Last updated 2026-07-26
TL;DR
Presidential threats to pull ABC News' license target FCC broadcast licensing, a totally separate system from state liquor licensing. No president can revoke a broadcast or liquor license by tweet. Liquor licenses are issued and revoked by state ABC agencies, usually only after due process, hearings, and specific violations, not political speech disputes.
What did Trump actually threaten when he mentioned ABC News' license?
Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that broadcast networks, including ABC News, should have their "license" pulled after coverage or reporter questions he didn't like. These comments have come up multiple times since 2020, often on Truth Social, tied to specific news segments or debate moderation he considered unfair. Here's the thing that gets lost in the noise: ABC News as a corporate entity doesn't hold one single "license" a president can revoke. What exists are individual broadcast licenses for local ABC-affiliated television stations, issued station by station by the Federal Communications Commission under the Communications Act of 1934. ABC's owned-and-operated stations (and the hundreds of independently owned affiliates that carry ABC programming) each hold their own FCC license tied to a specific broadcast frequency in a specific market [1]. The FCC, not the president, controls license renewal and revocation. Under 47 U.S.C. 312, the FCC can revoke a station license for specific causes: false statements in the license application, violations of the Communications Act, or repeated violations of FCC rules [2]. "Doing a news story the president dislikes" is not on that list. The FCC has also been clear that it does not police the content or accuracy of news programming as a general matter; that authority is narrow and mostly involves things like obscenity, sponsorship identification, and equal time rules for political candidates. This article exists because a lot of people search "how to get a liquor license" right after seeing headlines like this, assuming licensing works the same way across industries. It doesn't. We'll cover both: why a president can't just yank a broadcast license, and how state liquor licensing actually works if you're the one applying.
Can a president revoke a broadcast license over news coverage?
No. A sitting president has no direct legal authority to revoke an FCC broadcast license. The FCC is an independent regulatory agency. Its five commissioners are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but once seated they operate under statutory authority, not presidential command, and license revocation requires formal proceedings [2]. To revoke a license, the FCC generally has to issue an order to show cause, give the licensee notice of the specific violation, and hold a hearing where the licensee can respond, per the process laid out in the Communications Act. Courts have also weighed in: the Supreme Court's decision in FCC v. League of Women Voters of California (1984) reinforced that broadcast regulation still operates within First Amendment limits, even though broadcasters accept some content rules other media don't (like equal-time and sponsorship ID rules) because they use public airwaves [3]. President Trump's FCC chair appointees have sometimes echoed his rhetoric about "license challenges," and the FCC does have a process where members of the public can file a petition to deny a station's license renewal, which happens on a roughly 8-year cycle per market [1]. But a petition to deny has to be based on specific, documented grounds, not general political disagreement with editorial content, and the station gets to respond before any action is taken. So the honest answer: this is political rhetoric aimed at a broadcast regulatory system, and it has nothing to do with how state governments issue or pull liquor licenses for bars and restaurants. If you searched this topic because you're actually trying to figure out licensing for your own business, the rest of this article covers that.
How is a liquor license different from a broadcast license?
A liquor license and a broadcast license are regulated by completely different levels of government, for completely different reasons, with completely different revocation standards. Broadcast licenses come from the FCC, a federal agency, because broadcasters use public airwaves (a scarce federal resource). Liquor licenses come from state Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agencies, sometimes with additional county or city permitting layered on top, because alcohol sales are regulated primarily at the state level. The Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1933, repealed Prohibition and in Section 2 bars "the transportation or importation into any State... for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof," which courts have long read as confirming broad state authority to regulate alcohol within their own borders [4]. That means there's no single national "liquor license." Every state runs its own system: its own application, its own fees, and its own list of violations that can get a license suspended or revoked. Common revocable violations across most states include selling to a minor, serving a visibly intoxicated patron, operating outside licensed hours, or letting the license lapse on renewal paperwork. None of that has anything to do with news coverage, political speech, or a governor's mood. For a full breakdown by state, see state license guides and liquor licensing basics.
How much is a liquor license?
This is one of the most searched questions in the space, and the honest answer is: it depends enormously on your state, your license type, and whether you're buying new from the state or transferring an existing license on the open market. Direct state-issued license fees can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the state and license class. Some states cap the number of full liquor licenses per county or population tier (a quota system), and in quota states, if the state isn't issuing new licenses, you may have to buy an existing one from a current holder, often through a broker, at market rates set by supply and demand rather than a set state fee. In non-quota states, you generally apply directly to the state ABC agency and pay its published fee schedule. Beer and wine only licenses are almost always cheaper than full liquor (spirits) licenses. A restaurant that only wants beer and wine might pay a fraction of what a full-service bar with a spirits license pays. Confirm exact current fees with your state ABC authority before budgeting, since these numbers change and vary by county too. The honest rule of thumb: budget for the state fee, a separate local/municipal permit fee, possible county fees, and (in quota states) a market transfer cost that can run into six figures in dense metro areas. Don't assume the number you saw for one state applies to yours.
How much is a liquor license in Florida?
Florida runs one of the more well-documented quota systems in the country, through the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT). Florida issues quota liquor licenses (the full spirits license, sometimes called a "4COP" quota license) based on county population, with one new quota license generally allotted per set number of residents per county, adjusted periodically [5]. Because quota licenses are capped, in counties where the quota is maxed out, the only way in is buying an existing license from a current holder, and those transfer prices are set by the market, not the state. In dense Florida counties like Miami-Dade or Broward, quota liquor licenses have historically traded for well into six figures, sometimes over $100,000, though this moves constantly with local demand. Florida also offers non-quota license types, including licenses tied to specific business types (like certain restaurants meeting seating and food-sales thresholds, hotels, and some special district licenses) that don't require winning the quota lottery or buying on the transfer market. Beer and wine licenses (series 2COP) are separate from full liquor licenses and are typically far cheaper and easier to get since they're not capped the same way in most counties. Confirm current quota status, fees, and county-specific numbers directly with the Florida ABT before budgeting [5]. If you're planning a Florida opening, see the Florida bar guide for more on how quota counties work.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No, not for a business selling to the public. Every state requires some form of license or permit to sell or serve alcoholic beverages, whether it's a restaurant pouring wine with dinner, a bar serving cocktails, or a grocery store selling beer for off-premise consumption. Selling alcohol without the correct license is a criminal or civil violation in every state and can also trigger federal issues if you're manufacturing or importing without the required federal permit. At the federal level, anyone producing, importing, or wholesaling alcohol also needs a Federal Basic Permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), a requirement set out in the Federal Alcohol Administration Act at 27 U.S.C. 203, which makes it unlawful to engage in that business without a permit issued by the Secretary of the Treasury (delegated to TTB) [6]. Retail servers (bars and restaurants) generally don't need a TTB permit themselves, but the venue's state and local license is non-negotiable. There are narrow private exceptions: hosting a private party at your home where you're not selling drinks generally doesn't require a license, and some states allow limited "bring your own bottle" (BYOB) setups at restaurants under specific rules. But the moment money changes hands for alcohol, or you're serving as part of an event you're charging admission for, you're almost certainly in licensed-activity territory and need to check your state's rules.
How do I get a liquor license, step by step?
The exact process varies by state, but the shape is similar almost everywhere. Here's the general sequence: 1. Confirm your license type. Beer/wine only, full liquor, beer/wine/spirits by the drink, or a special-use license (brewpub, hotel, catering) all have different requirements. Check with your state ABC authority for exact category names. 2. Check quota status. Some states and counties cap the number of full licenses issued. If you're in a quota area that's maxed out, you'll likely need to buy an existing license through a transfer rather than apply new. 3. Confirm local zoning and distance rules first. Many jurisdictions restrict alcohol sales near schools, churches, or residential zones, and this can disqualify a location before you spend money on the state application. 4. Submit the state application with required documents: business formation paperwork, lease or proof of location control, financial disclosures, fingerprints/background checks for owners, and the application fee. 5. Handle local approval. Many cities and counties require their own permit or a public notice/hearing period on top of the state process. 6. Wait for processing. Timelines vary widely by state and license type and can run anywhere from a few weeks to many months, especially for quota or transfer licenses. Never assume a specific timeline without confirming current processing times with your state ABC office. 7. Pass final inspection and pay any remaining fees before opening. If you already have a lease signed and an opening date targeted, back-planning from that date against your state's real processing timeline is the single most useful thing you can do early. This is exactly the kind of state-by-state planning problem the $199 State Liquor License Roadmap is built to walk through, since timelines and requirements genuinely differ enough state to state that generic advice isn't reliable.
How do I obtain a liquor license if I'm buying or expanding an existing business?
If you're buying a business that already holds a liquor license, you generally can't just keep operating under the seller's license. Most states require a formal transfer application, where the new owner applies to have the license reissued in their name, often triggering a new background check, new fee, and sometimes a public notice or objection period for neighbors or local officials. Expansion is a different animal. Adding a second location almost always means a brand new license application at the new address, even if you already hold one at your first location. Your existing license doesn't travel with you. If the new location is in a different county or state, you're starting from scratch on quota checks, zoning, and local rules too. Some states allow a temporary or interim operating permit while a transfer application is pending, so the business doesn't have to go dark during the paperwork window, but this isn't universal and isn't guaranteed. Confirm with your state ABC authority whether an interim permit option exists before you assume you can keep pouring drinks the day you sign the purchase agreement.
How do I get a bartending license, and is that the same as a liquor license?
No, these are two completely different things, and mixing them up is one of the most common confusions new bar owners and their staff run into. A liquor license belongs to the business (or in some states, sometimes an individual owner-operator) and permits the establishment to sell alcohol. A bartending license, more accurately called an alcohol server/seller certification, belongs to the individual employee and certifies they've completed training on responsible alcohol service, checking IDs, and recognizing intoxication. Requirements vary a lot by state. Some states mandate certification for anyone serving alcohol (common examples of state-recognized programs include TIPS and ServSafe Alcohol training), while others leave it optional unless a specific city or county requires it. Certification courses are typically a few hours, often available online, and cost a modest one-time fee, nowhere near the cost of an actual liquor license. Check your specific state's requirement, since some states mandate renewal every few years. An establishment can hold a fully valid liquor license while having zero staff certifications, if the state doesn't mandate server training, though many bar owners require it anyway for insurance and liability reasons. Conversely, a bartender with server certification can't legally pour anything if the business itself doesn't hold a valid liquor license.
Can anyone take the bar exam, and is that connected to a liquor license at all?
This question shows up a lot in search data alongside liquor licensing terms, almost certainly because of the shared word "bar," but it's a completely unrelated topic. The bar exam is the licensing test aspiring lawyers take to become licensed attorneys, administered by state bar associations or state supreme courts, not alcohol regulators. Eligibility to sit for the bar exam typically requires graduating from an ABA-accredited law school (or meeting a state's specific alternative education requirement), passing a character and fitness review, and in most states passing the Multistate Bar Examination component alongside state-specific portions [7]. It has zero connection to alcohol licensing, bartending, or restaurant permitting. If you landed here searching "can anyone take the bar exam" while also researching liquor licenses, you're probably dealing with two separate projects, or the search overlap tripped you up. For actual attorney licensing questions, your state's bar association website (for example, see Florida Bar or Florida Bar member search for how these public licensee lookups work, and California Bar for that state's version) is the right resource, not a liquor licensing guide.
What actually gets a liquor license revoked, if not political speech?
State ABC agencies revoke or suspend liquor licenses for specific, documented violations of state alcohol law, almost always after a citation, investigation, and in most states a hearing where the licensee can respond. This is the real answer to what people are subconsciously worried about when they read headlines about a president threatening to pull a media outlet's license: could a government just decide to pull my license because they don't like something I said or did? For liquor licenses specifically, the answer is generally no, not without cause and process. Common grounds for suspension or revocation across most states include: selling to a minor, serving a visibly intoxicated person who then causes harm (dram shop liability issues), operating after licensed hours, allowing illegal activity on premises (like drug sales or prostitution), falsifying the original license application, and failing to renew or pay required fees on time. Some states do have provisions allowing action against a license for conduct that threatens public safety or order more broadly, and enforcement discretion does vary by state and by local political climate, so it's not accurate to say politics never touches licensing at all. But the legal standard almost everywhere requires a specific documented violation category, not general disapproval of the owner's speech or a news story. If you're worried about compliance risk, the more useful move is understanding your state's actual violation categories and how local enforcement in your jurisdiction historically applies them, which your state ABC office's public enforcement records can usually show you.
Where should I go next if I'm actually planning to open a bar or restaurant?
If this article found you because a headline used the word "license" and you're actually the person with a signed lease and a target opening date, here's the practical next step: stop reading political news about broadcast licensing and go confirm three things directly with your state ABC authority. First, whether your state or county uses a quota system for the license type you need. Second, current fee schedules for your specific license category (full liquor versus beer/wine, restaurant versus bar classification, etc.). Third, current processing timelines, since these shift and a six-month gap between application and approval isn't rare in busy quota states. Back-planning from your opening date, not forward-planning from when you happen to file, is the mistake that sinks a lot of new operators. If your lease says you open in four months and your state's typical transfer approval takes five, you have a problem to solve now, not later. That's the exact planning gap the $199 State Liquor License Roadmap is designed to close, mapping your specific state's requirements and timeline against your actual target date instead of generic national advice. It's not legal advice and it's not a guarantee of approval or timing, since no honest resource can promise that, but it gives you the state-specific checklist most new owners are missing. For general starting points, liquor license basics and the bar licensing overview are good first reads, and if you're opening in a market outside the US, note that country-specific terms and processes differ meaningfully, something covered in resources like bares for Spanish-language market context.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a liquor license?
It varies enormously by state, county, and license type, ranging from a few hundred dollars for a direct state-issued license to well over $100,000 for a quota license bought on the transfer market in a dense metro county. Beer/wine-only licenses are typically much cheaper than full liquor licenses. Confirm current fees with your state ABC authority.
How to get a bartending license?
A bartending license is usually an alcohol server certification (like TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol), completed through a short course, often online, that covers ID checking and responsible service. It's separate from the business's liquor license. Requirements to hold one vary by state; some mandate it, others don't unless a local jurisdiction requires it.
How can I get a liquor license?
Confirm your license type and whether your area has a quota, check zoning restrictions at your intended location, submit your state ABC application with business and background documents, satisfy any local/municipal permitting, and wait for processing, which can take weeks to many months depending on state and license type.
How to obtain a liquor license?
Start with your state Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agency's website to identify the correct license category for your business type, confirm quota status in your county, gather required business and ownership documents, and submit the application with the applicable fee. Local permits are usually required in addition to the state license.
Can anyone take the bar exam?
Not automatically. Most states require graduation from an ABA-accredited law school (or an approved alternative), plus passing a character and fitness review, before you're eligible to sit for the bar exam. This has no connection to liquor licensing despite the shared word "bar."
How much is a liquor license in Florida?
Florida uses a county-based quota system for full liquor licenses through the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. In quota-maxed counties, you generally must buy an existing license on the transfer market, where prices in dense counties have historically run into six figures. Non-quota license types exist and cost far less. Confirm current numbers with Florida ABT.
How much is a liquor licence in Florida (alternate spelling)?
Same answer regardless of spelling: Florida caps full liquor licenses by county population under a quota system run by the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. Quota licenses in high-demand counties can cost well over $100,000 on the transfer market, while non-quota restaurant or beer/wine licenses cost significantly less.
Can you serve alcohol without a liquor license?
No, not for any business selling alcohol to the public. Every state requires a license or permit for alcohol sales, and operating without one is a criminal or civil violation. Private, non-commercial gatherings at a home generally don't require a license, but any commercial alcohol service does.
Did Trump actually revoke ABC News' broadcast license?
No. Presidents don't have unilateral authority to revoke FCC broadcast licenses. Revocation requires a formal FCC process under the Communications Act, including notice and a hearing, based on specific statutory violations, not disagreement with news coverage or reporter questions.
What's the difference between a broadcast license and a liquor license?
A broadcast license is issued federally by the FCC for use of public airwaves, tied to individual TV/radio stations. A liquor license is issued by state (and often local) alcohol control agencies, under authority the 21st Amendment gave to states, and covers a specific business's right to sell alcohol.
How to obtain a liquor licence for a new restaurant?
Check whether your state and county cap the license type you need (quota system), confirm your location meets zoning and distance rules, then apply through your state ABC agency with business formation documents, a lease or proof of location control, and background checks for owners. Local permits usually apply too.
Do I need a liquor license to serve beer and wine only, or just for spirits?
Almost every state requires some license even for beer and wine only, though it's typically a separate, cheaper category than a full liquor (spirits) license. A handful of very limited exceptions exist for specific event types, but for an ongoing restaurant or bar, plan on needing a license for any alcohol category you serve.
How long does it take to get a liquor license after applying?
Timelines vary widely: some states process straightforward non-quota applications in a matter of weeks, while quota or transfer licenses in busy counties can take many months. Always confirm current processing times directly with your state ABC authority rather than assuming a national average, since this differs a lot state to state.
Sources
- FCC, Broadcast Station Ownership Structures / License Renewal: Broadcast licenses are issued to individual stations by the FCC on a renewal cycle, not to a network as a whole
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 47 U.S.C. 312: The FCC's statutory authority and process to revoke a broadcast station license for specific causes
- Justia, FCC v. League of Women Voters of California, 468 U.S. 364 (1984): Broadcast regulation operates within First Amendment limits even given broadcasters' unique public-airwaves obligations
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, U.S. Constitution, Amendment XXI: The 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition and confirmed state authority to regulate alcohol transportation and use within their borders
- Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Quota License Information: Florida issues quota liquor licenses based on county population through the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 27 U.S.C. 203 (Federal Alcohol Administration Act): Producers, importers, and wholesalers of alcohol need a Federal Basic Permit under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act
- American Bar Association, Bar Admissions Guide: Bar exam eligibility generally requires graduation from an ABA-accredited law school and passing a character and fitness review