Whether you are planning to start serving alcohol at your restaurant or you have intentions of opening a bar, one of the most difficult challenges you will face is obtaining your liquor license. For some business owners, obtaining their license is a fairly straightforward process that does not require jumping through any hoops. However, there are some business owners who will run into problems that make it almost impossible to get their liquor license application approved. Here is a look at a few reasons it may be difficult to get a liquor license as a business owner.
Your business is located in the wrong area.
Many cities have zoning restrictions in place that prevent the sale of alcoholic beverages in certain areas, and some will not approve liquor service in areas where there will be school traffic, children, or even residential neighborhoods. If this is the case, it can be extremely difficult to move beyond these zoning restrictions to get your liquor license approved. When you are applying for a liquor license, part of that process is notating where your establishment is located, so if you do plan to apply for a license with an already established business property, make sure you look into restrictions on alcohol sales.
Your own criminal record is getting in the way.
All states have their own guidelines in place for who they will allow to have a liquor license, and some states definitely balk at the idea of giving a license to someone who has a criminal record. Specifically, you will probably have a hard time getting a liquor license if you have a felony on your record. It is really hard to overcome this stipulation, and most of the time, impossible. In these situations, most business owners will bring in an outside business partner who has a clean record and can legally obtain a license.
Your business has a bad reputation.
Believe it or not, if there have been legal issues in the past with your place of business, it could hinder your ability to get a liquor license in some places. For example, if the place of business you own and operate now is a hotel, and criminal activity is a major problem there, you may have problems getting a liquor license when you decide you want to install an on-site bar. In the end, it can be up to the local government to decide if you can be approved.
Work with a company, like Arizona Liquor Industry Consultants, for more help.
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