Getting a liquor license in Washington means filing a business license application through the Department of Revenue, passing a criminal background check and location review by the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB), and paying an annual fee that ranges from $300 for a single beverage type at a restaurant to $3,750 for a sports entertainment facility. The LCB estimates about 60 days to process a complete application, though background issues, location problems, or local government objections can stretch that out.1Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Retail Liquor Licenses and Endorsement Description and Fees2Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Preparing for Your Application Washington’s licensing rules live in Title 66 RCW and Title 314 WAC, and the board has broad discretion over who gets approved.
Who Qualifies to Hold a License
Sole proprietors must have lived in Washington for at least one month before the board will issue a retail license. Corporations and LLCs must either be formed under Washington law or hold a certificate of authority to do business in the state. If a manager or agent runs the business day-to-day, that person has to meet the same qualifications as the licensee.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.24.010
Everyone with an ownership stake counts as a “true party of interest” and goes through a criminal history check. The board uses a point system, and eight points will normally sink an application. A single felony conviction within the past ten years is worth 12 points by itself. A gross misdemeanor within the past three years adds five points; a standard misdemeanor adds four. Each conviction you fail to disclose adds another four points, so leaving something off the form is often more damaging than the offense itself.4Washington State Legislature. WAC 314-07-040
Where You Can Locate: The 500-Foot Rule
Before issuing a new retail license, the board sends written notice to every church, school, and public institution within 500 feet of your proposed premises. A tax-supported public elementary or secondary school within that distance can object and block the license entirely.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.24.010 The 500 feet is measured by the method the statute prescribes, not a straight line on a map, so a professional site survey before you sign a lease is money well spent. This buffer is separate from the 1,000-foot rule that applies to cannabis businesses.
Local zoning can tighten things further. Clearing the state’s 500-foot rule doesn’t guarantee your city or county will allow alcohol sales at your address, so check with the local planning department before you commit.
Annual Fees by License Type
Washington updated its liquor fees effective July 27, 2025, under Senate Bill 5786.1Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Retail Liquor Licenses and Endorsement Description and Fees What follows are the current annual rates.
Restaurants and Taverns
- Beer and Wine Restaurant: $600 for the combined license, or $300 for beer only or wine only.5Washington State Legislature. WAC 314-02-035
- Spirits, Beer, and Wine Restaurant: $2,200 if at least 50 percent of your floor space is dedicated dining area, $2,700 if less than half qualifies, and $1,400 for a service-bar-only setup. The board must be satisfied that serving complete meals is your primary business purpose.6Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.24.400
- Tavern (Beer and Wine): $600. Taverns are restricted to patrons 21 and older.7Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.24.330
Other Retail Categories
- Hotel (Spirits/Beer/Wine): $2,500
- Nightclub (Spirits/Beer/Wine): $2,500
- Grocery Store (Beer/Wine): $550
- Grocery Store (Spirits/Beer/Wine): $2,000
- Spirits Retailer: $550
- Liquor Caterer (Spirits/Beer/Wine): $1,500
- Sports Entertainment Facility: $3,750
Optional endorsements extend what a license allows. A catering endorsement costs $525 and lets a restaurant or hotel serve at off-site events. An off-premises endorsement for restaurants and taverns is $180 and allows customers to take packaged alcohol home.1Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Retail Liquor Licenses and Endorsement Description and Fees
Special Occasion Licenses
Nonprofit organizations can get a special occasion license for $90 per day per location, covering sales of spirits, beer, and wine by the glass for on-premises consumption. Each organization is capped at 12 single-day events per calendar year. A third party like an event promoter can’t run the event in exchange for a cut of the proceeds, and doing so can disqualify the organization from future special occasion licenses.8Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Special Occasion Licenses
Producers
Breweries, wineries, and distilleries hold non-retail licenses that cover manufacturing and distribution, and some allow on-site tasting rooms. A producer that wants to resell beverages it didn’t make, like a brewery stocking another brewery’s beer, needs additional licensing.
How to Apply
All business license applications go through the Department of Revenue’s My DOR portal. Filing there generates a Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number used across state agencies, and the liquor portions of your application get forwarded to the LCB for review.9Washington Department of Revenue. Apply For A Business License
Expect to supply more than the basic form. The LCB wants a floor plan showing where alcohol will be stored, served, and consumed. For a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, your menus must show that serving complete meals is the primary purpose of the business.5Washington State Legislature. WAC 314-02-035 Proof of your right to occupy the premises, usually a signed lease or ownership record, is standard. Every true party of interest submits fingerprints for a criminal background check run through both the Washington State Patrol and the FBI.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.24.010
Honesty on the criminal history disclosure matters. Each nondisclosure adds four points under the board’s scoring system, enough to push an otherwise-qualifying applicant over the eight-point threshold.4Washington State Legislature. WAC 314-07-040
Local Notice and the 60-Day Timeline
Once your application reaches the LCB, state law requires the board to notify the local authority, typically the mayor or county commissioners for the jurisdiction. The local authority has 20 days to file written objections. In a designated alcohol impact area, that window stretches to 60 days.10Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. The Licensing Process
Local objections carry real weight. The board must give “substantial weight” to objections rooted in chronic illegal activity associated with the applicant or the premises. If the board denies your license over local objections, you can request a formal hearing under Washington’s Administrative Procedure Act.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.24.010
A licensing agent is assigned to your case to interview the owners and inspect the premises, confirming that the layout matches your floor plan and the business is ready to open. The LCB’s published estimate for processing a new application is 60 days when nothing goes sideways.2Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Preparing for Your Application The usual culprits for delay are incomplete paperwork, unresolved criminal history questions, and local government objections. Once approved, the license expires on the last day of the calendar month that falls 12 months after the month it was granted.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.24.010
Mandatory Server Training for Your Staff
Every employee who serves, mixes, sells, or supervises the sale of alcohol for on-premises consumption must hold a valid Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST) permit. New hires have 60 calendar days from their start date to obtain one, with no grace period after that.11Washington State Legislature. Chapter 314-17 WAC
Permits come in two classes. A Class 12 permit is required for managers, bartenders, anyone who mixes or pours spirits, and anyone supervising a Class 13 holder; applicants must be at least 21. A Class 13 permit is required for servers who take drink orders, deliver beverages, or open and pour beer or wine for customers; applicants must be at least 18.
Making sure every applicable employee holds a current permit is the licensee’s job, and letting someone serve without one exposes you to administrative penalties. Building MAST into your onboarding from day one is the simplest fix.11Washington State Legislature. Chapter 314-17 WAC
Keeping the License Active
Washington liquor licenses renew every year. The LCB mails a renewal notice 45 days before your license expires, and the renewal fee matches your license type’s annual rate. The local authority gets notice at renewal too and can object just as it can on an initial application. There are no refunds or prorated credits if you close before the license year ends.12Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. Current Licensee FAQs
Washington law also prohibits selling alcohol to any person who appears to be under the influence of liquor.13Washington State Legislature. RCW 66.44.200 Serving minors, serving visibly intoxicated patrons, or operating outside your approved hours can trigger penalties ranging from monetary fines to suspension or, for repeat offenses, permanent revocation.
Your license must be displayed prominently at the business. Changes to ownership, business name, or premises layout need board approval before you implement them. Selling the business does not transfer the license; the new owner has to apply separately.
Federal Permits If You Produce, Wholesale, or Import
A Washington state license is not enough if you plan to manufacture, wholesale, or import alcohol. The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) requires a separate federal permit before operations begin, and this applies to breweries, wineries, distilleries, wholesalers reselling products they didn’t produce, and importers.14Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Applying for a Permit and/or Registration Federal excise taxes apply on top of state obligations and vary by product type.15Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Tax Rates Retailers that only sell finished products to consumers generally do not need a TTB permit.