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

Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery, with local municipal approval.

Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery, with local municipal approval.

Both the First Class and the Third Class License must be approved by the local municipality before application can be processed by Department of Liquor and Lottery.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Open the official agency page

https://liquorcontrol.vermont.gov/which-license/restaurant-bar

First and Third Class Licenses

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Open the official agency page

https://liquorcontrol.vermont.gov/which-license/store

To apply or renew your Second Class License, sign up or login to our Online Portal.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

1 years

1

All permits, licenses, and certificates shall expire one year after the date of issuance.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

All permits, licenses, and certificates must expire one year after the date of issuance.

All permits, licenses, and certificates shall expire one year after the date of issuance. Applies to: Vermont licenses under 7 V.S.A. § 205; first/second-class renewals require fees, local application and Board approval.

All permits, licenses, and certificates shall expire one year after the date of issuance.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

For second-class retail businesses, an owner, manager, director or partner must hold current DLC training certification. Covered employees train before working and every two years thereafter.

For second-class retail businesses, an owner, manager, director or partner must hold current DLC training certification. Covered employees train before working and every two years thereafter.

Every business must have an owner, manager, director or partner trained by the Department of Liquor and Lottery, Division of Liquor Control (DLC), either online or in-person, and be able to furnish a current unexpired training certificate for that individual validating their successful completion of the required training. All employees involved in the preparation, sales, service or enforcement of alcohol and tobacco laws must be trained before they start working and every two years thereafter.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Information covered Laws & Regulations Alcohol and the body Impairment Civil Liability Acceptable IDs

Second-class in-house seller training topics: laws and regulations, alcohol and the body, impairment, civil liability, and acceptable IDs.

Information covered Laws & Regulations Alcohol and the body Impairment Civil Liability Acceptable IDs

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

First-class licenses cover beer, wine and ready-to-drink spirits beverages for on-premises consumption; third-class licenses cover spirits on the premises.

First-class licenses cover beer, wine and ready-to-drink spirits beverages for on-premises consumption; third-class licenses cover spirits on the premises.

A First Class License allows an establishment to serve beer, wine, and ready-to-drink spirits beverages for consumption on its defined premise. A Third Class License allows an establishment to serve spirits on its defined premise.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Second-class licenses cover off-premises beer, cider, ready-to-drink spirit beverages and wine sales. Selling spirits as an 802 Spirits location requires an additional license.

Second-class licenses cover off-premises beer, cider, ready-to-drink spirit beverages and wine sales. Selling spirits as an 802 Spirits location requires an additional license.

A Second Class License allows a store to sell beer, cider, RTD Spirit Beverages and wine to the public for consumption off the premises. And additional license is required to sell tobacco products, paraphernalia or substitutes or to sell Spirits as an 802 Spirits location.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026