Last updated 2026-07-26
TL;DR
Tennessee splits alcohol licensing between the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (liquor-by-the-drink and retail) and local beer boards (beer permits). You'll need a signed lease, TABC-style background checks, local zoning sign-off, and often 60-120 days of lead time. Confirm current fees and quotas with the Tennessee ABC before you commit to an opening date.
Who actually issues liquor licenses in Tennessee?
Tennessee doesn't have one office that hands you a single all-purpose liquor license. That surprises a lot of first-time owners who move here from states with a simpler structure. The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC, not to be confused with Texas's agency of the same acronym) regulates liquor-by-the-drink licenses, retail package stores, wine, and distributor/manufacturer permits under Title 57 of the Tennessee Code, and the requirement that retail food establishments hold a license before selling alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption sits at Tenn. Code Ann. 57-4-102 [1]. Beer, on the other hand, is licensed locally. Each city or county has its own beer board that issues on-premise and off-premise beer permits, and Tenn. Code Ann. 57-5-105 sets out the local authority to issue and regulate those beer permits, with each board setting its own application process, fees, and sometimes its own distance requirements from schools and churches [2]. So if you're opening a restaurant that wants to pour wine and cocktails, you're dealing with the state ABC. If you also want to sell beer, you need a separate permit from your local beer board. Most full-service restaurants end up holding both a state liquor-by-the-drink license and a local beer permit, plus whatever business license your city requires. Budget time for two separate approval tracks running in parallel, not one. Start your research at your city or county clerk's office to find out which beer board has jurisdiction, and check the Tennessee ABC site for the liquor-by-the-drink application packet before you sign anything you can't get out of.
How to get a liquor license in Tennessee, step by step
The exact sequence depends on your license type, but most restaurant and bar operators follow a similar path. First, confirm your entity is registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State and has a federal EIN. Second, secure your lease and get written confirmation that the space is zoned for alcohol sales; some municipalities require a certificate of occupancy or health permit before ABC will even accept your application. Third, register with the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) if your business will manufacture or import alcohol, since federal basic permit requirements for producers and importers are set out in 27 CFR Part 1; most retail-only restaurants and bars don't need a federal basic permit at all [3]. Fourth, submit your liquor-by-the-drink application to the Tennessee ABC, including background checks for owners and managers, financial disclosures, and proof of the premises meeting distance requirements from schools, churches, and other protected uses under Tenn. Code Ann. 57-4-203 [1]. Fifth, apply for your local beer permit separately, since beer boards run on their own calendars and sometimes require a public hearing. Expect the state liquor license review to take longer than most people plan for. Background checks alone can add weeks, especially if any owner has lived in multiple states or has a business history that needs verifying. Local beer board approval can be faster or slower depending on whether your jurisdiction requires a public notice period or board meeting, which some counties only hold monthly. If you're back-planning from a signed lease and a target opening date, work backward: put your grand opening date on the calendar, subtract however long TABC and your local beer board tell you they're currently taking (call and ask, don't assume), and that's your real application deadline. Building in a buffer of a few extra weeks for paperwork bounces is not paranoid, it's normal.
How much is a liquor license in Tennessee?
There's no single number here, and anyone who quotes you a flat figure without asking what kind of license you need is guessing. Tennessee liquor-by-the-drink license fees, local beer permit fees, and any local privilege taxes vary by license category and by city or county [1][2]. On top of the state application fee, expect a local business tax, a possible beer board application fee, and in many jurisdictions an annual privilege tax tied to gross alcohol sales. Some cities also charge a separate wine and liquor tax on retail sales. None of these numbers are stable enough to print reliably in an article, because Tennessee's legislature and individual municipalities adjust fees periodically. The honest answer: confirm the current liquor-by-the-drink fee schedule directly with the Tennessee ABC, and confirm your local beer permit fee with your specific city or county beer board, since neighboring towns in the same county can charge different amounts. Don't sign a lease assuming a specific number until you've gotten it in writing from both offices.
How much is a liquor license in Florida?
If you're comparing states, Florida runs on a completely different system than Tennessee, and it trips up owners who've operated in both places. Florida caps the number of full liquor licenses (called quota licenses) per county based on population, with one new license issued per every 7,500 residents in most counties, and those licenses transfer on the open market once a county hits its quota, per Florida Statutes section 561.20 [4]. That means in a built-out county, a quota liquor license bought on the secondary market can run well into six figures, sometimes more, because you're paying a private seller, not the state. Meanwhile, Florida's SRX (special restaurant) license and county-issued new quota licenses (when population growth creates new quota) come at the state's set fee schedule, which is far lower than the resale price of an existing quota license, and section 561.20 also spells out the population-based formula counties use to determine when a new quota license becomes available [4]. So "how much is a liquor license in Florida" really depends on whether you're getting a brand-new quota license from the state (rare, tied to population growth) or buying an existing one from another operator (common, and priced by the market). Tennessee has no equivalent statewide quota system for liquor-by-the-drink licenses, which is one reason Tennessee licensing, while bureaucratic, doesn't carry the same six-figure resale premium that Florida quota counties do. For a deeper look at Florida's system, see our Florida bar guide.
How do I get a liquor license as a new restaurant or bar owner?
Start earlier than feels necessary. Most owners who get burned by licensing delays made the mistake of signing a lease with a hard opening date before confirming how long their state and local approvals actually take that quarter. Here's a practical order of operations: confirm your entity formation and EIN, lock your lease with a contingency clause tied to license approval if your landlord will agree to it, verify zoning and distance requirements before you sign anything, submit your state liquor-by-the-drink application and your local beer permit application at the same time (they don't have to be sequential), and get your health department and fire marshal inspections scheduled early since those sign-offs often gate final license issuance. Owners buying an existing business with a license already in place have a different path: Tennessee allows license transfers in certain circumstances, but a change of ownership typically requires a new application rather than a simple transfer, since the license is tied to the person and entity, more than the address. Confirm this with the Tennessee ABC before assuming an existing license carries over automatically. If you want a structured way to map this out against your actual opening date, this is exactly the kind of planning problem the $199 one-time State Liquor License Roadmap is built for: it back-plans your state and local application deadlines from your target open date so you're not guessing at lead times.
How can I get a liquor license if I'm buying an existing bar or restaurant?
Buying a business with a liquor license already attached doesn't mean you inherit that license automatically. In most states, including Tennessee, alcohol licenses are personal to the license holder and the specific entity, which means a change of ownership, even a partial one, usually triggers a new application or at minimum a transfer review by the ABC [1]. Build license approval into your purchase agreement as a contingency. Don't close on the sale, and definitely don't take over operations, until the new license or transfer is actually approved. Operating on someone else's still-active license after you've taken control of the business is a common and risky shortcut that can expose both the buyer and seller to violations. Ask the seller for their license history, any pending violations, and their local beer board standing as part of due diligence. A restaurant with unresolved compliance issues on its record can slow your transfer review down even if you personally have a clean background.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No. Serving or selling alcohol without the required state and local licenses is a criminal violation in every U.S. state, and Tennessee is no exception under Title 57 of the Tennessee Code [1]. This applies whether you're pouring wine at a restaurant, selling six-packs at a corner store, or running a private event where alcohol changes hands as part of an admission fee or package price. There are narrow exceptions for truly private, non-commercial gatherings where no sale occurs, but the moment money changes hands for alcohol, even bundled into a ticket price or minimum spend, licensing requirements apply. Catering companies, event venues, and pop-up bars all need their own permits or need to operate under a licensed caterer's permit. If you're not sure whether your business model (a supper club, a members-only space, a BYOB setup) counts as "serving alcohol" under Tennessee law, that's a conversation for a licensed attorney, not a guess. The penalties for unlicensed sale can include fines, criminal charges, and a black mark that follows you into any future license application.
How do I get a bartending license, and does Tennessee require one?
Tennessee does not currently require a statewide bartending license or certification for the person pouring drinks, but it does require alcohol server training for anyone serving or selling alcohol on-premise in establishments holding a license, through a TABC-approved responsible vendor training program under Tenn. Code Ann. 57-4-203 [1]. This is sometimes called a server permit or ABC card informally, though the formal requirement is completion of an approved training course, not a standalone "bartending license" in the way some other states or countries use that term. If someone asks "how to get bartending license" expecting a single national credential, there isn't one. Requirements are state-specific and sometimes city-specific: some states mandate server training for every employee who touches alcohol, others leave it optional, and a few require it only for certain license classes. Tennessee's requirement is tied to the establishment's license type, so check with the Tennessee ABC or your local beer board about which training programs they recognize before you schedule staff for a course that won't count. Bartending school (the kind that teaches drink recipes and speed pouring) is a separate, optional, private-industry credential. It's not required by Tennessee law and won't substitute for the state-mandated responsible vendor training if your license type requires it.
Can anyone take the bar exam?
This question gets asked a lot alongside liquor license questions, probably because of the shared word "bar," but it's a completely different topic: the bar exam is the licensing test for practicing attorneys, administered by state bar associations, not alcohol regulators. Eligibility to sit for a state bar exam generally requires graduating from an ABA-accredited law school (with narrow exceptions in a few states for law office study or foreign-trained lawyers) and passing a character and fitness review, and the American Bar Association's Standard 502 for law school accreditation lays out the JD admission requirements schools must follow [5]. Requirements vary significantly by state; California and a handful of others allow non-traditional paths, while most states require the JD degree. If you landed here searching for legal bar exam information rather than liquor licensing, check your target state's bar association directly, or see our California bar and Florida bar guides, plus the Florida bar member search tool if you're verifying an attorney's license status. This article otherwise covers alcohol licensing, not legal licensing.
How long does it take to get a liquor license in Tennessee?
There's no fixed statutory timeline that applies to every application, and that's genuinely frustrating for owners trying to back-plan an opening date. Processing time depends on how complete your application is, how quickly background checks clear, whether your local beer board has a monthly or quarterly meeting schedule, and how backed up the state office currently is. As a planning rule, build in more runway than you think you need. Many owners report the state liquor-by-the-drink process alone taking somewhere in the range of a couple months once you count background check turnaround, and local beer board approval can add more time if your jurisdiction only meets monthly or requires a public comment period. These are general patterns, not promises, so call the Tennessee ABC and your specific local beer board directly and ask what their current processing time actually is before you print invitations to a grand opening. A good rule of thumb: don't set your opening date until you've gotten a written or verbal timeline estimate from both the state ABC and your local beer board, and then add a buffer on top of that estimate for the paperwork corrections that almost every first-time applicant runs into.
What documents and requirements do I need to gather before applying?
| Signed lease or proof of premises control | Landlord / lease agreement | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of occupancy or zoning approval | City or county planning/zoning office | |
| Entity formation documents and EIN | Tennessee Secretary of State, IRS | |
| Background checks for owners/managers | State and local law enforcement records | |
| Financial disclosure / source of funds | Bank statements, loan documents | |
| Health department permit | Local health department | |
| Fire marshal inspection sign-off | Local fire marshal | |
| TTB registration (if applicable) | 27 CFR Part 1 [3] | |
| Local beer permit application | City/county beer board | |
| State liquor-by-the-drink application | Tennessee ABC [1] | Most delays come from incomplete financial disclosures or from applicants not realizing the zoning sign-off has to happen before the ABC will process the application, not after. Get your zoning confirmation in writing early, even if it feels like an extra step. |
Pull these together before you start any application, because gathering them after you've already filed just adds delay. | Requirement | Typical source |
Frequently asked questions
How much is a liquor license?
It depends entirely on the state, the license type, and sometimes the county. Some states charge a flat state fee under a few thousand dollars; others, like Florida in quota counties, involve buying an existing license on the open market for a much higher price [4]. There's no single national number, so confirm with your specific state ABC authority.
How do I get a liquor license?
Register your business entity, secure a lease at a properly zoned location, complete background checks and financial disclosures, then apply through your state's alcohol regulatory agency and any required local board. In Tennessee, that means the state ABC for liquor-by-the-drink and your local beer board for beer permits [1][2].
How do I obtain a liquor license if I'm opening my first restaurant?
Start with your state ABC's application packet and your city or county clerk to identify the local licensing board. Confirm zoning and distance requirements before signing a lease, then submit state and local applications in parallel since they often run on separate timelines with separate fees.
How do I obtain a liquor licence (UK/international spelling)?
Outside the U.S., alcohol licensing is handled by different national or local authorities entirely; in England and Wales, for example, licensing runs through the local council under the Licensing Act 2003. U.S. readers should confirm requirements with their state's ABC or liquor control authority instead, since U.S. rules don't apply abroad.
How much is a liquor license in Florida?
Florida caps full liquor (quota) licenses per county by population under Florida Statutes section 561.20, so pricing depends on whether you're getting a new quota license from the state (rare) or buying an existing one on the resale market, where prices can run into six figures in built-out counties [4].
How much is a liquor licence in Florida (alternate spelling)?
Same answer regardless of spelling: Florida's quota license system means cost depends on county population and whether a new license is available from the state or you're buying an existing one from a private seller. Confirm current pricing and availability with Florida's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No. Selling or serving alcohol without the required state and local license is illegal everywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee under Title 57 of the state code [1]. Truly private, non-commercial gatherings with no sale involved are the narrow exception; anything involving payment requires proper licensing.
How do I get a bartending license?
There's no single national bartending license. Some states require alcohol server training (sometimes informally called a bartending or server permit) for staff at licensed establishments; Tennessee ties this to TABC-approved responsible vendor training programs under state law [1]. Private bartending schools teaching drink-making skills are optional and not a legal requirement.
Can anyone take the bar exam?
Generally no. Most states require graduation from an ABA-accredited law school and a character and fitness review before you can sit for the bar exam, with a few states allowing alternative paths like law office study [5]. This is unrelated to alcohol licensing; check your state bar association for specifics.
Does Tennessee require a separate beer permit and liquor license?
Yes. Tennessee's state ABC handles liquor-by-the-drink and retail package licenses, while beer permits are issued locally by each city or county beer board, each with its own fees and process [1][2]. Most full-service restaurants need both to sell beer, wine, and spirits.
Can I transfer a liquor license when buying an existing restaurant in Tennessee?
Not automatically. Tennessee treats alcohol licenses as tied to the specific person and entity holding them, so a change of ownership typically requires a new application or formal transfer review rather than an automatic carryover. Confirm the process and timeline with the Tennessee ABC before closing on the purchase.
How long should I wait after signing a lease before applying for a liquor license?
Apply as soon as your lease is signed and zoning is confirmed, since state and local approval can take weeks to a few months depending on background checks and board meeting schedules. Don't set a hard opening date until you've gotten a processing time estimate directly from your state ABC and local beer board.
Sources
- Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 57, section 57-4-203 (Alcoholic Beverages, liquor-by-the-drink licensing): Tennessee ABC regulates liquor-by-the-drink licensing, including distance and server training requirements
- Tennessee Code Annotated, section 57-5-105 (local beer board authority): Beer permits in Tennessee are issued locally by city or county beer boards rather than the state
- 27 CFR Part 1 (Basic Permit Requirements, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau): Federal basic permit requirements apply to alcohol producers and importers, not straight retail sale
- Florida Statutes, section 561.20 (Limitation upon number of licenses issued): Florida caps quota liquor licenses per county by population, driving resale market pricing
- American Bar Association, Standard 502, ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools: Bar exam eligibility generally requires an ABA-accredited law degree and character/fitness review
- Tennessee Code Annotated, section 57-4-102 (Definitions and license requirement for retail sale of alcoholic beverages): Tennessee requires a license for retail sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises
- England and Wales Licensing Act 2003, c. 17 (UK Public General Acts): In England and Wales, alcohol licensing runs through the local council under the Licensing Act 2003