Dealing with the New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA) is usually no picnic, and many established New York City restaurants are given unnecessary grief upon applying for a license. For this reason, many restaurants have found it beneficial to work with a NYC liquor license attorney through the process. An attorney can not only walk you through the procedures involved in the application process, but will work on your behalf in the event an appeal becomes necessary. Whether your restaurant is located in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx or Staten Island, we encourage you to contact our experienced liquor license law firm today.
Types of Liquor Licenses in New York
There are two overall categories of liquor licensing available in New York. The first is known as an On-Premises (OP) license. The OP license is required for any person interested in opening a restaurant, nightclub, hotel or any other establishment wherein alcohol beverages are to be sold. The specific categories of OP licenses include:
- Drug Store Beer: Available for bona fide pharmacies offering takeout beer service;
- Grocery Store Beer & Wine Product: The term “wine product” refers to a fermented grape drink (i.e., traditional wine) with added juices or flavoring, commonly referred to as a “wine cooler;”
- Eating Place Beer: A beer-only license available for establishments offering food. Food must be prepared on-premises and beer must be incidental to the sale of food and not the primary source of revenue;
- Hotel Beer/Hotel Liquor/Hotel Wine: This permit allows for the sale of alcohol in a hotel and by room service. Licenses may vary with regard to off-premises sale of alcohol;
- Catering Establishment: Good for providers of food to banquet halls, dining rooms and other venues designed for special functions;
- Microbrewery or Brew Pub: A microbrewery may only sell to licensees while a brew pub may sell to the general public, but may not produce more than 20,000 barrels of beer per year;
- Cabaret Liquor: License covers the sale of liquor, wine and beer within a venue designed for music, concerts or entertainment. It must seat at least 600 people.
If the various types of liquor licenses seem confusing, consider contacting a liquor license attorney familiar with NYSLA and local regulations. Contact us or more information or to get started on a license for your establishment.