The process of getting any type of liquor license can be a long, costly and arduous one. Expect to devote a lot of resources including money, time and effort just to collect, compile and prepare the documents for submission.
To ensure that you don’t waste your hard-earned investment, listed here a few tips to help you avoid losing your Florida Liquor License:
1.Establish serving times
By law, your establishment is allowed to dispense alcoholic beverages any time between 7 a.m. and 3 a.m. the following day, from Monday to Sunday. The only exceptions are Christmas and during elections when the voting polls are open. During these days, bars, pubs, restaurants and similar establishments are not allowed to sell any form of alcohol. To avoid staying open beyond the legal hours, some bartenders dispense drinks until half an hour before they close. This gives patrons 30 minutes to finish their last drinks.
2.
- Check IDs of suspected minors
All minors or individuals under the age of 18 are not allowed to go inside a bar. There are two exceptions to this rule: if a parent or legal guardian is accompanying the minor and if the minor is an employee of the establishment. If in doubt, check the person’s ID before permitting them to enter.
3. Avoid serving drinks to tipsy or drunk people
Intoxication can result in bodily harm or death. If a person gets injured or dies as a result of drinking in your establishment or because of one of your patrons, you run the risk of paying for damages. In some situations, you may even lose your liquor license. To prevent this from happening, stop serving drinks to people who you believe are tipsy or getting drunk.
4. Prevent disorderly conduct
Any commotion caused by drinking at your establishment can also be used as grounds to revoke your license. You could lose your liquor license if people get involved in fights, or if there are displays of public drunkenness or illegal gambling after drinking in your restaurant, pub or drinking establishment. Stop serving alcoholic beverages to people who are violent or prone to getting into fist fights. You may also wish to work with your employees to see how your establishment can maintain its good reputation in the community.
5. Provide training to all staff
Lastly, before permitting any employee to dispense drinks, they must undergo the Smart Serve program and receive their certification within 120 days or approximately 4 months of starting work. Only individuals over the age of 21 are allowed to dispense drinks. Exceptions may be made if the minor is working in a family-owned business.