Category: Restaurant / Liquor License

Regular readers of this newsletter may notice recurring announcements of upcoming auctions held by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (“LCB”).   For those seeking a liquor license the LCB license auction is often a good way to acquire a liquor license for a very reasonable price. … Continue reading →

Beginning July 1, 2019, Pennsylvania brewers who serve beer for direct on-premises consumption must charge and remit Pennsylvania’s 6% sales tax on such “tap-room” purchases. This measure, which was originally slated to take effect on January 1, 2019, has been, predictably, very unpopular with Pennsylvania… Continue reading →

The bidding process for the eighth auction for expired restaurant licenses is now open.  The Commonwealth is offering 25 expired restaurant licenses in a sealed bid auction.  There will be one license offered in each of the following counties: Berks, Blair, Bucks, Clearfield, Dauphin, Delaware,… Continue reading →

In 1990, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (“LCB”) established the “Nuisance Bar Program” as a method of dealing with licensed establishments which were chronic offenders of the Liquor Code. In 1998, the program was expanded to allow the LCB to consider activity not only in… Continue reading →

When a licensed establishment is closed for renovation or is damaged by natural disaster or when the business has to close for economic reasons, there are actions the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (“LCB”) requires of the licensee. Any licensed establishment closed for fifteen days or… Continue reading →

Pennsylvania liquor licensees are required to have the owner or the “premises manager” certified under the Responsible Alcohol Management Program (“RAMP”) within 6 months of becoming an owner or becoming the premises manager. Additionally any employee hired on or after Aug. 8, 2016 who serves or… Continue reading →

A Pennsylvania liquor license may only be used by the owner of that license, the “licensee.”  The licensee may not lease the license or allow an individual that is not recognized by the Liquor Control Board (LCB) as the owner to use that license.  However, the LCB… Continue reading →

The bidding process for the seventh auction for expired restaurant licenses is now open.  The Commonwealth is offering 33 expired restaurant licenses in a sealed bid auction.  There will be one license offered in each of the following counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bucks,… Continue reading →

Pennsylvania is in the midst of a “craft” transformation. This phenomenon includes alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and spirits. Consumers have increasingly been demanding products that are locally sourced and made in small batches of quality ingredients designed to meet the taste and preferences… Continue reading →

The two most common retail liquor licenses in Pennsylvania are the H license or hotel license and the R license or restaurant license. Virtually all restaurants and taverns serving alcohol in the Commonwealth utilize one of these two types of licenses.  In recent years the… Continue reading →