Florida has always been known for its party scene and nightlife. Young people from different parts of the country troop to the state especially during summer and spring break. But it doesn’t only attract young people; retirees also leave their home states to retire here because Florida has great weather and life here is just more exciting.
If you are a businessperson and you are considering opening a bar or dining establishment in Florida because of its bustling social scene, you must know that this business may prove to be quite profitable. There’s always a high probability of success for such a business here; however, you need to understand that meeting strict requirements is a must. For example, if you’re keen on opening a bar or a restaurant/watering hole, you actually have to procure a Florida liquor license in order to serve alcoholic beverages. But before you do that, there are other things you need to take in consideration in order to get the license.
- Your business site should be zoned for it.
The chosen location for your business has to be zoned commercially. There are areas wherein liquor licenses will not be granted, such as any place where there’s a local school, a church, and other similar establishments. It’s important to mention as well that not all counties have available liquor licenses because many are already maxed out.
- What kinds of liquor do you intend to sell and how will they be consumed by your customers?
There are different classes of licenses for liquor licenses, and there are also strict conditions that need to be upheld regarding how these products will be purchased. It’s best to speak with liquor license consultants to determine what type of license is suitable for your business.
- You need to apply for the license half a year before launching your business.
If you’re certain that you want to serve alcoholic beverages at your establishment, applying for a license is one of the things you need to take care of right away — processing can take a long time and things can actually get gnarly along the way.
- The process will involve people outside of your business.
Your landlord and other parties will be checked for sure, because licensing offices want to ascertain that your establishment will be no trouble to others.
These are just some of the important things you need to stay on top of before applying for a liquor license in Florida. If they seem a little complicated for you, there’s no need to worry because there are liquor license consultants you can turn to. With their industry knowledge, you’ll find out what you need to do in order to successfully obtain the liquor license for your business.