Last updated 2026-07-23
TL;DR
The Atlanta Bar Association is a professional group for attorneys practicing law, not the agency that licenses bars or restaurants to sell alcohol. If you're opening a bar in Georgia, you apply through your city or county and the Georgia Department of Revenue's Alcohol & Tobacco Division, not any bar association. Expect fees, background checks, and local approval before your opening date.
What is the Atlanta Bar Association?
The Atlanta Bar Association is a voluntary membership organization for lawyers who practice in the Atlanta metro area. It runs continuing legal education, networking events, referral services, and pro bono programs for its attorney members. It has nothing to do with alcohol licensing, zoning approval, or getting a restaurant open. A lot of people land on this topic by accident. They type "atlanta bar association" into Google while actually trying to figure out how to open a bar in Atlanta, and Google (reasonably) serves up the lawyers' group first because that's the literal match. If that's you, you're in the right place now, just not for the reason you searched. The confusion is understandable. In everyday English "bar" means two completely different things: a place that sells drinks, and the legal profession's admission requirement. Georgia has an organization for each meaning, and they don't overlap at all.
Does the Atlanta Bar Association issue liquor licenses?
No. The Atlanta Bar Association does not issue, review, or have any authority over liquor licenses, alcohol permits, or restaurant/bar business licenses of any kind. It is a private professional association for attorneys, similar in structure to a chamber of commerce for lawyers. If you're opening a bar, restaurant, brewery, or package store in Atlanta or anywhere else in Georgia, the two authorities that actually matter are your local government (city or county) and the Georgia Department of Revenue's Alcohol & Tobacco Division, which administers state alcohol licensing. Neither the Atlanta Bar Association nor the State Bar of Georgia has a role in that process. Worth saying plainly: no lawyer, bar association membership, or law license is required to open a bar. You don't need to be a member of any bar association to sell alcohol legally. What you need is a state license, a local license, and (depending on your business type) a federal permit, which we'll walk through below.
How do you get a liquor license in Atlanta or anywhere in Georgia?
Georgia runs a two-tier licensing structure for most on-premise alcohol sellers: a state license from the Department of Revenue's Alcohol & Tobacco Division, and a separate local license from the city or county where the business sits. In Atlanta, that local piece runs through the City of Atlanta's licensing office, which reviews zoning, distance requirements from schools and churches, and other local rules before signing off. You generally need the local approval in hand, or well underway, before the state will finalize its license. The rough sequence most owners follow: 1. Confirm your entity is registered and your lease or purchase is signed, because most applications require proof of the exact address and a lease or deed. 2. Check local zoning and any distance restrictions with the city or county planning department before you sign anything, not after. 3. File the local alcohol license application with your city or county, which usually includes a background check on owners and managers. 4. File the Georgia state alcohol license application with the Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division. 5. Line up any required food service permit, business license, and fire/health inspections, since most jurisdictions won't finalize the alcohol license until those are done. 6. Budget real time for local hearings. Some Georgia counties and cities require a public notice period or a hearing before a licensing board, which can add weeks. Requirements, fees, and exact forms vary by county and city, and Georgia's alcohol code (Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia, titled simply "Alcoholic Beverages") gives local governments a lot of latitude to set their own rules on top of the state baseline. Always confirm current requirements and fees directly with your city or county clerk's office and with the Georgia Department of Revenue before you build a timeline around them.
How much is a liquor license?
| State license application/annual fee | Confirm with your state ABC authority; often several hundred to a few thousand dollars | |
|---|---|---|
| Local city/county license fee | Confirm with your city or county; often separate from the state fee | |
| Quota-area license (bought from an existing holder) | Can run from the low tens of thousands into six or seven figures in dense, capped markets | |
| Federal basic permit (manufacturers, importers, wholesalers only) | No fee for the permit itself, but compliance and bonding costs apply | The wide range in that quota row isn't an exaggeration. In counties or cities where the number of full liquor licenses is capped and no new ones are being issued, the only way in is to buy an existing license from someone who's giving up their business, and that price is set by the market, not the state. Georgia issues most of its local licenses through city and county governments rather than a hard statewide quota, but plenty of Georgia municipalities cap license counts locally, so ask your specific city or county whether that applies before you assume you can just apply and get one. Each state also runs its own version of this system with different categories and different rules, which is a big part of why national averages don't mean much here. If you're comparing options across states, start with our state-by-state bar and liquor guides rather than trying to average national numbers. |
There's no single national number, and anyone who quotes you one flat figure without asking your state and license type is guessing. Liquor license costs depend on the state, the city or county, the license category (beer and wine only versus full liquor, on-premise versus package sales), and whether you're getting a new license or buying one on a secondary market because the area has hit its quota. A rough sense of the range, based on published state fee schedules as of this writing: | Cost driver | Typical range (confirm locally) |
How much is a liquor license in Florida?
Florida runs a quota system for its full liquor ("quota") licenses, tied directly to county population. Florida law sets the ratio at one quota license for roughly every 7,500 residents in a county, with new licenses issued as population grows and existing ones sold or transferred when a county is already at its cap [1]. Florida's alcohol licensing statutes sit in what the legislature calls "the Beverage Law" (Florida Statutes Chapter 561), administered by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco [1]. That quota structure is exactly why Florida liquor license prices vary so much by county. In a growing county that still has unissued quota licenses available, you may be able to apply directly to the state for a fraction of what a license costs on the open market. In built-out counties like Miami-Dade or Broward, where the quota has been filled for years, a quota liquor license only changes hands through a private sale or transfer, and those prices are set by buyers and sellers, not by the state fee schedule. Reported transfer prices in dense Florida counties have run from the tens of thousands of dollars into the hundreds of thousands, depending on the county and the year, but there's no official published transfer price list, because these are private sales. Separate from quota liquor licenses, Florida also issues beer and wine only licenses and specialty licenses (for hotels, caterers, and similar) that aren't subject to the population quota and generally cost much less to obtain directly from the state. If your concept works with beer and wine only, that route avoids the quota problem entirely. Confirm current fee schedules and county-by-county quota availability directly with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco before you budget.
How do you get a bartending license?
Most U.S. states, including Georgia and Florida, do not require bartenders to hold a personal "bartending license" issued by the state. What many states and localities do require, or strongly encourage, is a responsible alcohol service certification, like ServSafe Alcohol or a similar course, that trains servers and bartenders to check ID, spot intoxication, and refuse service when needed. Whether that training is legally mandatory depends entirely on your city, county, and state. Some states (Oregon and Utah, for example) run mandatory statewide server training programs. Georgia does not have a single statewide mandate for individual server certification, but individual counties and cities can and do require it as a condition of the local alcohol license, and insurance carriers frequently require it regardless of what the law says. Florida has similar local variation. Check with your city or county alcohol licensing office and your liquor liability insurer before you assume your staff needs (or doesn't need) formal certification. If a course is required, it's usually a few hours online or in person and costs far less than the liquor license itself. This is a separate requirement from the business's liquor license, and having certified staff doesn't substitute for the business holding its own license.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No, not for a business open to the public. Selling or serving alcohol commercially without the required state and local licenses is illegal essentially everywhere in the United States, and it's the kind of violation that can bring criminal charges, more than a fine, on top of shutting your business down before it opens. There are narrow exceptions that confuse people. Private, unlicensed events where alcohol is given away rather than sold (a friend's backyard party, for instance) don't require a license because no sale is happening. BYOB setups, where the restaurant doesn't sell alcohol but allows patrons to bring their own, operate under a different, more limited set of rules in states that allow them at all, and some jurisdictions still require a permit for that. Neither of these carves out any exception for a bar, restaurant, or venue that is selling drinks to the public. If you're mid-buildout and tempted to open "soft" and serve alcohol before your license clears because your opening date is bearing down on you, don't. Enforcement varies by jurisdiction, but the risk (loss of the license application entirely, fines, and in some states criminal exposure) is not worth shaving a few weeks off a launch.
Can anyone take the bar exam?
No. This question usually has nothing to do with liquor licensing, it's about the legal profession's bar exam, and it comes up on this topic because of the naming overlap with the Atlanta Bar Association. To sit for a state bar exam and get admitted to practice law, candidates generally need a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from a law school approved by the American Bar Association, or in a handful of states, an equivalent alternative path like reading the law under a supervising attorney. Each state sets its own specific admission rules through its own bar admissions authority. In Georgia, that authority is the State Bar of Georgia, which reviews character and fitness, education, and exam results before admitting anyone to practice. The Atlanta Bar Association plays no role in that admissions decision, it's a separate voluntary professional group attorneys can join after they're already licensed. So to directly answer it: you can't just show up and take a bar exam. You need the required legal education (or an approved alternative), you need to clear a character and fitness review, and you need to apply through the specific state's bar admissions body, not a local voluntary bar association like Atlanta's.
How long before opening day should you start the liquor license process?
Start the moment your lease is signed, and ideally start researching before you sign it. Local alcohol licensing in Georgia, Florida, and most states routinely takes several weeks to a few months once background checks, local hearings, and inspections are factored in, and that's before you add state-level processing on top. Public notice periods, licensing board meeting schedules, and incomplete applications are the most common things that blow up a projected opening date. A workable way to think about it: build your timeline backward from your target opening date, not forward from the day you decide to apply. Map out the local license, the state license, health and fire inspections, and (if relevant) your ABC board hearing date, then add buffer, because licensing boards meet on their own schedule, not yours, and a missed monthly meeting can cost you thirty days by itself. This is exactly the kind of planning problem that gets messy when you're juggling it alongside contractor schedules, staffing, and menu development. If you want a structured, state-specific plan built backward from your opening date rather than piecing it together from scattered county pages, that's what LiquorReady's $199 State Liquor License Roadmap is built for, a one-time roadmap you can start at /license-roadmap-builder.
What other permits do bars and restaurants need besides the state liquor license?
The state and local alcohol licenses are the headline items, but they're rarely the only paperwork standing between you and opening night. A federal basic permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is required for alcohol manufacturers, importers, and wholesalers, but typically not for a standard retail on-premise bar or restaurant that's only buying from licensed distributors and selling to customers. Beyond that, most jurisdictions layer on: a general business license, a food service or health department permit if you're serving food, a fire department occupancy inspection, signage permits if you're putting anything on the building, and sometimes a separate entertainment or late-night permit if you're planning live music, DJs, or hours past a certain cutoff. Each of these has its own agency, its own timeline, and its own inspection, and they don't always run in parallel with the alcohol license application. The practical move is to get a checklist of every required permit for your specific address from your city or county business licensing office in the first week after signing your lease, not the month before you want to open. Missing a health inspection slot or a fire marshal walkthrough is a completely ordinary reason bars miss their planned opening date, and it has nothing to do with the alcohol license itself.
Where should you go from here?
If you landed here looking for the actual attorneys' Atlanta Bar Association, its own website is the right next stop, not this article. If you're planning a bar, restaurant, or venue opening in Georgia (or comparing to another state), your real next steps are your city or county's alcohol licensing office and the Georgia Department of Revenue's Alcohol & Tobacco Division. Same confusion shows up in other states. If you're dealing with the Florida version of this mix-up, see Florida bar, and if you actually want the attorney directory rather than a liquor license, Florida bar member search is the tool you want. California has its own version too, covered in California bar. For the licensing side, browse our state-by-state bar and liquor guides, or check bares if you're researching in Spanish. And if you'd rather have a single backward-planned checklist for your specific state and opening date instead of stitching together county pages one at a time, LiquorReady's $199 State Liquor License Roadmap does exactly that at /license-roadmap-builder. This isn't legal advice and it isn't a guarantee of approval or timing, just a planning tool built around how these agencies actually work.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a liquor license?
It depends entirely on your state, city or county, and license category. State fees can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, but in quota-capped areas where licenses only change hands through private sale, prices can run into the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Always confirm current fees with your state ABC authority and local licensing office rather than relying on a national average.
How do you get a bartending license?
Most states, including Georgia and Florida, don't require a personal license for bartenders. Many cities, counties, and insurers do require a responsible alcohol service certification (like ServSafe Alcohol), which is usually a few hours of training, online or in person, and costs far less than the business's liquor license. Check with your local licensing office and insurer to see if it's required for your location.
How can I get a liquor license?
Confirm your lease and zoning first, then apply for a local license through your city or county and a state license through your state's alcohol beverage control (ABC) authority. Most jurisdictions also require background checks on owners and managers, a business license, and health or fire inspections before the alcohol license is finalized. Requirements vary widely, so confirm the exact steps with your local and state agencies.
How do I get a liquor license?
Start with your city or county's alcohol licensing office to confirm zoning eligibility and local requirements, then file the corresponding state application through your state ABC authority. Expect to submit a lease or deed, entity paperwork, and background check information for owners and managers. Processing time and fees vary by state and locality, so build in buffer before your target opening date.
How do I obtain a liquor license?
You obtain one by applying to two levels of government in most states: your local city or county, and your state's alcohol beverage control authority. The exact application, required documents, and fees differ by jurisdiction, and some areas cap the number of licenses available (a quota system), which can mean buying an existing license instead of applying fresh. Confirm the process with your specific state ABC authority.
Can anyone take the bar exam?
No. Bar exam eligibility generally requires a Juris Doctor from an ABA-approved law school, or in a small number of states, an alternative path like reading the law under a licensed attorney, plus a character and fitness review by that state's bar admissions authority. This has nothing to do with liquor licensing; it's a separate legal-profession requirement handled by each state's bar, not by any local voluntary bar association.
How do I obtain a liquor licence?
The process is the same regardless of spelling: apply through your local city or county government and your state's alcohol beverage control authority. You'll typically need a signed lease, entity documents, and background checks on owners and key managers. Fees, timelines, and whether your area has a license quota all vary by state and county, so confirm details directly with your local ABC authority.
How much is a liquor license in Florida?
Florida's full "quota" liquor license is tied to a ratio of roughly one license per 7,500 county residents. In counties with unissued quota licenses, you may apply directly to the state for a state fee. In built-out counties, quota licenses only trade privately, with reported prices ranging from the tens of thousands into the hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on the county.
How much is a liquor licence in Florida?
Same answer regardless of spelling: Florida ties full liquor (quota) licenses to county population at roughly one per 7,500 residents. Where the quota is filled, licenses are bought and sold privately at market prices, not fixed state fees. Beer and wine licenses and specialty licenses fall outside the quota and typically cost much less to obtain directly from the state.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No, not for a business open to the public. Selling alcohol without the required state and local licenses is illegal in essentially every U.S. jurisdiction and can bring fines, license denial, and in some states criminal charges. Private, non-commercial gatherings where alcohol isn't sold, and certain BYOB setups where the venue doesn't sell alcohol itself, are the narrow exceptions, and even BYOB rules vary by state.
Is the Atlanta Bar Association related to alcohol licensing at all?
No. The Atlanta Bar Association is a professional membership group for attorneys practicing in the Atlanta area. It has no role in issuing, reviewing, or regulating liquor licenses. If you're opening a bar or restaurant, your license comes from your city or county and the Georgia Department of Revenue's Alcohol & Tobacco Division, not from any bar association.
What's the difference between a beer/wine license and a full liquor license?
A beer and wine license allows sale of beer and wine only, while a full liquor (on-premise consumption) license adds distilled spirits. Full liquor licenses are frequently subject to quotas or higher fees in states like Florida, while beer and wine licenses are often easier and cheaper to obtain because they're usually not capped. Confirm the exact category names and rules with your state ABC authority.
Do I need a federal permit to open a bar?
Generally, no. TTB federal basic permits are required for producers, importers, and wholesalers of alcohol, not for a standard retail on-premise bar or restaurant buying from licensed distributors. If you plan to also brew, distill, or import product yourself, that activity does trigger federal permitting requirements through TTB, separate from your state and local retail license.
How far ahead of my opening date should I start the liquor license application?
As soon as your lease is signed, and ideally before you sign it, so you can confirm zoning and local quota availability first. Local hearings, background checks, and inspections routinely add weeks to months, and licensing boards often meet on fixed monthly schedules, so missing one meeting date can cost you thirty days by itself. Build your project timeline backward from opening day, not forward from application day.
Sources
- Florida Statutes, Chapter 561 (Beverage Law): Florida ties full liquor (quota) license availability to a ratio of roughly one license per 7,500 county residents.
- National Conference of Bar Examiners: Requirements and eligibility for taking the bar exam
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR): Federal regulations governing the basic permit requirements for alcohol dealers
- U.S. Small Business Administration: Bars and restaurants need various federal, state, and local permits beyond a liquor license
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation: Florida's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco issues and regulates liquor licenses