Cobb County Alcohol Permit: Requirements, Cost, and Renewal

To work as a bartender, server, package store clerk, or manager at any alcohol-licensed business in unincorporated Cobb County, you need a Cobb County alcohol permit issued by the Cobb County Police Department before your first shift. The permit costs $30, requires a background check, and must be in your hand — not just applied for — before you can legally serve, sell, or manage the sale of alcohol.¹

Who Needs a Permit

Cobb County Code Section 6-207(a) covers four groups of workers. Every employee of a package store, convenience store, or liquor store needs a permit, regardless of whether they personally ring up alcohol. Servers and bartenders at any establishment with a pouring license need one. All managers at any alcohol-licensed business need one, even if they never pour a drink. At grocery stores and drugstores that sell alcohol, only managerial employees need the permit.

The convenience store versus grocery store line matters. A convenience store means every employee; a grocery store means managers only. If you aren’t certain which category your employer falls under, get the permit.

Age and Background Requirements

Georgia law sets 18 as the minimum age for serving alcohol. Workers under 18 cannot dispense, serve, sell, or take orders at an on-premises establishment, with a narrow exception for employees at supermarkets, convenience stores, breweries, and drugstores handling alcohol sold for off-premises consumption.²

Every applicant is subject to a criminal background investigation by the Cobb County Police Department. Under Section 6-207(c), the police will not issue a permit to anyone who has committed any of the violations listed in Section 6-206 of the county code. In practice, convictions tied to alcohol violations, drug offenses, and fraud are common grounds for denial. Falsifying anything on the application is itself grounds for revocation.³

Documents to Bring

You need a valid, unexpired photo ID: a driver’s license, U.S. passport, military ID, or state-approved identification card.¹

Non-citizens must bring an alien registration card (green card), a work authorization card, or an I-94 card from the Department of Immigration. The office requires the physical card for copying; the alien registration number alone is not enough. Naturalized citizens must bring the original naturalization certificate for review.¹

The permit office reserves the right to request additional documents to complete the background check, including birth certificates and Social Security cards. Bring them if you have them to avoid a return trip.¹

How to Apply

You can apply two ways. Complete the application, upload supporting documents, and pay the fee through the county’s online permit portal, or apply in person at Cobb County Police Headquarters.¹

Either way, you have to show up in person to pick up the physical permit. The Regulatory Services/Permits Unit is at 545 S. Fairground Street, Marietta, GA 30060. Call (770) 499-4408 to confirm hours before you go.⁴

Cost

The fee is $30. The office takes Visa, MasterCard, and cash. No checks.¹

There Is No Grace Period

This is where people get caught. Cobb County allows no grace period for new hires in training or for workers whose permits have lapsed. You cannot work a single shift serving, selling, or managing alcohol sales while you wait for the permit to come through.¹

The consequences hit both sides. The employee is working unlawfully, and the business’s privilege license can be put in jeopardy. Managers and licensees can be cited if employees are found working without a valid permit or if an employee serves a minor.¹ An employee working without the required permit is independent grounds for suspension or revocation of the establishment’s alcohol license.³

Apply well before your start date. If you’re an employer, do not schedule a new hire on the floor until you have seen the physical permit card.

Renewal

Renewing means repeating the full process: new application, new $30 fee, new background check. The county does not send renewal reminders, so track the expiration date yourself. Because there is no grace period, a lapsed permit means you cannot legally work until the new one is issued, and your employer has a legal obligation to pull you off alcohol-related duties the moment it expires. Start the renewal early enough to avoid any gap.

If You Are Denied

Cobb County’s Business License Review Board hears appeals from applicants who have been denied a work permit, as well as matters involving revocation, suspension, or other discipline against a permit holder. If you disagree with the Board’s decision, you have 30 days to appeal to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, and any hearing there is limited to 30 minutes. Further appeal goes to the Superior Court of Cobb County by filing a petition for a writ of certiorari within 30 days of the Commissioners’ decision.⁵

1
Cobb County Georgia. Alcohol, Health Spa, Door-to-Door, Pawn, Precious Metal Dealer Permits
2
Justia Law. Georgia Code 3-3-24 – Dispensing, Serving, Selling, or Taking Orders for Alcoholic Beverages
3
Cobb County. Cobb County Alcoholic Beverage Establishment Application
4
Cobb County Government. Permits and Registration
5
Cobb County Georgia. Business License Review Board