Liquor License Applications

Baltimore County issues licenses according to the population of each district. 

About the Process

An overview of the process is below.

  1. The applicant must have a location before applying and meet all requirements in the application packet.
  2. The application must be submitted for review.
  3. Hearings will be open to the public and held within four to eight weeks after receipt of the application.

LICENSE APPLICATION PACKET

The license application packet lists all forms necessary to apply for liquor licenses in Baltimore County. All PDF documents will open in a new window. The application packet is also available at the Liquor Board office.

It will be necessary to submit to the Board, at the same time your application is filed, the following documents:

  • Financial Disclosure form
  • Agreement of Sale
  • Lease Agreement or Assignment of Lease
  • Corporate Papers (Articles of Incorporation)
    • Certificate of Incorporation/Good Standing Certificate
    • First Corporate Minutes/Operating Agreement
  • Zoning form (completed and checked)
  • Application(s) for criminal record check
  • Application fee ($500.00)
  • By-laws (if a club license)
  • Franchise Agreement (if applicable)

Important note: Applications will not be scheduled for hearings until the above documents are received by the Board of Liquor License Commissioners.

View or download the Affidavit of Compliance.

CJIS BACKGROUND CHECK

All applicants are required to go directly to CJIS to fill out an application for Criminal Background Check and have fingerprints taken. You may contact them directly for directions and hours of operation at 410-764-4501. Please note, when you arrive at CJIS to have fingerprints done, you must give them the following Authorization Number or ORI Control Number so that results are sent directly to our office. Attn: Chaunte Thomas Authorization #9000018392, ORI # MD003105Y

CJIS REISTERSTOWN:

6776 Reisterstown Road
Reisterstown Road Plaza
Baltimore, Maryland 21215

Fingerprints can be done at other locations around the state. However, if you are visiting a federal location, our ORI Control Number is MD003105Y.

Our office does not have access to the bulk transfer applications, please contact the Comptroller of Maryland at 443-300-6990 for instructions on how to obtain the form.

Please note that the bulk transfer application is necessary to complete the transfer of a liquor license.

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS

You may owe a federal special tax if your occupation allows you to sell beer, wine or liquor? before you sell or offer for sale any beer, wine, or liquor you must file an initial registration and return and pay special tax and file/pay again each year by July 1.

If you are in an occupation that allows you to sell any type of beverage alcohol products you must pay an annual special tax for each business location from which you are making sales. Beverage alcohol includes malt beverages, 3.2 beer, wine or beer coolers, whiskey and mixed drinks. It includes beverages packaged in all types of containers such as: cans, bottles, cases, by the glass, by the pitcher, by the carafe. The tax applies to all types of sales such as: retail, wholesale, package sales, by the drink sales, on site consumption and off site consumption.

Those businesses that have paid in the past should receive a preprinted renewal forms by mid-June. If you do not receive the forms, please call the National Revenue Center for assistance. If you have never paid the special tax you should immediately call the National Revenue Center for assistance. Failure to timely file and pay the tax could result in costly penalties and interest.

Annual Tax Rate is $250 for retailers and $500 for wholesalers at each business location.

For detailed information and taxpayer assistance, contact The National Revenue Center (NRC):

  • Phone: 513-684-2979 or Toll Free: 1-800-937-8864. Please call between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET.
  • Mail—Write to the following address:
    ATF National Revenue Center
    550 Main Street
    Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

This affidavit is made in connection with the application for an alcoholic beverage license or change of interest in current license.

View or download the Individual Business Interest Financial Affidavit.

View or download the liquor Application.

View or download the Transfer Authorization form.

View or download the Workmen's Compensation form.

View or download the Zoning Approval application.

ADDITIONAL FORMS AND RESOURCES

The Alcohol Beverage License Book lists all licenses issued in Baltimore County. The license year is from May 1 through April 30 of the following year. The license book contains:

  • Corporation
  • Limited Liability Company
  • Limited Partnership

or

  • Business name
  • Business address
  • Name of each officer
  • License number
  • Business phone
  • Election district

LICENSE CLASS ORDER

A—PACKAGED GOODS

  • BW off sale Beer, Wine
  • BWL off sale Beer, Wine, Liquor

B—RESTAURANTS

  • BW on sale Beer, Wine
  • BWL on sale Beer, Wine, Liquor

C—CLUBS

  • BW on sale Beer, Wine
  • BWL on sale Beer, Wine, Liquor

D—BAR

  • BW on sale Beer, Wine
  • BWL on sale Beer, Wine, Liquor

Complete the alcoholic beverage delivery form to acknowledge the brand, size and quantity of all alcoholic beverage deliveries. Click link below:

 

The Board of Liquor License Commissioners requires that the procedure below must be followed for all changes of one or more licensees on a license:

  1. An Alcoholic Beverages License Application must be filed.
  2. An Individual Business Interest Financial Affidavit must be submitted for all applicants.
  3. If the application is for a corporation, minutes showing the admission or election of new persons in the business must be provided. If the application is for a Limited Liability Company (LLC), an operating agreement showing elected or appointed authorized members must be provided.
  4. A copy of a stock transfer endorsement or any documentation regarding the purchase of interest in the business must be provided.
  5. An application fee of $500, payable to "Baltimore County, Maryland," must be submitted with the application.
  6. A Criminal Background Verification must be completed on all new applicants.

The Board of Liquor License Commissioners will determine the scheduling of a hearing and will notify applicants or counsel.

The Class C—Club Affidavit form is to be used for Class C licenses only, when there is a change of officers at the club.

The Employment Registration for Minors form is to be used if any Class A, B, C or D licensee employs any person or persons under the age of 21, as required by Rule 5 of the Board's Rules and Regulations.

Growlers or Refillable Container Permit—House Bill 208 (growlers legislation) is effective October 1, 2014, which allows holders of Class A, B, and D Licenses to hold a refillable container permit to sell draft beer for consumption off the licensed premises in certain refillable containers with a capacity of not less than 32 ounces and not more than 128 ounces, and that meets the standards under Article 2B of the Annotated Code of Maryland, Section 21-107 (2013 supplement).

The managers application should be used for any Class A, B, C or D licensee who considers an employee as manager of the establishment or who would be responsible for day to day operations when a licensee of record is not on the premises, as required by Rule 27 of the Board's Rules and Regulations. In addition to submitting managers application all Class A, B and D application must complete the required criminal background verification. Click link below for manager application and instructions for criminal history check. 

The Board of Liquor License Commissioners requires that the procedure below must be followed in order to remove a licensee from a license without replacement:

  1. An affidavit of resignation or statement of withdrawal from the business by the current licensee being removed must be provided.
  2. A sales agreement effecting a stock transfer or documentation regarding the purchase of current licensee interest in the business must be provided.
  3. Corporate minutes effecting corporation changes and the election of officers must be provided.
  4. A completed Alcoholic Beverages License Application and Individual Business Interest Financial Affidavit for remaining licensee(s) with necessary information effecting the change must be provided.

The Rules and Regulations for the Liquor Board is a set of guidelines written to be sure that every establishment in Baltimore County is in compliance.

PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

The Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore County may authorize a bar, restaurant, club or hotel that holds a beer and wine, or beer, wine and liquor Class “B”, “C”, or “D” alcoholic beverage license, to allow a person to bring personal wine onto the licensed premise for consumption under certain conditions as explained below.

The licensee must apply by completing and sending the Wine Corkage Application to the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Wine Corkage Permit. There is no additional charge.

AUTHORITY PROCEDURES

  • The licensee must authorize the individual to take the alcohol onto the licensed premise. We suggest the licensed facility post a conspicuous sign indicating the facility’s rules regarding individual wine corkage.
  • The individual consumer(s) must be at least 21 years of age or older. Keep in mind that consumption by any person under age or by persons who appear intoxicated is a violation of the alcoholic beverage laws of the State of Maryland and penalties may be imposed against the licensed establishment.
  • The consumer must order a meal in order to consume the personal wine.
  • The wine brought on the licensed premise under the wine corkage must not be available through the licensee’s wine list.
  • The hours that wine corkage may occur are the same hours as specified by the licensee.
  • The licensee may charge a corkage fee, upon which the State Sales Tax will apply. Contact the State Comptroller’s Office should you have any questions regarding the state sales tax at 1-800-638-2937.
  • The licensee must either dispose of any wine that remains after the meal, or the unused wine may be removed by the individual from the licensed premise if the bottle is re-corked or capped. A bottle that has been opened and is removed from the facility is considered an “open container” for purposes of a violation of the open container provisions of the Criminal Law Article.