New Hampshire Liquor License: Types, Fees, and Hours of Sale

To sell, serve, manufacture, or distribute alcohol in the state, you need a New Hampshire liquor license issued by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s Division of Enforcement and Licensing. The commission administers Title XIII of the Revised Statutes Annotated, and the specific license you apply for depends on where customers will drink the alcohol and what kind you plan to sell.1New Hampshire Liquor Commission. About Us – Division of Enforcement and Licensing

Which License Fits Your Business

New Hampshire’s licenses under RSA 178 split first by consumption location. On-premises licenses cover anywhere customers drink on-site. Off-premises licenses cover retail stores selling packaged alcohol to take home. Production and shipping each have their own authorizations.

On-Premises Licenses

The cocktail lounge license is the common one for restaurants, hotels, and clubs that pour beer, wine, and liquor by the glass. Patrons at a cocktail-lounge-licensed establishment cannot take any alcoholic beverages off the premises under RSA 178:22.2New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 178 Section 178-22 More specialized on-premises licenses exist for convention centers, performing arts venues, racetracks, vessels, bed and breakfasts, and caterers working private off-site events.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 178 Section 178-29

Off-Premises Licenses

Retail stores selling packaged alcohol choose among a retail wine license (wine only), a combination license (beer and wine), or an agency store license (spirits sold on behalf of the state). Fee tiers within each off-premises category are set by the number of checkout registers, which the state uses as a rough proxy for volume.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 178 Section 178-29

Manufacturer, Nanobrewery, and Shipping

Breweries, wineries, and distilleries hold separate production-side licenses. Nanobreweries producing no more than 2,000 barrels per year qualify for a dedicated license under RSA 178:12-a that allows both production and small-scale on-site retail, including tastings. The nanobrewery annual fee is $240, plus $0.30 per gallon sold or transferred.4New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 178 Section 178-12-a

Licensed manufacturers, brew pubs, and distributors can also apply for a direct-to-consumer shipping permit under RSA 178:27-b to deliver to New Hampshire residents 21 and older. There is no fee, but the person delivering must be a W-2 employee of the licensee, at least 21 years old, must obtain a signed receipt, and must verify the customer’s age. Deliveries to colleges, schools, public libraries, parks, and playgrounds are prohibited.5New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 178 Section 178-27-b

Beverages vs. Liquor: Pick the Right Category

New Hampshire’s statutory definitions do not match everyday usage, and getting this wrong will restart your application. Under RSA 175:1, a “beverage” means beer, wine, and similar fermented drinks between 0.5% and 6% alcohol by volume. The commission can approve certain fermented malt beverages and mead up to 8%, and ciders up to 12%. “Liquor” means everything above 6% by volume, which includes distilled spirits and most wines.6New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 175 Section 175-1 – Definitions

A restaurant pouring only beer and low-alcohol cider needs a “beverages” license. A restaurant pouring cocktails or wine above 6% needs one that covers “liquor.” Match the category to what you actually plan to serve before you file.

Annual License Fees

Fees are set in RSA 178:29 and vary widely by license type. Common ones include:

  • Restaurant with cocktail lounge: $1,200 per year. Beer and wine only: $480. Wine and liquor without a full cocktail lounge: $840.
  • Hotel with cocktail lounge: $1,200 per year.
  • Convention center: $2,400 per year.
  • Bed and breakfast, beverages and wine: $480. Beverages and liquor: $840.
  • One-day event license: $100.
  • Off-premises retail wine, one register: $216 per year. Combination license, one register: $336.
  • Beverage manufacturer, 15,000 barrels or less: $1,200. Over 15,000 barrels: $1,692.
  • Wholesale distributor: $2,500 per year.
  • Carrier license: $120 per year.

Social clubs and veterans clubs pay on a sliding scale based on events per year, from $250 for up to 9 events to $1,200 for year-round operations at 52 events. Pari-mutuel racetracks pay the highest annual fee at $3,000.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 178 Section 178-29

Who Qualifies

Individual applicants and the officers of any business entity must be at least 21. The commission runs background checks and reviews criminal history, with particular attention to felony convictions and prior liquor law violations. A clean record is not an absolute bar for every role, but serious criminal history among stakeholders draws significant scrutiny and often denial.

You also need to be in good standing with the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. All required returns must be filed and tax liabilities paid before the department will issue a good standing certificate.7NH Department of Revenue Administration. Certificate Statements of Withdrawal, Dissolution, and Good Standing

Documents to Prepare

A complete application package includes:

  • The New License Application identifying the license type, business details, and stakeholders.
  • A Personal History Form for every owner, officer, and person with a controlling interest.
  • Local government approval from the Board of Selectmen in towns, or the city council, confirming zoning and safety compliance.
  • A premises diagram showing where alcohol will be stored and served.
  • A lease or deed proving your right to occupy the premises.
  • Business formation documents (Articles of Incorporation or Organization) for corporations and LLCs; the business name must match the Secretary of State registration.
  • Financial disclosure covering funding sources and any interests in other alcohol-related businesses, used to prevent tied-house arrangements.

Both the application and the Personal History Form are available from the Division of Enforcement and Licensing.8New Hampshire Liquor Commission. Licensing Forms and Resources Fill every field. Incomplete packages are the most common cause of delay.

How the Application Moves Through the Commission

File the complete package with NHLC headquarters in Concord along with the applicable fee. A field investigator is assigned to your file and will visit the proposed location to confirm the space matches your floor plan and meets health and safety standards. The investigator also interviews the applicant to verify the personal history information.

After the investigation, the field officer recommends approval or denial to the commission. If local officials or residents raise concerns, the commission may hold a public hearing before deciding. A local governing body can also petition to deny or revoke a license if the premises become a community problem, though the licensee is entitled to a hearing before any adverse action.9New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 179 Section 179-57

From filing to license in hand, plan on roughly six to twelve weeks. Approved applicants typically receive a temporary permit while the permanent license is produced.

Management Training Seminar

Every retail licensee, or a designated manager, must complete the NHLC’s Management Training Seminar. The timing surprises many applicants: the seminar is required within 45 days after the license is issued, not before.10New Hampshire Liquor Commission Division of Enforcement and Licensing. Trainings for Owners/Managers/Person in Charge – Section: Management Training Seminar (M.T.S.) The exception is a one-day event license, where a management representative must attend before the event date.11Cornell Law Institute. New Hampshire Admin Code Liq 702.11 – Management Training Seminar

The seminar covers state alcohol laws, ID checking, fake-ID trends, signs of intoxication, and the civil liability that attaches to over-service. Missing the 45-day deadline puts the license at risk, so schedule the class early.

Hours You Can Sell

Sales windows depend on your license:

  • Off-premises retail stores: 6:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., seven days a week.
  • On-premises restaurants, bars, and clubs: 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., seven days a week. A city or town can extend closing to 2:00 a.m. by local ordinance.
  • Manufacturers and wholesale distributors: 6:00 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week.
  • Brew pubs for off-sale: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week.

On-premises patrons must finish drinks within 30 minutes after the serving hour ends. No packaged alcohol can leave an off-premises store outside posted hours.12New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 179 Section 179-17 – Hours of Sale

What Puts the License at Risk

The NHLC inspects licensed premises regularly. An individual who violates Title XIII or commission rules faces a misdemeanor charge. For a business entity, the charge is a felony.13New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 179 Section 179-58 – Penalties

Selling alcohol without paying required license fees is treated more severely: a class B felony for individuals, a felony for business entities, with mandatory permanent revocation on conviction.13New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 179 Section 179-58 – Penalties

Short of prosecution, the commission can impose administrative fines of $100 to $7,500 per offense, in addition to or instead of suspension or revocation. Grounds for suspension or revocation include violating any provision of the alcohol laws, failing to supervise the business in person or through an approved manager, permitting unlawful use of the premises, or operating a location that regularly becomes the site of violence. A licensee is entitled to a hearing, and appeals follow RSA 541.14New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code Chapter 179 Section 179-57 – Suspension or Revocation; Administrative Fines

Federal Permits for Manufacturers and Wholesalers

A New Hampshire license does not cover federal requirements. If you manufacture, import, or wholesale alcohol across state lines, you also need a federal Basic Permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Breweries file a Brewer’s Notice instead, through a similar process. Federal applications go through the TTB’s Permits Online portal, and there is no federal fee for the permit.

The TTB requires a Personnel Questionnaire (Form TTB F 5000.9) for every owner, officer, director, or stakeholder holding more than 10% interest. The form asks about any felony conviction under federal or state law, any misdemeanor in the past 10 years, and any prior violations of federal alcohol or tobacco regulations. Minor traffic violations are not reportable.15Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Personnel Questionnaire – TTB F 5000.9 Importers and wholesalers must keep daily records of receipts and dispositions at the place of business, available for TTB inspection.16TTB: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. TTB Business Central – Maintaining Compliance as an Alcohol Importer/Exporter or Wholesaler Manufacturers and wholesalers need both the state license and the federal permit before legally operating.