- 1). First, you must determine the class of license needed for your establishment. For example, if you operate a restaurant and want to serve just beer and wine, you'll need a "Restaurant Wine" class liquor license. If you operate a restaurant and bar and want to serve beer, wine and liquor, you'll need an "On-Premises Liquor" license.
- 2). Once you determine your required license classification, you will need to notify the local municipality or community board by sending a 30-day notice to them via certified mail. The notice will not only state that license classification but will also include your intended hours of operation and other general information. After receiving the notice, most Community Boards in New York, will request to see your proposed menu, architectural drawings, and will want further detail regarding your intended operation.
Once the 30-Day Community Board notice period has elapsed, you may than file your liquor license application with the New York State Liquor Authority ("NYSLA"). The application requires the disclosure of a great amount of detail regarding your intended operation and it's owners, managers, lenders, donors and investors. Additionally, you will be required to submit a Certificate of Occupancy for the Premise (or a letter of no objection from the Department of Buildings), the original certified mailing card, penal bond, photographs of all rooms and the exterior, the lease for the premise, proof of citizenship, diagrams, bank statements, certificate of authority to collect sales tax, workers compensation and disability insurance policies and a proposed menu. If all of the required information and documentation is complete and accurate, and there exists no other reason for rejection, the NYSLA should issue your license within six months. - 3). However, in September of 2009, the NYSLA initiated an Attorney Self Certification Program. This program allows attorneys to self certify an application that they file by requiring the attorney to verify and attest as to accuracy of the information and the documentation contained in the application. This allows the NYSLA to bypass the lengthy investigation and grant the approval of the liquor license application in just weeks as opposed to six months. I must disclose that I am a liquor license attorney but even if I wasn't I would still recommend that you hire an experienced liquor license attorney to prepare and file your liquor license application so you can take advantage of this NYSLA self certification process. It is true that most attorneys charge $3,000.00 and up to prepare and file the liquor license application but that amount is nominal when compared to the money saved in rent (and the money made in revenue) by getting your license and opening your establishment many months earlier.
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