contracted banquet activities on the premises of a hotel, resort facility, sports center, or convention center. It also allows for room service in hotels and resorts. Alcoholic beverages may be sold on any day from 10 a.m. until 1 a.m. The license year is November 1 to October 31. The total number of licenses allowed by law is one per 30,000 people in the state.

For a detailed summary of the On-Premise Banquet License, click here

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

Airport Lounges
An airport lounge liquor 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. The total number of airport lounge liquor licenses may not exceed one lounge per terminal plus one per concourse located beyond the security point. The license year is November 1 to October 31.

Alcoholic beverages may be sold from 8:00 a.m. until 12 midnight. On election days (regular general, regular primary, or statewide special), alcoholic beverages may not be sold until after the polls are closed. The liquor storage area must remain locked at times when liquor sales are not permitted.

For a detailed summary of the Airport Lounge License, click here

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

Private Clubs

There are four classes of private clubs: Class A includes equity clubs such as country clubs; Class B includes mutual benefit associations that are organized under a lodge system such as fraternal or patriotic clubs; Class C includes qualified dining clubs that maintain at least 50% of their club business from the sale of food and have adequate culinary facilities to serve full meals; and Class D includes any other club that does not qualify as a class A, B, or C club, such as a social drinking club that does less than 50% of its business from the sale of food. Licenses run from July 1 to June 30. The storage, sale, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages is allowed on the premises of a licensed private club. The total number of licenses allowed by law is one per 7,000 people in the state. \

Qualifications for membership are set in the club's bylaws or house rules. A club, in its discretion, may immediately admit an applicant and give him/her temporary membership privileges until the governing body of the club can meet to approve the membership. The applicant must pay an application fee which cannot be less than $4 and the governing body must act on the application within 31 days. If the governing body approves the applicant, the $4 application fee may be credited towards the membership dues. The minimum dues required by law are $1.00 per month or $12 per year. Members may host an unlimited number of guests based on a pre-existing business or personal relationship. Guests may use club facilities only when previously authorized and accompanied by the hosting member.

Non members, at the discretion of the club, may purchase a visitor card which allows temporary use of club facilities for up to a three week period for a minimum fee of $4.00. A visitor card holder (temporary member) may host a maximum of 7 guests who are known to the visitor based on a pre-existing business or personal relationship. Guests of visitors may use club facilities only when previously authorized and accompanied by the hosting visitor.

Liquor, wine, heavy beer and beer may be sold from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. On a regular general, regular primary, or statewide special election days, liquor, wine and heavy beer may not be sold until after the polls are closed. On the day of local municipal, special district, or school elections, private clubs may not sell liquor only if required by local ordinance. There are no statewide restrictions on election days for beer sales.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

For a detailed summary of the Private Club License, click here

On-premise Beer Retailers
A state on-premise beer retailer license is required for any business establishment that sells beer (not liquor) to public patrons for consumption on the premises. These establishments include restaurants, bowling center or golf course food and/or beverage facilities, taverns, etc. "Taverns" are licensed as a separate category or on-premise beer retailers. "Taverns" are defined as including beer bars, parlors, lounges, cabarets, and night clubs where the revenue from the sale of beer exceeds the revenue from the sale of food, although food need not be sold in such establishments. Minors may not be employed by or be on the premises of any "tavern" as defined.

A separate state beer license is not required for beer retailers that have a state restaurant, private club, or airport lounge liquor license. Only one state on-premise beer license and/or tavern license is required for each building or resort facility owned or leased by the same applicant.

On-premise beer licenses that are not taverns are issued by the commission in numbers it considers proper (no quota). The tavern license quota is one per 22,500 people in the state. Before being licensed by the commission, beer retailers must first obtain a license or other written consent issued by the local authority to sell beer at that location. The state beer license is required in addition to any license issued by local governments.

The on-premise beer retailer must sell beer that has been lawfully purchased from a state licensed brewer or beer wholesaler who is authorized to sell beer in the geographical area in which the beer retailer's business is located.

Hours of beer sales for on-premise beer retailers are governed by state law, not local ordinance. The hours of sale are from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. Liquor may not be stored or sold on the premises. Days of sale are governed by local ordinance.

Fees: see Fee Schedule On-premise beer bond: $2,000

For a detailed summary of the On-Premise Beer License, click here

For a detailed summary of the Tavern License, click here

Permits

Special Use
Special use permits are issued for the purchase, sale, storage, use, consumption, or manufacture of alcoholic products in limited types and quantities, and for limited purposes. Permits may be granted as follows:

religious wine permits to religious organizations:
Application Fee: none One time special use fee: $100 Bond: none

industrial or manufacturing use permits to persons or organizations involved in industrial or manufacturing pursuits:
Application Fee: $50 One time special use fee: $200 Bond: $1,000

scientific or educational use permits to persons or organizations involved in scientific or educational pursuits:
Application Fee: none One time special use fee: $100 Bond*: $1,000
(*Bond required for wine judging seminars only)

health care facility use permits to hospitals or health care facilities:
Application Fee: none One time special use fee: $100 Bond: none

public service permits to operators of airlines, railroads or other public conveyances. The permit year runs from January 1 to December 31.
Application Fee: $50 Annual Renewal Fee: $30/trip Bond: $1,000

Single Event
Single event permits are available for a group that wants to sell liquor, wine, beer or heavy beer (over 3.2%) at a temporary (up to five-day) event. These are available to a bona fide partnership, corporation, limited liability company, church, political organization, or incorporated association or to a recognized subordinate lodge, chapter or other local unit thereof that is conducting a civic or community enterprise or convention. The organization must have been in existence as a bona fide organization for at least one year prior to the date of application. Not more than four permits may be issued to the same organization in the same calendar year.

The permit allows for cash bars and the sale of alcoholic beverages to the general public, or to the organization's own invited guests for the duration of the event.

Application Fee: $100 Annual Renewal Fee: none Bond: $1,000

For a detailed summary of the Single Event Permit, click here

Temporary Special Event Beer Permit

Temporary event permits for the sale of beer (3.2%) are issued by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission for on-premise consumption at a temporary event that does not last longer than 30 days. Permits are issued by the commission once a month. Application must be made by the 10th of each month.. This permit is in addition to any that are required by a city, town, or county in which the event is held.

Application Fee: $75 Annual Renewal Fee: none Bond: $500

For a detailed summary of the Temporary Special Event Beer Permit, click here

Other

Manufacturing Licenses

Winery
A winery license is required to manufacture, store, transport, import or export wines. Winery license holders may sell wine at wholesale to the department and to out-of-state-customers. The license year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

Distillery
A distillery license is required to manufacture, store, transport, import or export liquor. Distillery license holders may sell liquor to the department and to out-of-state-customers. The license year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

Brewery
A brewery license is required to manufacture, brew, store, transport, or export beer and heavy beer. Brewery license holders may; 1) sell heavy beer to the department, military installations, and to out of state customers; 2) sell beer to licensed wholesalers; and 3) in the case of small brewers (less than 60,000 barrels/year), sell directly to licensed retailers.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

Local Industry Representative
A local industry representative means anyone who is compensated by any means for representing or selling the distilled spirits, wine or heavy beer of a manufacturer, supplier, or importer. A manufacturer, supplier, or importer is not required to use a local industry representative to represent its products in Utah. However, Utah residents who are employed as local industry representatives must be licensed by the state.

Representatives may assist the department in ordering, shipping, and delivering merchandise. They may provide new product notification, listing and de-listing information, price quotations, product sales analysis, shelf management, and educational seminars, and may, for the purpose of acquiring new listings, solicit orders from the department and submit price lists and samples of their products to the department. Representatives may not sell or ship liquor, wine, or heavy beer to anyone within the state other than the department and military installations. Representatives may call on licensed retailers, permittees, and package agents, and provide them with informational material concerning the products they carry.

The license year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: none

For a detailed summary of the Manufacturer Representative License, click here

Distribution Licenses

Liquor Warehouse
Liquor warehousing licenses are issued for the warehousing, distribution, and transportation of liquor to wholesale and retail customers. Liquor warehouse licensees may transport liquor in full case lots, via sealed conveyances, to the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, military bases, and out-of-state licensed wholesalers or retailers. The license year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

Beer Wholesaler
A beer wholesaler license is required to 1) purchase and import beer into Utah; 2) store beer in approved warehouses; and 3) sell and distribute beer directly to licensed beer retailers and holders of single event permits and temporary beer permits. The license year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: $10,000

For a detailed summary of the Beer Wholesaler License, click here

Certificate of Approval

Out of State Brewers
Brewers located outside of Utah must obtain a certificate of approval from the department before selling beer to licensed beer wholesalers in this state, or if a small brewer, to licensed beer wholesalers or retailers in this state. The license year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Fees: see Fee Schedule Bond: none