Opening a bar or restaurant? Each state runs its own alcohol board with its own license types, fees, and a key fork: quota states cap the number of full-liquor licenses (so you usually buy an existing one), while non-quota states issue new ones on application. Pick your state for the cost, steps, timeline, and official source.
| State | Board | Quota? | State fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC) | Yes | $100 |
| California | California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) | Yes | $19,840 |
| Colorado | Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division (Dept. of Revenue) | No | $1,000–$2,000 |
| Florida | Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) | Yes | $624–$1,820, |
| Georgia | Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division | No | $100 |
| Illinois | Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) | No | $750/yr |
| Indiana | Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (ATC) | Yes | $1,000 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) | Yes | Annual municipal license fee ranges (hundreds to a few thousand); the license itself is the major cost in capped cities |
| Michigan | Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) | Yes | $600 |
| Nevada | Clark County Business License (Liquor & Gaming) / City of Las Vegas — Nevada has no state alcohol-control agency or statewide bar license | No | $525 |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) | Yes | $250–$2,500 |
| New York | New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) | No | $1,792–$4,352 |
| North Carolina | North Carolina ABC Commission | No | $1,000 |
| Ohio | Ohio Division of Liquor Control / Department of Commerce | Yes | D-5 permit fee is in the low thousands/yr; in quota areas the transferred permit costs more |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) | Yes | $700 |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) | No | $300–$1,000 |
| Texas | Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) | No | $5,300 |
| Virginia | Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (Virginia ABC) | No | $1,050 |
| Washington | Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) | No | $2,700/yr |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Revenue + municipal licensing | Yes | $10,000 |
Each state page leads with the cost + timeline answer and cites the state board with a dated verification line.
In a quota state (like California or Pennsylvania) the state caps how many full-liquor licenses exist, so the only way in is often buying an existing license on the secondary market — that's where the $50k–$1M price tags come from. In a non-quota state you apply to the board for a new license and pay the state fee; there's no large resale premium. This single fact drives most of the cost difference between states.