How to Get a Retail alcohol License in Florida (2026)

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

There is created within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Open the official agency page

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/561.17

License and registration applications; approved person.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Licensees must be at least 21; corporate officers must also be at least 21.

Licensees must be at least 21; corporate officers must also be at least 21.

Licenses shall be issued only to persons of good moral character who are not less than 21 years of age. Licenses to corporations shall be issued only to corporations whose officers are of good moral character and not less than 21 years of age.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Licenses must be renewed annually, and the division must adopt an appropriate rule establishing the schedule for license renewals, which may provide for a semiannual schedule based on a division of the state into two geographic regions.

Licenses shall be renewed annually, and the division shall adopt an appropriate rule establishing the schedule for license renewals, which may provide for a semiannual schedule based on a division of the state into two geographic regions. Applies to: Regular alcoholic beverage licenses; statutory exception under section 561.351.

Licenses shall be renewed annually, and the division shall adopt an appropriate rule establishing the schedule for license renewals, which may provide for a semiannual schedule based on a division of the state into two geographic regions.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Retail alcohol sellers are licensed as vendors.

Retail alcohol sellers are licensed as vendors.

Vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail only.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Applications require proof of the right to occupy the entire premises. Consumption-on-premises applications also require a sanitary-compliance certificate from an authorized agency.

Applications require proof of the right to occupy the entire premises. Consumption-on-premises applications also require a sanitary-compliance certificate from an authorized agency.

All applications for any alcoholic beverage license must be accompanied by proof of the applicant’s right of occupancy for the entire premises sought to be licensed. All applications for alcoholic beverage licenses for consumption on the premises shall be accompanied by a certificate of the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Health, the Agency for Health Care Administration, or the county health department that the place of business wherein the business is to be conducted meets all of the sanitary requirements of the state.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Beer-and-wine vendor licensing distinguishes off-premises-only sales from sales permitting consumption on the premises. sets the off-premises annual license tax at 50% of the on-premises amount for the same county; the on-premises rate depends on county population.

Beer-and-wine vendor licensing distinguishes off-premises-only sales from sales permitting consumption on the premises. Section 564.02 sets the off-premises annual license tax at 50% of the on-premises amount for the same county; the on-premises rate depends on county population.

Each vendor authorized to sell brewed beverages containing malt, wines, and fortified wines shall pay an annual state license tax, as follows: Vendors operating places of business where beverages are sold only for consumption off the premises shall pay an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount of the license tax herein provided for vendors in the same county operating places of business where consumption on the premises is permitted. Vendors operating places of business where consumption on the premises is permitted in counties having a population of over 100,000, according to the latest population estimate prepared pursuant to s. 186.901, for such county, shall pay $280.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Alcohol license applications must use the division's online system.

Alcohol license applications must use the division's online system.

The division may not process an application for an alcoholic beverage license unless the application is submitted through the division’s online system.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026