Liquor License Process

Overview

This page has information about applying for a standard drink liquor license or package license.

See this page for information about the temporary small business license.

Requirements

Review the requirements for each ownership category.

Application

Complete a Liquor or Beer application, submit all the required documents and pay the application/processing fee of $450.00 (non-refundable). Upon request, the Excise Division will provide a computer generated map (plat) which displays a list of properties and owners within the petition radius for an additional fee of $100.00 (non-refundable.)

Notification

Notification postcards are given to the applicant to fill out notifying the neighborhood that a liquor license has been applied for; they must address a postcard to teach address in the petition circle, affix a current postage stamp and return the post cards to the Excise Division to be checked and mailed.

Waiting Period

Five (5) business days after the postcards are checked and mailed the applicant will come to the Excise Division to pick up their Approval Petitions and Tally Sheet. They will have forty-five (45) days to canvass the petition area to obtain neighborhood consent;51% approval is needed in two (2) categories;one is Property Owners and the second is a combination of Occupant/Tenants. Occupants are businesses and Tenants are Registered Voters. We (Excise staff) go over the procedures with each applicant at the time they come in to pick-up the approval petitions.

Petition Submission

After an applicant has obtained neighborhood approval signatures they will return the Approval Petitions and Tally Sheets to the Excise Division attesting that all signatures were obtained from the Property Owner and/or Occupant/Tenant listed. A liquor agent will investigate the validity of the approval petitions and if it appears on the surface that two simple majorities has been obtained, an application hearing will be scheduled. The hearings are scheduled approximately twenty-one (21) days after the approval petitions are submitted and verified.

Hearing

All application hearings are open to the public and held by the Excise Commissioner and/or the Liquor Control Supervisor.

State Approval Letter

Once the initial approval for a liquor license has been given and applicants are still gathering documents, they may request a State Approval Letter from the Excise which will allow them to initiate their application with State Liquor Control. However, to operate a liquor licensed establishment in the City of St. Louis, applicants must apply for and obtain both a City and a State liquor license prior to selling any liquor and/or intoxicating beer.Contact information for State Liquor Control is listed below. 

Supporting Documentation

Before a liquor license is issued, you must submit all required documentation i.e… Business License, Occupancy Permit, Health Inspection, Certificate of No Tax Due etc.

State of Missouri License

Applicants must obtain a liquor license from the State of Missouri. 

Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco
7445 South Lindbergh Blvd, Suite 150
St Louis MO 63125
314-416-6280