Liquor Permit?

In Ontario where we are from, you sometimes need a special event license depending on the venue. Is this, perhaps, similar to what you require? If you are providing your own alcohol, you need the license to purchase the alcohol, if the caterer is purchasing it, they will require the license.

Yeah that's similar to what we need. The caterer tried to get it for us this week since she is providing the alcohol but they said whoever is the host is the one who is supposed to get the license. I would have gotten it already if I had more of a notice.

Our venue requires it, and you have to hire a policeman to be there (beer and wine counts too, it's an alcohol permit they just call it a liquor permit).

@AMW how much does that cost?

I know up here it's $25 for an open bar event and $75 for a cash bar event.

Our venue said we don't need it if we only have beer and wine its only if we have liquor.

Sorry FMC I don't recall, that's our ceremony venue and we have a different venue for our reception. The cop was $200/hr.

I've never heard of needing a license only for hard liquor...usually you need an overall alcohol permit and a rider for hard liquor. But I'm in a diff state.

Again, up here, alcohol is alcohol. You have to buy it through the LCBO with your license and if you don't it's a HUGE fine.

Oh no! Have you checked your contract with the venue to see if it was stipulated in there? Sorry they didn't give you more warning, but I'm glad you can still serve wine and beer!

The contract is very vague but it only says we need a licensed bar tender and proof of all vendor's insurance. But she swears up and down we're allowed to have beer and wine without it. I'm probably going to do some more research though because I don't want us getting in trouble or anything. We're in NC and the caterer says she's never had anyone that has needed this permit for any liquor in her 13 years of being in the business.

Hmmm I have never heard of this....our venue has a liquor license and is in charge of the bar and bartenders so not sure. We have to pay extra for security that is required but we don't need a special permit because the venue is the one who has the permit, not us.

So would it be okay to just pay for beer wine and liquor (no insane mixed drinks; jack and coke would be fine?) I'm trying to figure out alcohol the smart way

I would be on the phone, email and standing in someone's office to get that permit. If you stress to them you were not given this information, and you are on a deadline you might be able to get someone to help you.

FMC - you were given plenty of good ideas on your thread yesterday. You have two years to save up and cut your guest list.

You may even want to rethink your venue.

A couple of venues I looked at said that was required as well (in NJ). One of them required $300 for a cop with the liquor permit AND $300 for a fire fighter.

Another venue said that the permit would be like $25.

FMC, we set a $14 drink limit plus no top shelf. So, we know how much drinks are, and we assume three per person (no dancing for us so likely fewer drinks). We counted as though everyone will drink even though some are kids and some don't drink to find our average estimate.

Interesting. We are required to carry a temporary liability insurance policy and the bartenders have to be TABC certified.

ETA: TABC = Texas alcohol beverage commission

We had to have one as well.

We have to have a "caterers liquor license" a regular liquor permit won't do. and the only caterers that had those were the more expensive options.

I'm in MO. I worked at a stadium/concert venue and had to pay $5 every time to get my temporary liquor license. This sounds like that kind of a thing. Maybe the bartender should provide proof of his/her liquor license? It might also just be a temporary permit you have to get from the city/county?