Businesses that intend to sell alcohol must follow the liquor licensing laws of the state in which they are operating. Businesses in the state of Florida should be aware that Florida is one of the states with a quota system for its liquor licenses. This may add some steps for business owners looking to sell alcohol, depending on the type of establishment they are running or intend to run.
There are two ways to obtain a quota license: the lottery system or purchase and transfer from an existing owner.
Lottery system
In Florida, there can be one quota license for every 7,500 residents. When licenses become available to be handed out by the state, this is done through a lottery system. The application for a quota license is $100.
Purchasing from an existing owner
If there are no quota licenses available through the state, an alternative option is purchasing one on the open market. Supply and demand will dictate the cost of the license itself, while the state’s transfer fee is $1 for every $1,000 made in the past three years on alcohol sales (up to a maximum of $5,000).
It is important to note that quota licenses are not the only type of alcohol and tobacco license in the state of Florida. For example, there are special restaurant licenses that can be given to establishments which derive the majority of their revenue from food. There are also beer and wine licenses which are easier to obtain than a quota license. However, establishments that seek to derive most of their revenue from alcohol sales and intend to serve drinks besides beer and wine likely need to contend with the quota system. In any case, business owners can benefit from legal advice and support when seeking a license to sell or serve alcohol in the state of Florida.