If you are the owner of a retail store or restaurant and your location decides to make the sale of alcohol within city limits legal, you will likely want to add a new component to your business and gain the ability to sell alcohol in your place of business. Selling alcohol does require that you obtain a liquor license from the state in which you live, but this is usually a fairly straightforward process. If you are facing the process of applying for a liquor license as a business owner, you are bound to have a few questions. Check out these frequently asked questions from prospective liquor license applicants and the answers you will want to know. 

What will you need to apply for a liquor license?

What you will need to submit with your application for a liquor license will depend on the state where you live because each location has their own requirements. In general, you will have to submit things like copies of your personal identification, copies of your business license, and of course, the completed application on which you will briefly describe the nature of your business and what you intend to do once you have a license to sell alcohol-containing products. 

Once you have submitted the application for a liquor license, how long does it take to get approved?

As long as everything is okay with your application, the approval process is usually not that long. But, again, this can also depend on what state you live in because every state has their own guidelines in place for the application approval and license issuing process. For example, in the state of Missouri, once you apply for a liquor license, you can expect the approval process to take from five to ten days. 

is it possible for your liquor license application to be denied?

It actually is possible to be denied for a liquor license when you submit the application. There are several reasons for which an application could be denied. For example, if you have something concerning in your criminal background, you may be prohibited from getting a license in your state until a certain amount of time has passed. You can also be denied for a liquor license if your place of business is located in close proximity to public buildings like a school, government office, or daycare if those places object to alcohol sales in the area.

Get help from someone like Arizona Liquor Industry Consultants if you have questions.