‘Do you need a liquor license to serve alcohol in Texas?’ is a question that is asked a lot – both by business owners in Texas and people in the service industry.
As a business owner, you may wonder whether you need an alcohol license to serve and sell alcohol in your establishment legally. As a service worker, you may wonder if there’s a particular certificate or training program you must complete before you can serve alcohol to customers.
Whether you’re a business owner or an employee, you may find the answers to your burning questions below:
Do You Need a Liquor License to Serve Alcohol?
If you own an alcohol-selling business in Texas, you need a Texas liquor license from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to sell alcohol to your customers. However, there are multiple license types to choose from based on your unique business model.
For example, if you want to launch a business manufacturing, importing, transferring, and transporting malt beverages, you may need a brewer’s license in Texas. If you are serving alcohol like distilled spirits, malt beverages, and wine to paying customers in your bar, you may need a mixed beverage permit.
You can apply for the most appropriate alcohol license through the TABC’s Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS). You can learn how to get an alcohol license and permit processes underway at the TABC Education Center.
Do You Need a Bartending License in Texas?
Business owners know that they need a liquor license in Texas to sell alcohol to their customers. However, do you need a bartending license in Texas? There is no bartending license requirement in Texas.
However, employees in alcohol-selling and service establishments can undertake TABC certification through an online certificate provider to refine their safe service skills. While it’s not a legal requirement in Texas, a TABC certification is often required by employers for all employees preparing, selling, and serving drinks in their establishment.
TABC License vs. TABC Certification
There can be a great deal of confusion surrounding the liquor license Texas business owners need to obtain to sell alcohol and the certification employees can be required to have by their employers. They aren’t the same thing.
TABC License
A TABC license describes a permit your business needs to sell alcohol legally, depending on the type of business it is. Most TABC license and permit types are separated into multiple categories:
- Manufacturing – brewer’s license, winery permit, distiller’s and rectifier’s permit, out-of-state winery direct shipper’s permit, nonresident brewer’s license, nonresident seller’s permit
- Distribution – general distributor’s license, branch distributor’s license, wholesaler’s permit, general class B wholesaler’s permit
- Retail – mixed beverage permit, mixed beverage permit with food and beverage certificate required, wine and malt beverage retailer’s permit, wine and malt beverage retailer’s off-premise permit, retailer dealer’s on-premise license, retailer dealer’s off-premise license, private club registration permit, private club malt beverage and wine permit, private club exemption certificate, package store permit, wine-only package store permit, passenger transportation permit
- Other licenses and permits – nonprofit entity temporary event permit, consumer delivery permit, bonded warehouse permit, manufacturer’s agent’s warehousing permit, carrier’s permit, promotional permit, third-party local cartage permit
- Subordinate licenses and permits – brewer’s self-distribution license, forwarding center authority, brewpub license, food and beverage certificate, late hours certificate, water park permit, local distributor’s permit, local cartage permit
TABC Certification
TABC certification differs from a TABC alcohol license. Unlike your Texas liquor license, TABC certification is not a legal requirement in Texas. It’s a training program/online course designed to help alcohol-serving/selling employees do their jobs safely and to a high standard.
While not legally necessary, many employers require their employees to have TABC certification because penalties for wrongdoing may sometimes be less severe if their employees hold the certificate.
Get Your TABC Certificate with TABC Pronto
Do you want to serve alcohol in Texas and stand out to future employers? Enroll in TABC Pronto’s online TABC certification course today.
Our fast, 100% online course is designed to help you feel more confident, safe, and educated when selling and serving alcohol to customers in Texas. Enroll in our TABC-approved certification course and receive your certificate quickly and conveniently!