How to Obtain a Pennsylvania Liquor License
There are two ways to obtain a liquor license in Pennsylvania. You can obtain a new license when one becomes available, but this is rare because under the state's quota system liquor licenses are limited to a proportion of the state's population in a township, borough or city. This is about one license for every 3,000 people. The other way is to buy an existing license and transfer it to another location.
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Instructions
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Look for licenses in a municipality that has grown in population where new liquor licenses may be available. But if you plan to open a bar, tavern or restaurant, you will likely have to purchase a liquor license, which may cost several hundred thousand dollars.
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Negotiate a price for a liquor license being sold on the open market. The price has a great deal to do with demand for the license. The quota system can be circumvented by transferring a license between two municipalities, so weak demand in one city does not necessarily mean that a license will be inexpensive. The market is statewide. According to the Pennsylvania Liquor License Exchange, licenses can sell for as little as $5,000 and as much as $400,000.
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Select a venue if you are planning on transferring a liquor license. Pennsylvania has several requirements for the new location. The venue must serve food, have a kitchen, be at least 400 square feet and have food on hand to serve 30 people. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has the ability to deny an application for a license if it is near a church or a school. You may also need to post a notice of liquor license application in the window of your establishment before you obtain the license.
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Fill out the required paperwork. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board requires background checks on licensees. Both the buyer and the seller must obtain certifications that neither owes back taxes. There is also a criminal background check. To find the required forms, go to the liquor control board's website. On the left, click the tab marked "For Licensees." Then click the tab "Applications and Forms" The review of the application may take several months.
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Tips & Warnings
You will need to decide on a type of liquor license. There are numerous types of liquor licenses, each with their own set of regulations. "Club" licenses, for example, may only serve members. Other licenses, such as the kind typically seen in delis, allow a store to serve beer, but no liquor. The most common type of license is the restaurant license, which allows owners to sell beer, wine and liquor, but mandates that they must also serve food.
A lawyer or politician in your area may be familiar with available liquor licenses. There are also brokers who match buyers and sellers, for a fee. Hotels, racetracks and certain other establishments are exempt from the quota system, as are such fraternal clubs as Veterans of Foreign Wars. Bars and clubs operating in areas where officials want to increase economic development, known as Keystone Opportunity Zones, may also be able to buy a new license outside of the quota system.
There may be additional fees for the other permits you will need to operate an establishment that serves liquor.
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