Tempe Liquor Licenses For Restaurants, Bars, and Retailers
Most Tempe licensing problems are scheduling problems: the lease starts, the build-out ends, and the license is still in review. Knowing the order of events and their length lets you align paperwork with opening day.
The Tempe Licensing Sequence, Step by Step
- Pick the series. Your concept, premises and revenue mix decide which Arizona license you need, and it must also suit local zoning.
- Prepare the file. Submit a complete application to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC). Taking over an existing quota license adds a DLLC background review, disclosures about who owns and finances the business, and accurate documents describing the premises.
- Local posting and review. The application is displayed at the proposed location for a 20-day window of public review, and the local governing body in Maricopa County considers it. Limits on entertainment, parking, security or hours can result, as can questions about nearby schools or residential areas.
- State decision. For a finished standard application, the DLLC targets 65 to 105 days.
Corrections, objections and paperwork gaps are what usually stretch a file.
Which Licenses Tempe Businesses Tend to Use
Full-liquor restaurants use the Series 12 if food accounts for 40% or more of revenue; hotels and motels use the Series 11. Bars pouring spirits need a Series 6, and beer-and-wine bars or taprooms a Series 7. Liquor stores need a Series 9, while grocery and convenience retailers selling beer and wine use the Series 10. Arizona breweries, wineries and distilleries apply for the Series 1.
Two Questions Worth Asking Early
Is my license quota or non-quota? The Series 6, the Series 7 and the Series 9 are the main quota licenses, capped by state law at a number tied to the population of Maricopa County. Once none remain, you buy from an existing holder or win the DLLC lottery. Licenses outside the quota are issued on direct application.
What will it cost? Non-quota licenses mostly mean DLLC fees, paid at application and yearly, of a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand. A quota license bought on the secondary market in Maricopa County can cost between tens of thousands and several hundred thousand dollars, with license type and market conditions setting the figure.
If your Tempe opening date is set, talk to us before committing to a lease. We will review the concept and site and sketch a filing timeline that works backward from opening day.