To get an SC ABL license, you file an application with the South Carolina Department of Revenue’s Alcohol Beverage Licensing division, submit background checks on every owner, pass a SLED site inspection, and complete newspaper and on-site public notice before the state will issue the permit. Which form you file and which fees apply depend on whether you’re selling beer and wine, liquor by the drink, or sealed bottles, and whether customers drink on your premises or take purchases home. Get the license type wrong, or sign a lease too close to a church or school, and weeks of work can collapse at the inspection stage.
Match Your Business to the Right License Type
South Carolina issues separate permits for beer and wine, liquor by the drink, retail liquor stores, and manufacturing or wholesale operations. The ABL-975 reference sheet lists every active code, but a few cover most businesses.
For beer and wine retail:
- Off-Premises Beer and Wine (PBG) covers takeaway only, such as convenience and grocery stores.
- On-Premises Beer and Wine (PBW) allows on-site consumption plus takeaway.
- 7-Day On-Premises Beer and Wine (PO7) is the same as PBW but with no day-of-week or hour restrictions, including Sunday.
- 7-Day Off-Premises Beer and Wine (P7B) is takeaway-only, seven days a week, with no hour restrictions.
For liquor, which South Carolina treats separately from beer and wine:
- Business Liquor by the Drink (PLB) is the standard license for restaurants and hotels serving cocktails and mixed drinks on-site.
- Nonprofit Liquor by the Drink (PLC) covers private clubs with on-site liquor service.
- Retail Liquor Store (PRL) covers dedicated stores selling sealed bottles for off-premises consumption.
Breweries file under a Brewery Permit (PWY), which allows on-site tastings; a Brewpub Permit (PBB) combines manufacturing with on-premises beer and wine sales. Wholesale distributors use a Beer and Wine Wholesaler/Distributor Permit (PWB). Applying under the wrong code is one of the fastest routes to a denial or a later suspension, so verify the code against your actual business model before filing anything else.
Documents To Gather Before You Apply
Retail businesses file the ABL-901. Breweries, wineries, liquor manufacturers, and wholesale distributors file the ABL-902 instead.2South Carolina Department of Revenue. ABL-901 Application for Retail Beer, Wine, and Liquor Both share the same supporting documents.
Every owner, officer, partner, and member must sign an ABL-946 Consent and Waiver authorizing the state to run background checks.2South Carolina Department of Revenue. ABL-901 Application for Retail Beer, Wine, and Liquor Each principal also needs a SLED criminal records check, which costs $25 per person, plus a $1 convenience fee if you order it online through SLED’s CATCH system.3South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories
Each principal completes an ABL-920 verifying lawful presence in the United States. Non-citizen principals must include their alien registration number and copies of immigration documents.4South Carolina Department of Revenue. ABL-901 Application for Retail Beer, Wine, and Liquor – Checklist
You also need to prove legal control over the business location: a signed lease, deed, or tax bill in the applicant’s name showing the physical address of the business.4South Carolina Department of Revenue. ABL-901 Application for Retail Beer, Wine, and Liquor – Checklist Names and addresses should match exactly across every form; mismatched paperwork is one of the most common reasons applications stall.
How To File
The Department of Revenue’s MyDORWAY portal is the preferred filing method, with uploads for scanned documents and electronic fee payment.5South Carolina Department of Revenue. Alcohol Beverage Licensing You can also mail the application to the SCDOR ABL Section, PO Box 125, Columbia, SC 29214-0907, or email it to ABL@dor.sc.gov.2South Carolina Department of Revenue. ABL-901 Application for Retail Beer, Wine, and Liquor If you file through MyDORWAY, the ABL-946 is built into the online workflow, so you don’t need a separate paper copy.
Once the department has your application and fees, an ABL analyst reviews your paperwork while a SLED agent is assigned to inspect your location.6South Carolina Business One Stop. Alcohol Beverage License
Public Notice: Newspaper and On-Site Sign
Before the license issues, the public gets a chance to learn about and challenge your application. Two forms of notice are required.
You must publish a notice in a qualifying local newspaper once a week for three consecutive weeks. The notice goes in the legal notices section, must be at least one column wide and two inches deep in large type, and must state the type of license and the exact business location. The department determines which newspaper qualifies based on circulation and your proposed location.7South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-6-180 – Notice of Application If you’re applying for both a beer and wine permit and a liquor license, one approved advertisement can cover both.
A sign must also be posted at the business site for 15 days, stating the type of license and where to file a protest. It has to be in bold type, at least 12 inches by 18 inches. A SLED agent posts and removes the sign, not the applicant.8South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-4-520 – Retail Permits
Any resident of the county, or anyone living within five miles of the proposed location, can file a written protest including their name, address, phone number, and specific reasons for denial. A timely protest holds up issuance until the matter is heard.7South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-6-180 – Notice of Application Renewals at the same location do not require newspaper publication.
SLED Inspection and the Distance Rule
The SLED field inspection is where many applications quietly fail. An agent visits to verify the premises and confirm it meets state law. The most consequential rule is distance: a liquor license cannot issue if the business is within 300 feet of a church, school, or playground inside a municipality, or within 500 feet outside a municipality.9South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-6-120 – Proximity to Church, School, or Playground
Distance is measured along the shortest route of ordinary pedestrian or vehicle travel on a public road, from the nearest point of the church, school, or playground grounds to your business. “Church” means any place where religious services are regularly held, “school” means any place where education is regularly conducted, and “playground” means any public or community recreation area. Private residences don’t count.9South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-6-120 – Proximity to Church, School, or Playground Measure before you sign a lease.
Hours of Sale and Sunday Liquor
Liquor by the drink can be sold between 10:00 AM and 2:00 AM the following morning, but not on Sundays unless the business holds a Local Option Permit.10South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws – Title 61 Chapter 6 – Alcoholic Beverage Control Act
Beer and wine sales are prohibited between midnight Saturday and sunrise Monday. An establishment that also holds a liquor by the drink license can sell beer and wine during the same hours liquor sales are lawful.11South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code 61-4-120 – Sunday Sales A 7-Day permit (PO7 or P7B) removes day and hour restrictions on beer and wine entirely.
To serve liquor on Sundays, you need a Local Option Permit (LOP) on top of your liquor by the drink license. These are only available in counties or municipalities where voters have approved Sunday sales by local referendum, so confirm your jurisdiction allows them first.12South Carolina Department of Revenue. Local Option Permit (LOP) A single-Sunday permit is $200. The annual fee is $3,050. If your current liquor license expires in less than a year, the annual permit is prorated at $250 per remaining month plus a one-time $50 SLED fee.13South Carolina Department of Revenue. Application for Business Local Option Permit
Server Training
Anyone who works 10 or more hours a week serving alcohol for on-premises consumption, along with managers who oversee alcohol service, must complete an SCDOR-approved training program and receive an Alcohol Server Certificate. The current compliance deadline has been extended to May 1, 2026.14South Carolina Department of Revenue. Recognized Training Programs Approved courses are listed on the department’s website in online and in-person formats. Noncompliance puts the license itself at risk, not just the individual server.
Renewing Every Two Years
South Carolina alcohol licenses renew on a two-year cycle. Your deadline depends on the county where the business sits, not when the license first issued. The department sends a notification about two months before the renewal period opens.5South Carolina Department of Revenue. Alcohol Beverage Licensing
The calendar runs in four windows across even and odd years:
- February 28 — even years: Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, and Williamsburg. Odd years: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, and Berkeley.
- May 31 — even years: Lancaster, Marion, Marlboro, Union, and York. Odd years: Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Fairfield, Florence, and Horry.
- August 31 — even years: Richland County, plus beer producers, liquor brands, liquor producers, liquor representatives, and wine shippers statewide. Odd years: Calhoun, Kershaw, Lee, Orangeburg, and Sumter.
- November 30 — even years: Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, and Spartanburg. Odd years: Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenville, and Greenwood.
Missing your deadline means you cannot legally sell alcohol until the renewal is processed. Renewing the same license at the same location skips the newspaper publication requirement.
Federal Permit for Manufacturers and Wholesalers
A South Carolina ABL permit alone is not enough if you plan to manufacture or wholesale alcohol. The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) requires its own permit, approved before operations begin.15Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Wholesaler’s Information There is no TTB filing fee.16Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Applying for a Permit and/or Registration
Wholesalers, meaning anyone purchasing alcohol for resale at wholesale or importing it, need a Wholesaler’s Basic Permit from the TTB, even for export. Manufacturers who sell only what they produce don’t need the wholesaler permit, but the moment they sell products made by someone else, they do.15Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Wholesaler’s Information
Breweries, wineries, and distilleries file a Brewer’s Notice or the applicable manufacturer permit through the TTB’s Permits Online system. The application asks for corporate structure, premises lease or deed, floor plans, site plans, and proof of funds, and manufacturers must post a tax bond in favor of the TTB. A TTB specialist reviews the submission and often requests clarification on floor plans and funding. The TTB’s National Revenue Center answers questions toll-free at 877-882-3277.16Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Applying for a Permit and/or Registration