Last updated 2026-07-26
TL;DR
Getting a liquor license in Denver means clearing two separate approvals: the City and County of Denver Excise and Licenses division, then the Colorado Department of Revenue's Liquor Enforcement Division. Expect a public posting period, a hearing, background checks, and several months of lead time. Confirm current fees with both agencies since they change and vary by license type.
How do you get a liquor license in Denver, exactly?
Denver liquor licensing runs on two tracks that both have to clear before you pour a drink legally. First, you apply to the City and County of Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses, which handles local approval, zoning sign-off, and a public hearing. Second, once the city approves, your application moves to the Colorado Department of Revenue's Liquor Enforcement Division (LED), which issues the state license. You cannot skip the local step. Colorado is what's called a "dual licensing" state, meaning the local licensing authority (Denver, in this case) has to approve first before the state will even consider your application. In practice, that means your timeline has two clocks running back to back, not in parallel. Denver's own guidance describes the process as including application submission, a posting period, a public hearing before the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses or a hearing officer, then state review [1]. If you've signed a lease with a hard opening date, you need to work backward from that date and build in real buffer, because hearings get scheduled on a public calendar you don't control. The type of license you need depends on your business model: a full-service restaurant with a bar, a hotel with room service, a brewpub, a liquor store, or a special event permit all fall under different license categories with different rules and different fee schedules. Colorado's Liquor Code (Title 44, Article 3 of the Colorado Revised Statutes) lays out these categories in detail [2].
How much is a liquor license in Denver?
There's no single number, because Denver liquor license costs stack in layers: a city application fee, a city license fee that varies by license class, and a separate state fee paid to the Colorado Department of Revenue. On top of that, some license types require a local processing or investigation fee, and certain neighborhoods or license classes carry additional local excise taxes. Because fee schedules get updated periodically by both the city and the state, don't rely on a number you saw in a forum post or an old blog. Confirm current fees directly with the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses and the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division before you budget [1]. Ask specifically for the fee schedule tied to your exact license type (hotel and restaurant, tavern, brew pub, retail liquor store, etc.), since these are not flat across categories. Budget beyond the license fee itself too. Most operators also pay for: a survey or diagram of the premises, a background check fee for each individual with a financial interest of a certain percentage or more, possible zoning or building modifications to meet ABC requirements, and legal or consulting help if your application has any complexity (a transfer, a change of location, multiple owners). None of these are optional line items you can skip on a first application in a market like Denver where hearings get scrutinized.
What's the difference between a state and a local liquor license?
In Colorado, and specifically in Denver, the local government is the gatekeeper and the state is the final issuer. Colorado's liquor statute requires that a local licensing authority approve an application before the state licensing authority will issue a state license [2]. That's the dual licensing structure in one sentence. Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses handles the parts that feel most like local government: verifying zoning compliance, posting public notice at your location, holding a hearing where neighbors or community groups can object, and checking that your business plan matches what's allowed at that address [1]. The state's Liquor Enforcement Division then handles statewide compliance: confirming your license type is legal under the Colorado Liquor Code, running its own background review, and issuing the actual state license number that lets you legally sell alcohol under Title 44 [2]. If either level denies you, you don't move forward. A local denial in Denver stops the process before it ever reaches the state. That's different from states with single-agency licensing, so if you've operated in another state before, don't assume Denver's process mirrors what you're used to.
How long does it take to get a liquor license in Denver?
Neither the city nor the state publishes a fixed turnaround you can bank on, and nobody in this business can promise you an exact number of weeks. What's public is the structure: application intake, a posting period where the public can review your application at the location, a public hearing, city approval, then state processing [1]. Each of those steps takes real calendar time, and hearings are scheduled on a public meeting calendar, not on your schedule. A reasonable planning assumption for a new (not transferred, not renewed) liquor license in a market like Denver is a process that runs a few months from a clean application to state issuance, and considerably longer if there are objections at the hearing, zoning issues, incomplete paperwork, or a change of ownership structure mid-process. If you've already signed a lease and set an opening date, treat the license timeline as your critical path, not a background task. Build your build-out schedule, staffing plan, and marketing launch around when the license realistically clears, not around your ideal opening date. If you're mapping this out before you've even signed anything, our $199 State Liquor License Roadmap back-plans your whole timeline, license type selection, and document checklist from your target opening date, so you're not guessing at buffer time.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No. Selling or serving alcohol for on-premise consumption without a valid license is illegal everywhere in the U.S., including Denver and the rest of Colorado. Colorado's Liquor Code makes it unlawful to sell, serve, or give away alcohol beverages at retail without the appropriate license issued under Title 44, Article 3 [2]. This applies to a new restaurant pouring wine with dinner, a bar serving cocktails, or a caterer bringing alcohol to a private event, no exceptions for being new to the business. There are narrow exceptions built into state law, like specific special event permits for nonprofits or one-off gatherings, and certain private, non-commercial hosting situations. But a business operating without the correct license, or operating on an expired or suspended one, faces real enforcement risk: fines, license denial down the road, and in some cases criminal liability depending on the circumstances. The federal side matters too. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) requires certain alcohol businesses, mainly producers, importers, and wholesalers, to hold a federal basic permit under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, 27 U.S.C. 203 [3]. Most retail on-premise servers (restaurants and bars buying from licensed wholesalers) don't need a separate federal permit the way producers and importers do, but check your specific business model against that statute to be sure you're not missing a federal layer.
How do you get a bartending license, and is that different from a liquor license?
Yes, these are completely different things, and mixing them up is one of the most common confusions new bar owners run into. A liquor license is issued to the business (the entity selling alcohol). A "bartending license" isn't a formal government-issued document in most states, Colorado included; what people usually mean is either responsible alcohol service training or a state-required server certification. Colorado doesn't have a single statewide mandatory bartender license, but many employers and some local jurisdictions require or strongly prefer responsible alcohol beverage server training, sometimes tied to the same liquor code that governs Colorado's licensing structure [2]. Actual requirements can shift by city and by employer, so check directly with the Colorado Department of Revenue's Liquor Enforcement Division and with Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses for the current server training rules that apply to your establishment [1]. Separately, if you're asking "how to get bartending license" because you personally want to work as a bartender (not open a bar), you generally need: to be of legal age to serve alcohol under state law, complete whatever responsible service training your employer or city requires, and in some cases pass a food handler or alcohol server exam depending on local rules. None of that substitutes for the business-level liquor license your employer needs to hold.
How can I get a liquor license as a first-time applicant?
Start with the license type, not the paperwork. Colorado's Liquor Code defines distinct categories (hotel and restaurant license, tavern license, brew pub license, retail liquor store license, and others) each with different rules about what you can sell, whether food service is required, and how much of your revenue has to come from alcohol versus food [2]. Picking the wrong category early costs you time later. From there, the general sequence in Denver looks like this: 1. Confirm your location is zoned for the license type you want, before you sign a lease if at all possible. 2. File your application with the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, including your business entity documents, lease or proof of premises, and financial disclosure for anyone with a qualifying ownership stake [1]. 3. Post the required public notice at the premises and wait out Denver's posting period. 4. Attend the public hearing. Community input can affect the outcome, especially in residential-adjacent neighborhoods. 5. Once Denver approves, your application forwards to the Colorado Department of Revenue's Liquor Enforcement Division for state-level review and issuance. 6. Once the state issues the license, confirm any local requirements around signage, server training, and posting the license itself at your business. If you're expanding rather than opening your first location, some of these steps compress (you may already have entity documents and clean background checks on file), but the zoning check and public hearing still apply to the new address.
How do you obtain a liquor license if you're buying or transferring an existing one?
Transfers work differently than new applications, and they're often faster, but not always cheaper. Colorado allows liquor licenses to transfer with a change of ownership or location, but the process still runs through both the local authority and the state, and the new owner still has to clear background checks and local hearing requirements just like a first-time applicant would [2]. A transfer of ownership application typically requires: the purchase or transfer agreement, updated entity and ownership disclosure for the new owner, confirmation the license is in good standing (no pending violations or suspensions), and local approval before the state processes the change [1]. If you're buying a business specifically because it comes with an existing license, get written confirmation from Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses and the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division that the license is transferable and in good standing before you finalize the purchase. A license with unresolved violations attached to it becomes your problem the moment the transfer completes. Quota matters here too. Some Colorado license types are capped by population-based quotas at the county level, meaning a brand new license of that type might not be available at all in Denver County, and a transfer of an existing license may be your only path in. Confirm current quota status directly with the state before you assume a new license is even an option for your category.
What documents do you need to apply?
Every Denver liquor license application asks for a similar core packet, though exact requirements shift by license type. At minimum, expect to provide: your business entity formation documents (LLC, corporation, or partnership records), a copy of your signed lease or proof of ownership for the premises, a diagram or survey of the licensed premises showing where alcohol will be sold and consumed, financial source documentation showing where your startup capital came from, and personal history and background disclosure for every individual with a qualifying ownership interest [1]. Many applicants underestimate the financial disclosure piece. Colorado and Denver both want to see a clean paper trail for your money, more than a bank statement. If your funding includes loans, investor money, or family gifts, be ready to document the source, more than the amount. Missing or vague financial documentation is one of the more common reasons applications stall at the local hearing stage. You'll also need proof of any required responsible server training program compliance and, depending on your license type, a survey showing distance from schools or other alcohol establishments, since certain Colorado license categories carry proximity restrictions under Title 44 [2].
Can anyone take the bar exam, and does that relate to a liquor license at all?
No, and this is a genuinely common mix-up worth clearing up directly: the "bar exam" is the licensing test for lawyers, administered by state bar associations, and has nothing to do with alcohol licensing. It's a completely separate use of the word "bar." To sit for a state bar exam, candidates generally need to graduate from an accredited law school (in most states, one accredited by the American Bar Association) and meet that state's specific character and fitness requirements. Rules vary significantly by state; for example, requirements and procedures for the Florida Bar Exam are set by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, and requirements for the California Bar Exam are set by the State Bar of California, and neither has any connection to liquor licensing whatsoever. If you landed here searching "can anyone take the bar exam" while researching how to open a bar business, you're in the right general topic (bars) but the wrong specific process. For opening an actual drinking establishment, you want your state ABC authority and, in Denver's case, the Department of Excise and Licenses, not a bar association. For general background on the bar and restaurant licensing landscape by state, see our state guides and our overview on liquor licensing basics.
How much is a liquor license in Florida, for comparison?
| Denver, CO | Yes, city then state [1] | Some categories, by county [2] | City of Denver + Colorado DOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (statewide) | No local approval layer for state license | Yes, for 4COP quota licenses in many counties [4] | Florida ABT |
Florida's system works differently from Colorado's, which is a useful contrast if you're weighing markets or relocating a concept. Florida issues liquor licenses through the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT), and its most restrictive on-premise license type, the quota license (commonly called a "4COP" for full liquor, beer, and wine), is capped by a county population formula under Florida Statutes Chapter 561 [4]. In counties where the quota is maxed out, new quota licenses aren't issued directly by the state at all. Existing licenses instead trade on a private secondary market, sometimes for prices in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, well above any state-set fee, because supply is capped and demand isn't [4]. By contrast, a Florida SFS (special food service) license or a beer-and-wine-only license faces no quota cap and costs far less, tied instead to a state fee schedule set by the ABT. That means the honest answer to "how much is a liquor license in Florida" depends entirely on which license type you need and whether it's quota-restricted in your county. Confirm current fee schedules and quota availability directly with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco before budgeting [4]. For a deeper look at Florida-specific licensing, see our Florida bar guide. | License market | Local approval required first? | Quota-restricted? | Where fees are set |
What should you do first if you have a lease signed and a target opening date?
Work backward from your opening date immediately, not after your build-out is underway. The liquor license is very often the longest single item on a new restaurant or bar's pre-opening critical path, longer than kitchen equipment lead times, longer than most permitting for tenant improvements. If your lease is signed and your opening date is set, your liquor license application should already be moving, or at minimum, your license type should already be decided. Concretely: confirm your license type and quota status with the Colorado Department of Revenue's Liquor Enforcement Division first, confirm zoning compliance and hearing scheduling with the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses second [1], and only then finalize your build-out schedule and marketing launch date around the realistic license timeline, not the other way around. If a hearing gets continued because of a community objection or an incomplete filing, that can add weeks you didn't plan for. This is exactly the kind of planning gap our $199 State Liquor License Roadmap is built to close. It back-plans your license type, document checklist, and realistic timeline from your specific opening date, so you know before you sign a lease if your date is actually achievable, and what has to happen in what order to hit it. It's a planning tool, not legal representation. For anything involving zoning disputes, hearing objections, or contested applications, work with a Colorado licensed attorney.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a liquor license?
There's no single national price. Costs depend on your state, city, and license type, and range from a few hundred dollars for some state fee schedules to hundreds of thousands of dollars on the secondary market for quota-capped licenses in places like parts of Florida. Always confirm current fees directly with your state ABC authority and local licensing office before budgeting.
How do I get a bartending license?
Most states don't issue a formal "bartending license" to individuals; what you need is usually responsible alcohol service training and, in some jurisdictions, a food handler or server certification. Requirements vary by state and city, so check with your state's ABC authority and your local licensing office for the specific training your employer or municipality requires.
How can I get a liquor license?
Confirm your license type and check zoning and quota availability with your state ABC authority first. Then file with your local licensing authority (city or county), complete any required posting and public hearing, pass background and financial disclosure review, and wait for state issuance. Denver requires local approval before the state will process your application at all.
How do I obtain a liquor license?
The process runs through your state's Department of Revenue or ABC authority and, in many places, a local licensing office too. You'll need entity documents, proof of premises, financial disclosure, and background checks for owners. Timelines vary widely; a clean application can still take a few months from filing to issuance.
Can anyone take the bar exam?
No. The bar exam is the licensing test for attorneys, not related to liquor licensing at all. Candidates generally must graduate from a law school accredited by an authority like the American Bar Association and meet their state bar's character and fitness requirements, which vary by state (for example, the Florida Bar and the State Bar of California each set their own rules).
How do I obtain a liquor licence (UK/Canada spelling)?
If you're outside the U.S., the process runs through a different authority entirely: local councils in the UK under the Licensing Act 2003, or provincial liquor authorities in Canada. U.S. state ABC processes described here don't apply. Confirm requirements with your own country's or province's licensing authority.
How much is a liquor license in Florida?
It depends on the license type. Quota-restricted 4COP licenses (full liquor) in counties with capped supply can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars on the secondary market, since the state isn't issuing new ones in many counties. Non-quota licenses like beer-and-wine-only or special food service licenses follow a state fee schedule set by Florida's ABT and cost far less. Confirm current numbers with Florida's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
How much is a liquor licence in Florida (alternate spelling)?
Same answer regardless of spelling: it depends on license type and county quota status. Quota (4COP) licenses in maxed-out counties trade on a private secondary market at prices well above any state fee. Non-quota licenses follow Florida ABT's published fee schedule. Check directly with Florida's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco for current figures.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No. Selling or serving alcohol at retail without a valid license is illegal under state liquor codes nationwide, including Colorado's. Narrow exceptions exist, like specific special event permits, but a business serving alcohol commercially without the correct license faces fines, denial of future applications, and possible criminal liability depending on the jurisdiction.
Do I need both a city and a state liquor license in Denver?
Yes. Colorado uses dual licensing: the City and County of Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses must approve your application first, then it goes to the Colorado Department of Revenue's Liquor Enforcement Division for state issuance. You can't get the state license without local approval first.
How long before my opening date should I start the liquor license process in Denver?
As early as possible, ideally before you sign a lease. Because Denver requires local hearing scheduling plus state review, and hearings run on a public calendar with a posting period beforehand, a realistic buffer is several months. Treat the license as your longest lead-time item, not a task you fit in around construction.
What happens if my Denver liquor license application gets objected to at the hearing?
A public hearing can be continued or complicated by community objections, especially around zoning or neighborhood concerns. This can add weeks or months to your timeline versus an uncontested application. Working with your location's zoning status confirmed in advance, and having a complete, clean application, reduces this risk but can't eliminate it entirely.
Sources
- City and County of Denver, Department of Excise and Licenses, Liquor Licenses page: Denver's liquor license process includes application, posting period, and public hearing
- Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 44, Article 3 (Colorado Liquor Code): Colorado Liquor Code defines license categories and prohibits unlicensed sale of alcohol, and requires local approval before state licensing
- Federal Alcohol Administration Act, 27 U.S.C. 203: Federal basic permit requirements apply to producers, importers, and wholesalers separate from state/local retail licensing
- Florida Statutes Chapter 561: Florida quota liquor licenses are capped by county population formula and trade on a secondary market
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Liquor Enforcement Division, Special Event Permits page: Colorado allows narrow special event permit exceptions for nonprofit and one-off alcohol service