Last updated 2026-07-26
TL;DR
in washington, you apply through the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB), not a local clerk. costs vary a lot by license class (confirm current fees with the WSLCB), and processing commonly takes weeks to a few months. start the application the moment your lease is signed, not after buildout begins.
how do you get a liquor license in washington state
Washington doesn't run liquor licensing through counties or cities the way some states do. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) is the single state authority that issues, renews, and enforces on-premise and off-premise alcohol licenses statewide, under the authority granted in RCW 66.24 [1]. That's actually a bit simpler than states with county-level quota systems, but it also means there's only one door to knock on, and that door has its own pace. The basic sequence looks like this: pick your license type (restaurant spirits/beer/wine, tavern, beer/wine only, caterer's, and so on), confirm your business entity is registered with the Washington Secretary of State and Department of Revenue, submit your application through the WSLCB's online licensing portal, pass a background check on all "true parties of interest," get a local authority review (your city or county gets a chance to object or comment), and wait for final approval before you pour a drop [1] [2]. A lot of first-time applicants assume the lease and buildout come first and the license application comes after. Flip that. WSLCB review, local authority sign-off, and background checks all take real calendar time that runs in parallel with your construction and hiring, not after it. If you wait until the space is finished to start the paperwork, you're adding weeks of dead rent to your opening date. Washington also requires a responsible vendor program or mandatory alcohol server training (MAST) permit for anyone serving or selling alcohol, which is separate from the business license itself, under RCW 66.20.310 [3]. Budget time for staff certification before opening night, not the week of.
how much is a liquor license in washington
There's no single number. Washington's license fees are set by license class in RCW 66.24, and they differ for a restaurant spirits/beer/wine license versus a tavern license versus a grocery store beer/wine license, with additional fees for things like a caterer's endorsement or a change of location [1] [1]. Because these schedules get updated and because your specific license class, county, and any added endorsements change the total, the only reliable answer is to confirm current fees directly with the WSLCB before you budget (confirm with your state ABC authority) [1]. What you can plan around is the shape of the cost, not the exact digit. Expect an application fee, an annual license fee tied to your license class, and possibly additional fees for endorsements (like a caterer's endorsement, spirits sampling, or a change in trade name). Some license types in Washington also carry different fee tiers based on population of the city where you're located, which is unusual and worth double-checking against the current WSLCB schedule for your address [1]. On top of the state fee, plan for the cost of legal or consulting help if you use it, MAST training fees per employee, any local business license fees from your city, and the soft cost of lost revenue if your opening date slips while the application is pending. Those soft costs often dwarf the license fee itself for a new restaurant with a locked lease.
how much is a liquor license in florida
Florida runs licensing very differently from Washington, through the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) under the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and it uses a quota system tied to county population for full-liquor ("quota") licenses under Florida Statutes section 561.20 [4]. Quota license fees and availability depend on your county, and where a county has hit its quota cap, licenses often only become available by transfer on the open market, sometimes for far more than the state's own issuance fee, because you're buying from an existing holder, not the state [4]. Florida also offers non-quota license types, like beer and wine (2COP) or a special SFS (special food service) license for restaurants that derive a set percentage of gross revenue from food sales, and those tend to be cheaper and easier to get than a full quota liquor license [4]. If you're comparing Washington and Florida costs side by side, don't. The systems aren't structurally alike, so a dollar figure from one state tells you nothing reliable about the other. Confirm current Florida fees and quota status directly with the DBPR/ABT for your county (confirm with your state ABC authority) [4]. If you're researching Florida specifically, our florida bar guide and the florida bar member search tool cover Florida licensing paths in more depth than we can fit into a Washington-focused article.
how can i get a liquor license, step by step
Regardless of which state you're in, the practical steps rhyme. Here's the order that actually works when you're back-planning from a signed lease and a set opening date. 1. Confirm your license type before you sign anything else. A full-service restaurant with a bar program needs a different license class than a beer-and-wine-only spot or a tavern. In Washington, this means picking among restaurant spirits/beer/wine, tavern, beer/wine restaurant, or a more specialized class, and confirming which fits your actual menu and seating plan with the WSLCB [1]. 2. Register your business entity and get your federal EIN, then register with your state's Department of Revenue. You cannot get a state liquor license without underlying business registration. 3. Check for a federal requirement. If you plan to manufacture alcohol (a brewery, winery, or distillery), you'll also need a federal basic permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, 27 U.S.C. 203, separate from your state retail license [5]. A restaurant or bar that only serves, and doesn't produce, alcohol generally doesn't need a TTB permit, only the state retail license. 4. Submit the state application with all required disclosures on ownership, financing, and any prior license history for every "true party of interest." Background checks apply to owners, and in some states, key managers too. 5. Handle the local authority review. Washington requires the WSLCB to notify the local city or county, which can weigh in on zoning compliance or object based on local ordinance, per RCW 66.24.010 [2]. Other states route this differently, sometimes requiring a separate local liquor license or permit in addition to the state one. 6. Get staff trained and certified (MAST in Washington) before opening [3]. 7. Wait for final approval, then schedule your opening date with a buffer, not a bullseye. Nobody in this business has ever regretted padding their timeline by two extra weeks. If you want a structured way to walk through these steps against your specific state, license type, and opening date, that's exactly the gap our $199 State Liquor License Roadmap is built to fill. It's a planning tool, not a shortcut around the actual state process.
how to obtain a liquor license (application requirements checklist)
Most states, Washington included, ask for a similar core packet even though the exact form numbers differ. Expect to provide: business entity documents (articles of incorporation or LLC formation, EIN), your lease or proof of right to occupy the premises, a floor plan showing where alcohol will be served and stored, identification and background disclosure for every owner and "true party of interest," financial source documentation showing where your capital came from, and a certificate of local zoning compliance [1] [2]. Washington specifically requires disclosure of anyone with a financial interest in the business, more than the named owner on the application, because the WSLCB screens for undisclosed ownership and prohibited interests (like certain manufacturer-retailer tie-in restrictions) under RCW 66.24 [1]. If you have investors or a silent partner, disclose them; getting caught concealing an interest after the fact risks the license entirely, and it's not a small penalty. A floor plan matters more than people expect. Your licensed premises boundary determines where alcohol can legally be sold and consumed, including outdoor seating, and changing that boundary later (adding a patio, for example) usually requires an amendment to your license, more than a call to your landlord [1]. Build your submission packet as a single organized file before you start the online application. Missing documents are the single most common cause of processing delays, more than background check hold-ups in most cases.
how to obtain a liquor licence in canada or other spellings, is it different in the us
If you searched "licence" with a c, you're either using British/Canadian spelling or you searched from outside the US. The process described in this article covers US state licensing, specifically Washington. Canadian provinces run their own separate systems (Ontario's AGCO, BC's LCRB, and so on) with their own applications, fees, and timelines, and none of that maps onto US state ABC authority. Within the US, "license" is the standard spelling on every state ABC and TTB form you'll encounter, including Washington's [1]. If you're applying in the US, use "license" on your paperwork; using the British spelling won't break an application, but it's a sign you may be reading guidance meant for a different country.
how to get a bartending license (is that even a real thing)
Technically, there's no single "bartending license" the way there's a liquor license for a business. What most people mean by this is a mandatory alcohol server training certification, which is a personal certification an individual employee gets, separate from the business's liquor license. In Washington, this is the Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST) program, administered through WSLCB-approved training providers under RCW 66.20.310, and it's required for anyone who sells or serves alcohol at a licensed establishment [3]. It typically involves a short course (a few hours, often available online) followed by a test, and results in a permit card you carry as an employee. Other states run similar programs under different names (Florida's responsible vendor training, for example, though it's not always mandatory statewide the way Washington's MAST is) [3] [4]. If you're hiring bartenders and servers for opening night, build the training requirement into your onboarding checklist, not as an afterthought once shifts are already scheduled. A new hire who can't legally serve alcohol yet is a scheduling headache you can avoid with two weeks of lead time.
can anyone take the bar exam (and why this question shows up in liquor license searches)
This question gets tangled into liquor license searches because "bar" means two very different things: a place that serves drinks, and the legal profession's licensing exam. They have nothing to do with each other. The bar exam is the test aspiring lawyers take to become licensed attorneys, administered by each state's bar admission authority. Eligibility generally requires graduating from an ABA-accredited law school and passing a character and fitness review; the American Bar Association's own standards require graduation from an ABA-approved law school for admission eligibility in nearly every US jurisdiction, with a small number of states (California, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and a few others) permitting alternative paths like law office study [6]. Not "anyone" can take it. It requires the underlying legal education credential in nearly every state. If you landed here searching for how to open a literal bar (the drinking establishment), you want the liquor license process described throughout this article, not the bar exam. If you're actually researching legal licensure, our bar and florida bar pages, plus the florida bar member search and california bar tools, cover that topic directly.
can you serve alcohol without a liquor license
No, not for a commercial establishment. Serving or selling alcoholic beverages without the appropriate state license is illegal in every US state, and Washington specifically makes it unlawful to sell liquor without a license issued by the WSLCB under RCW 66.44.010, with violations carrying both civil penalties and potential criminal exposure depending on severity and repeat status [1] [7]. There are narrow exceptions worth knowing about. Private, non-commercial gatherings where no sale occurs generally fall outside liquor licensing entirely, because licensing regimes target commercial sale and service, not a homeowner pouring wine for dinner guests. Some states also allow limited BYOB arrangements for restaurants that don't hold a liquor license, where the establishment doesn't sell alcohol at all but permits patrons to bring their own; the legality and specific rules for BYOB vary by state and sometimes by city, so confirm with your local jurisdiction before assuming it applies [1]. Operating a bar or restaurant and serving alcohol for money before your license is approved, even if your application is "almost done," is not a gray area. It's a straightforward violation that can jeopardize the license you're waiting on and expose you to fines. If your buildout finishes before your license clears, open as a dry establishment or delay the opening date. Don't pour before you're licensed.
how long does it actually take to get a liquor license
Timelines vary by state and by how clean your application is. Washington doesn't publish a single guaranteed processing window, and actual time depends heavily on completeness of your application, the volume WSLCB is handling, and whether local authority review or background checks surface any issues [1] [2]. Anecdotally and across industry planning guidance, restaurant operators commonly plan for a window of roughly 60 to 120 days from a clean application submission to final approval, though this is a planning range, not a promise, and your specific timeline should be confirmed with the WSLCB directly for your license type [1]. The biggest levers you control: submit a complete packet the first time (incomplete applications get bounced back into a queue, not fast-tracked), disclose all ownership up front, and start before your buildout is finished rather than after. The biggest lever you don't control: how busy your state's ABC authority is that quarter, and whether your local jurisdiction has a backlog on its own zoning or local approval step. If your opening date is fixed (say, a lease clause or investor deadline), back-plan from that date with a real buffer, ideally 60 to 90 days beyond your best-case license timeline, not your average-case estimate.
Frequently asked questions
how much is a liquor license in washington state
It depends on your license class (restaurant, tavern, beer/wine only, and so on), and fees are set in RCW 66.24 fee schedules that get updated periodically. There's no single flat number across all license types. Confirm the current fee for your specific license class directly with the WSLCB before budgeting.
how much is a liquor license in florida
Florida ties full quota liquor licenses to county population caps under Florida Statutes section 561.20, so cost depends heavily on whether your county has quota licenses available from the state or whether you'd need to buy one on the transfer market from an existing holder, which can cost significantly more. Non-quota beer/wine (2COP) licenses are generally cheaper. Confirm current fees and quota status with DBPR/ABT for your county.
how do i get a liquor license as a new restaurant owner
Pick your license type, register your business entity, submit the application through your state's ABC authority (WSLCB in Washington), disclose all owners and financial interests, pass background checks, complete local authority review, get staff server training done, and wait for approval before serving. Start the process the day your lease is signed, since processing runs in parallel with buildout, not after it.
how to get a bartending license
There's no standalone bartending license; what's usually meant is mandatory alcohol server training, a personal certification employees complete separately from the business's liquor license. Washington calls this MAST (Mandatory Alcohol Server Training) under RCW 66.20.310, required for anyone who sells or serves alcohol at a licensed premise. Other states run similar programs under different names.
can anyone take the bar exam
No. The bar exam (for becoming a licensed attorney) generally requires graduating from an ABA-accredited law school first, plus passing a character and fitness review, in nearly every US state. A small number of states allow alternative paths like law office study instead of law school. This has nothing to do with liquor licensing despite the shared word 'bar'.
can you serve alcohol without a liquor license
No, not commercially. Selling or serving alcohol without the required state license is illegal everywhere in the US, including Washington under RCW 66.44.010, and carries civil and potentially criminal penalties. Narrow exceptions exist for private non-commercial gatherings and some state-specific BYOB arrangements at unlicensed restaurants, but rules on BYOB vary by state and city.
how to obtain a liquor license if i'm opening a new restaurant with a signed lease
Start your state ABC application immediately after signing the lease, not after buildout. Confirm your license type, gather ownership and financial disclosure documents, submit a floor plan matching your actual licensed premises boundary, and build in a buffer of weeks to months before your target opening date, since background checks and local authority review both take real time.
how to obtain a liquor licence (canadian or UK spelling)
If you're applying in the US, the correct spelling on all forms is 'license,' and the process runs through your state's ABC authority, not a federal one. Canadian provinces (Ontario's AGCO, BC's LCRB, and others) run entirely separate systems with their own applications and fees that don't apply to US operators.
do i need a separate license for beer and wine versus full liquor
Yes, in most states, including Washington, beer/wine-only licenses are a distinct, usually cheaper and faster-to-obtain license class from a full spirits license. If you're not planning a cocktail program, a beer/wine license can simplify both cost and approval timeline. Confirm which class fits your actual menu with your state ABC authority before applying.
what happens if my opening date arrives before my license is approved
You cannot legally sell or serve alcohol until the license is approved, no matter how close you are. Options are opening as a dry establishment temporarily, delaying your opening date, or in some states, checking whether a temporary permit is available for your license type. Never serve before approval; it risks the license itself.
does washington require server training for a liquor license
Yes. Washington's Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST) program, under RCW 66.20.310, requires anyone selling or serving alcohol at a licensed premise to complete training and hold a permit, separate from the business's own liquor license. Build this into staff onboarding before opening day, not the week of.
is a federal permit required to open a bar or restaurant that serves alcohol
Generally no, if you're only serving alcohol (not manufacturing it). A federal TTB basic permit under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (27 U.S.C. 203) is required for producers, like breweries, wineries, and distilleries, not for retail bars and restaurants, which only need their state ABC license.
Sources
- Revised Code of Washington, RCW 66.24 (Licenses and Fees): WSLCB is the single state authority issuing and enforcing liquor licenses, with fee schedules varying by license type
- Revised Code of Washington, RCW 66.24.010 (License application, notice to local authority): Local city/county authorities receive notice and may comment on license applications
- Revised Code of Washington, RCW 66.20.310 (Mandatory alcohol server training): Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST) required for anyone selling or serving alcohol in Washington
- Online Sunshine, Florida Statutes Section 561.20 (Limitation upon number of licenses issued): Florida quota liquor licenses are tied to county population caps administered by DBPR/ABT
- Online Sunshine, Florida Statutes Chapter 561 (Beverage Law: Administration): Florida's quota license system and transfer rules are established in state alcoholic beverage law
- Federal Alcohol Administration Act, 27 U.S.C. 203 (Basic permit requirement): Federal TTB basic permit is required for alcohol producers, not retail servers
- American Bar Association, Standard 503, ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools: Bar exam eligibility generally requires graduation from an accredited law school and character/fitness review
- Revised Code of Washington, RCW 66.44.010 (Selling without license): Selling liquor without a license is unlawful in Washington with civil and criminal penalties