New York Liquor License Types: 64, 64-A, Restaurant & Tavern Wine

New York has four main on-premises liquor license types, and the right one depends on whether you’re running a restaurant, a bar, or something in between, and whether you need to pour spirits or just wine and beer. The State Liquor Authority (SLA) issues them under the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Law: Section 64 for restaurants and hotels serving full liquor, Section 64-A for bars and entertainment venues serving full liquor, and two separate Section 81 licenses covering wine and beer — one for restaurants, one for taverns. Biennial fees start under $500 for a tavern wine license in a small town and climb past $4,300 for a full liquor license in New York City.¹

The Four Licenses at a Glance

Two questions sort most applicants into the right category. First: do you need to serve distilled spirits, or will wine and beer do? Second: is food the core of your business, or are drinks the main attraction? Section 64 and 64-A both authorize full liquor; the Section 81 licenses do not. Section 64 and the restaurant wine license both require a working kitchen and real food service; Section 64-A and the tavern wine license are built for venues where food is secondary.

Section 64: On-Premises Liquor for Restaurants and Hotels

Section 64 is the broadest on-premises authorization the SLA offers. It covers retail sale of liquor, wine, and beer for consumption on the premises, and it applies to restaurants, hotels with on-site restaurants, catering establishments, clubs, railroad cars, vessels, and even scheduled airline aircraft. Bed-and-breakfast operators can qualify too, but only to serve overnight guests.²

The critical requirement for restaurants is the “bona fide” standard. The SLA expects a real, functioning restaurant where prepared food is the core of the business, not a bar with a microwave in the back. Inspectors examine kitchen equipment, menus, and food purchasing records. If alcohol revenue starts dwarfing food revenue, the license is at risk. Catering establishments face a narrower rule: they can only sell alcohol during actual events and only to invited guests at those events.²

Biennial fees run from roughly $1,792 in less populated areas to $4,352 in New York City, tied to the county’s population tier. Hotels in towns or villages can add off-premises wine and liquor sales privileges for an extra $62.50, but only if no existing off-premises licensee operates within eight miles.²

Section 64-A: Special On-Premises Liquor for Bars and Entertainment Venues

Section 64-A fits businesses where selling drinks is the main event. Bars, cocktail lounges, nightclubs, and entertainment venues all land here. The statute also covers legitimate theaters, including movie theaters where at least 65 percent of annual gross revenue comes from ticket sales and food or non-alcoholic beverages combined. The SLA can designate other lawful adult entertainment or recreational facilities as eligible.³

A full commercial kitchen isn’t required, but food must be regularly available for sale. The statute specifies sandwiches, soups, and other prepared or pre-cooked items as acceptable. This is not optional. An undercover investigator who walks in during operating hours and cannot buy food has grounds to write you up.³

Because 64-A venues typically draw larger crowds and later hours, applications often attract more community scrutiny. In New York City, the local community board weighs in, and when an area already has a concentration of licensed premises, the SLA must hold a 500-Foot Law hearing before issuing a new license.⁴ Biennial fees mirror the Section 64 schedule, from roughly $1,792 to $4,352 depending on location.

Restaurant Wine License (Section 81)

Section 81 gives restaurants a cheaper path to serving wine and beer without stocking a full liquor bar. The license covers wine, beer, soju (a Korean spirit at 24 percent alcohol or less), and shochu (its Japanese equivalent). It does not cover distilled spirits of any kind.⁵ Keeping even a single bottle of liquor on the premises can trigger disciplinary action.

The bona fide food requirement applies just as it does under Section 64. The SLA must be satisfied that wine sales are “incidental to and not the prime source of revenue” from operating the establishment.⁵ Expect the same scrutiny of kitchen operations, menus, and purchasing records that full liquor licensees face.

One perk is unique to this license. Patrons who buy a full-course meal can take home a partially consumed bottle of wine. The licensee reseals the bottle in a bag that makes tampering visually obvious and provides a dated receipt.⁵ Biennial fees range from roughly $480 to $960 based on location.

Tavern Wine License (Section 81)

The tavern wine license is the cheapest full-term license the SLA issues. It fits neighborhood pubs, sports bars, ballparks, and similar gathering spots where food is not the focus. Like the restaurant wine license, it covers wine, beer, soju, and shochu, and it strictly prohibits distilled spirits.⁵

The food requirement still exists, but it is much looser. Pre-packaged snacks or basic fare that doesn’t need an on-site kitchen can satisfy the SLA. That flexibility keeps startup costs manageable for venues that live on beverage sales. Biennial fees fall between roughly $540 and $1,152.

Fees Side by Side

Every New York liquor license runs on a two-year cycle, and the biennial fee tracks both the license type and the population of the municipality. Approximate ranges for the four on-premises categories:

Section 64 (on-premises liquor): $1,792 to $4,352
Section 64-A (special on-premises liquor): $1,792 to $4,352
Restaurant wine (Section 81): $480 to $960
Tavern wine (Section 81): $540 to $1,152

The low end reflects smaller towns; the high end reflects cities over 100,000 and the five boroughs. Beyond the license fee, applicants also pay a filing fee and post a penal bond, which the SLA can recover against if the terms of the license are violated.⁶

Who Can Hold Any of These Licenses

The SLA runs background checks on every applicant, and certain convictions are automatic disqualifiers. Anyone convicted of a felony, promoting or permitting prostitution, or selling liquor without a license cannot hold an SLA license. These bars apply to owners and principals, not to staff: a person with a felony conviction can still work as a bartender or server at a licensed establishment.⁷

Anyone serving or bartending in New York must be at least 18, regardless of license type. State law does not require a supervisor to be present when an 18-year-old is serving, though individual employers often set their own policies.

Location Rules That Can Block Your Choice

Where your business sits can disqualify you before you file. The ABC Law prohibits the SLA from issuing certain licenses if the proposed location is on the same street and within 200 feet of a building used exclusively as a school, church, synagogue, or other house of worship.⁸ It applies to any on-premises liquor establishment and any off-premises liquor or wine retailer. The distance is measured along the street, not as the crow flies.

The 500-Foot Law adds a second layer. When a proposed location sits within 500 feet of three or more existing licensed premises, the SLA must consult the local municipality and hold a hearing to decide whether the public interest supports another license there. In New York City, the relevant community board speaks for the municipality and can support or oppose the application.⁴ If you’re eyeing a busy nightlife corridor, budget extra time.

Short-Term Alternatives

Not every situation calls for a full biennial license. The SLA issues several short-term permits for narrower needs:

Temporary retail operating permit: available to new applicants while their full license is pending, processed in about 30 days and valid for 90 days.
One-day alcohol event permit: authorizes the sale of wine, beer, cider, and liquor for a single 24-hour period at a specific gathering, such as a fundraiser or festival.
Catering permit: lets an existing on-premises licensee serve alcohol at a one-day event held off the licensed premises.

The one-day permit and the catering permit are not interchangeable. The one-day permit is for organizations or individuals without a permanent license. The catering permit is only available to businesses that already hold an active on-premises license and want to serve at an off-site event.⁹

1
New York State Liquor Authority. Get a License
2
New York State Senate. New York Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Section 64
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New York State Senate. New York Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Section 64-A
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New York State Liquor Authority. 500 Foot Law
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New York State Senate. New York Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Section 81
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New York State Senate. New York Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Section 118
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New York State Liquor Authority. Restaurant License Quick Reference
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New York State Liquor Authority. Measuring the Distance – The 200 and 500 Foot Rules
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New York State Liquor Authority. Permits