License and Permit Descriptions

Authorized by Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

Liquor Permits   •   Beer Licenses

LIQUOR PERMITS

AGENT'S PERMIT (A)
Permit authorizes holder to represent only the holders of active permits within this state, other than retail permittees, authorized to sell liquor to retail dealers in Texas.

AIRLINE BEVERAGE PERMIT (AB)
Permit authorizes a corporation operating a commercial airline to sell or serve alcoholic beverages while operating in or through the State of Texas.

BEVERAGE CARTAGE PERMIT (PE)
Permit authorizes a Mixed Beverage, Private Club Registration, Private Club Wine and Beer or Private Club Exemption Certificate permittee who holds this permit to transport alcoholic beverages to the licensed premises from the place of purchase.

BONDED WAREHOUSE PERMIT (J)
Permit authorizes holder to store liquor for any permittee who holds a Public Storage Permit.

BONDED WAREHOUSE PERMIT (DRY AREA) (JD)
Permit authorizes holder to store wine in a dry area for a winery permittee who holds a Public Storage Permit.

BREWER'S PERMIT (B)
Permit authorizes holder to manufacture ale and malt liquor and sell the ale and malt liquor only to wholesale permit holders in this state or to qualified persons outside the state.

CARRIER'S PERMIT (C)
Permit authorizes holder to transport liquor into and out of this state and between points within this state.

CATERER'S PERMIT (CB)
Permit authorizes Mixed Beverage Permittee to sell mixed beverages on a temporary basis at a place other than the premises for which the Mixed Beverage Permit is issued but only in areas “wet” for the sale of mixed beverages.

DAILY TEMPORARY MIXED BEVERAGE PERMIT (TB)
Permit authorizes the sale of mixed beverages for consumption on the premises for which the permit is issued and may be issued to the holder of a Mixed Beverage Permit for a picnic, celebration or similar event. The Permit may also be issued to a political party or political association supporting a candidate for public office or a proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution or other ballot measure, to an organization formed for a specific charitable or civic purpose, to a fraternal organization in existence for over five years with a regular membership, or to a religious organization. If issued to an organization, that organization may not hold more than 10 temporary permits in a calendar year.

DAILY TEMPORARY PRIVATE CLUB PERMIT (TN)
Permit authorizes the service of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises for which the permit is issued and may be issued only to the holder of a Private Club Registration Permit, Private Club Wine and Beer Permit or Private Club Exemption Certificate Permit for a location in the same county where the permits are located. It may only be issued for a picnic, celebration, or similar event sponsored by a political party or association supporting a candidate for public office or proposed amendment or a charitable or civic organization or fraternal organization with a regular membership in existence more than five years or a religious organization. No more than two daily temporary private club permits may be issued in each calendar year for events sponsored by the same party, association, or organization.

DISTILLER'S AND RECTIFIER'S PERMIT (D)
Permit authorizes permit holder to manufacture distilled spirits and rectify, purify, and refine distilled spirits, mix liquor, bottle and package finished products and sell to wholesalers and qualified individuals outside this state and import from nonresident seller distilled spirits for manufacturing and rectifying purposes.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE CERTIFICATE (FB)
A Food and Beverage Certificate may be issued to the holder of a Beer Retailer's On-Premise Permit or Wine and Beer Retailer's Permit if food service is the primary business being operated on the licensed premise or to the holder of a Mixed Beverage Permit or Private Club Permit if food service is available on the premises and the gross receipts of alcoholic beverages do not exceed 50% of total gross receipts.

The holder must meet requirements of the Code and Rule 33.5 concerning minimum number of entrees served, hours of service, etc.

Certificate allows holder to be exempt from posting a conduct surety bond.

FORWARDING CENTER AUTHORITY (FC)
This allows the member of the manufacturing tier who is transporting alcoholic beverages into the state or from point to point within the state to temporarily hold the beverages in a regional forwarding center. The center must be located in a “wet” area for the type of alcoholic beverages held. City and county certifications are required for this authority.

INDUSTRIAL PERMIT (I)
Permit authorizes holder to use alcohol for industrial purposes tax free.

LOCAL CARTAGE PERMIT (E or ET if permit holder is a transfer company)
Permit authorizes warehouse or transfer companies to transport liquor within city limits. Permit may also be issued to Package Store and Wine-Only Package Store permittees to deliver liquor to customer within the city or two-mile limit thereof and transport liquor within the county between his or her other licensed premises.

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR'S PERMIT (LP)
Permit authorizes Package Store permittees to sell alcoholic beverages to Mixed Beverage, Private Club Registration and Private Club Exemption Certificate permittees.

LOCAL INDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL MANUFACTURER'S PERMIT (LI)
Permit authorizes holder to manufacture, rectify and refine industrial alcohol, denature alcohol, blend alcohol with petroleum to make a motor fuel and sell same to consumers. Denatured alcohol may only be sold to holders of Local Industrial Alcohol Manufacturer's or Industrial Permits or qualified persons outside the state.

MANUFACTURER'S AGENT'S PERMIT (T)
Permit authorizes holder to represent active Nonresident Seller's permittees and solicit and take orders from permittees authorized to import liquors for resale.

MANUFACTUERER'S AGENT'S WAREHOUSING PERMIT (AW)
Permit authorizes holder to store malt beverages that are not labeled and approved for sale in this state and ship them to qualified persons in other states or jurisdiction where its sale is legal.

MARKET RESEARCH PACKAGER'S PERMIT (MR)
Permit authorizes the holder to receive alcoholic beverages produced by and belonging to authorized permittees and licensees inside or outside the state and to place the beverages in containers or packaging materials as a service to the licensee or permittee in connection with market research and return same to the licensee or permittee.

MINIBAR PERMIT (MI)
Permit authorizes a mixed beverage permittee in a hotel to sell alcoholic beverages in the guest rooms of that hotel from a locked container located in the guest rooms.

MIXED BEVERAGE PERMIT (MB)
Permit authorizes the holder to sell mixed drinks from unsealed containers and wine, beer, ale and malt liquor in containers of any legal size for on-premise consumption.

MIXED BEVERAGE RESTAURANT PERMIT WITH FB (RM)
Permit authorizes a restaurant located in an area voted wet for the legal sale of mixed beverages in restaurant by food and beverage certificate holder to sell mixed drinks, wine, beer, ale and malt liquor for consumption on the premises of the restaurant.

MIXED BEVERAGE LATE HOURS PERMIT (LB)
Permit authorizes a Mixed Beverage permittee to sell mixed beverages until 2 A.M.

NONRESIDENT BREWER'S PERMIT (U)
Permit authorizes out-of-state brewer to sell ale or malt liquor to Texas permittees qualified to import. Nonresident Brewer must also hold Nonresident Seller's Permit.

NONRESIDENT SELLER'S PERMIT (S)
Permit authorizes distillers, wineries, importers, brokers and others to solicit, take orders, ship liquor or cause liquor to be shipped to permittees authorized to import liquor into Texas. A Nonresident Seller's Permit can be issued to persons inside the state, as well as to persons outside the state. If issued to persons inside the state, they cannot take physical possession (store or transport) the liquor.

PACKAGE STORE PERMIT (P)
Permit authorizes the holder to sell liquor, malt and vinous liquors on or from licensed premises at retail to consumer for off-premise consumption.

PACKAGE STORE TASTING PERMIT (PS)
Permit authorizes the holder to conduct product tasting of distilled spirits, wine, beer and malt-based or spirit-based coolers on the licensed premises of the holder's package store or wine only package store during regular business hours.

PACKAGE STORE PERMIT (WINE ONLY) (Q)
Permit authorizes the holder to sell ale, malt liquor, wine and vinous liquors on or from licensed premises at retail to consumer for off-premise consumption. The holder of a wine-only package store permit whose premise is located in a wet area allowing the legal sale of wine for off-premise consumption only as determined by an election held under Section 251.19 may only purchase, sell, or possess vinous liquor only-- no ale or malt liquor on those premises.

PASSENGER TRAIN BEVERAGE PERMIT (PT)
Permit authorizes a corporation operating a commercial passenger train to sell or serve alcoholic beverages while operating in or thorough the State of Texas.

PRIVATE CARRIER'S PERMIT (O)
Permit authorizes holder to transport liquor from the place of purchase to their business and from their business to the purchaser in vehicles owned or leased in good faith.

PRIVATE CLUB EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE PERMIT (NE)
Permit authorizes club to serve alcoholic beverages to its members and their guests and issued in compliance with 32.11–fraternal and veterans organizations.

PRIVATE CLUB REGISTRATION PERMIT (N)
Permit authorizes club to serve alcoholic beverages to its members and their guests.

PRIVATE CLUB BEER AND WINE PERMIT (NB)
Permit allows holder to have activities authorized under a Private Club permit restricted to the storage and service of wine, beer and malt liquor for club members.

PRIVATE CLUB LATE HOURS PERMIT (NL)
Permit authorizes a Private Club Registration permittee or Private Club Exemption Certificate permittee to serve alcoholic beverages until 2 A.M.

PRIVATE STORAGE PERMIT (L)
Permit authorizes holder to store alcoholic beverages in private warehouse owned and/or operated by permittee.

PROMOTIONAL PERMIT (PR)
Permit authorizes the holder, on the behalf of a distiller, brewer, rectifier, manufacturer, winery or wine bottler with whom they have entered into a contract for the purposes of Chapter 50 of the Alcoholic Beverage Code, to engage in activities to promote and enhance the sale of an alcoholic beverage in this state, including activities that take place on the premises of the holder of a permit or licensed issued under this Alcoholic Beverage Code.

PUBLIC STORAGE PERMIT (K)
Permit authorizes holder to store alcoholic beverages in a public storage warehouse that holds a Bonded Warehouse Permit.

OUT-OF-STATE DIRECT SHIPPER'S PERMIT (DS)
Permit authorizes the holder to sell and deliver wine that is produced or bottled by the permittee to an ultimate consumer located in wet or dry areas in the State of Texas. Delivery must be made by the holder of a carrier's permit.

WHOLESALER'S PERMIT (W)
Permit authorizes holder to purchase and import distilled spirits, malt liquor, ale and vinous liquor from Nonresident Seller permittees, Brewer's Permit, other wholesalers and Class B Wholesalers, and sell same to retailer and wholesalers authorized to sell same.

WHOLESALER (GENERAL CLASS B) PERMIT (X)
Permit authorizes holder to purchase and import malt liquor, ale and vinous liquor from Nonresident Sellers, Brewer's permittees, other wholesalers and Class B Wholesaler's, and sell same to retailers and wholesalers authorized to sell same.

WHOLESALER (LOCAL CLASS B) PERMIT (LX)
Permit authorizes holder to purchase and import malt and vinous liquor from Nonresident Sellers, Brewers permittees and other wholesalers and Class B Wholesalers, and sell same to retailers in the county of residence and wholesalers authorized to sell same.

WINE AND BEER RETAILER'S PERMIT - EXCURSION BOAT (V)
Permit authorizes excursion boat to sell and serve beer and wine up to 14% or 17% (depending on type of local option election) for consumption on the excursion boat while operating in a wet area.

WINE AND BEER RETAILER'S PERMIT FOR RAILWAY DINING, BUFFET OR CLUB CARS (Y)
Permit authorizes railway dining, buffet or club cars to sell and serve beer and wine up to 14% or 17% (depending on type of local-option election) for consumption on each train car while operating in a wet area.

WINE BOTTLER'S PERMIT (Z)
Permit authorizes holder to purchase and import wine from Nonresident Seller, purchase wine in this state from holder of wholesaler's, winery or wine bottler's permits; and bottle, re-bottle, label, package and sell wine to permit holders in this state authorized to purchase and sell same.

WINERY PERMIT (G)
Permit authorizes holder to manufacture, bottle, label and package wine containing not more than 24% alcohol by volume; sell or buy wine from permit holders authorized to purchase and sell wine including wholesalers, winery and wine bottler's permittees; sell wine to ultimate consumers for consumption on the winery premises or in unbroken packages for off-premise consumption; and dispense free wine for consumption on the winery premises.

WINERY STORAGE PERMIT (GS)
Permit authorizes holder of a winery permit whose winery is located in a county (all or part dry) to store the winery's product in a dry area of that county.

BEER LICENSES

AGENT'S BEER LICENSE (BK)
License authorizes licensee to represent beer manufacturers and distributors in selling, soliciting, displaying, advertising or otherwise promoting beer sales.

BRANCH DISTRIBUTOR'S LICENSE (BC)
License allows general distributor to expand his distributing business at another location.

BREWPUB LICENSE (BP)
License authorizes the holder to manufacture, brew, bottle, can, package and label malt liquor, ale, and beer; sell or offer without charge, on the premises of the brewpub, to ultimate consumers for consumption on or off those premises, malt liquor, ale or beer produced by the holder in or from a lawful container, to the extent the sales or offers are allowed under the holder's other permits or licenses; must be held with permit or license authorizing on-premise consumption. Total production cannot exceed 5,000 barrels for each licensed location.

GENERAL DISTRIBUTOR'S LICENSE (BB)
License authorizes holder to sell beer to other distributors, local distributors, private clubs and retailers in the unbroken original packages from the manufacturer or distributor, to serve free beer for consumption on the licensed premises; distribute and sell to qualified persons for shipment outside the state.

IMPORTER'S LICENSE (BI)
License authorizes distributor to import beer from outside the State of Texas.

IMPORTER'S CARRIER'S LICENSE (BJ)
License authorizes a distributor, also holding an Importer's License, to import beer in vehicles owned or leased in good faith.

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR'S LICENSE (BD)
License authorizes holder to sell beer to local distributors, retailers, private clubs only in the county of his or her residence and to other licensed distributors, and to serve free for consumption on the licensed premises.

MANUFACTURER'S LICENSE (BA)
License authorizes the holder to manufacture beer and sell it to holders of general, local and branch distributor licensees and to qualified persons outside the state, and to dispense beer for on-premise consumption.

MANUFACTURER'S WAREHOUSE LICENSE (MW)
License authorizes the holder of a manufacturer's license who on Jan. 1, 1993, operated under Section 62.12 and 203.28 of the code to have a warehouse where beer sales are lawful and to import beer from outside the state for delivery to the licensed warehouse for sale to beer distributors or for removal to other warehouses of the manufacturer.

NONRESIDENT MANUFACTURER'S LICENSE (BS)
License authorizes the holder to have his beer received in Texas only by holder of Importer's License.

RETAIL DEALER'S OFF-PREMISE LICENSE (BF)
License authorizes holder to sell beer in a lawful container direct to the consumer but not for resale and not to be opened or consumed on or near the premises.

RETAIL DEALER'S ON-PREMISE LICENSE (BE)
License authorizes holder to sell beer for consumption on or off premises in a lawful container to the ultimate consumer but not for resale. Requires adequate seating area for customers.

RETAIL DEALER'S ON-PREMISE LATE HOURS LICENSE (BL)
License authorizes a Retail Dealer's On-Premise licensee or Wine and Beer Retailer's permittee to sell and serve beer or wine, beer, and ale until 2 A.M.

STORAGE LICENSE (SL)
License authorizes the holder to import beer, ale and malt liquor from the holders of a Nonresident Manufacturer's License or a Nonresident Brewer's Permit located in Mexico and store the same until it can be shipped out of the state. The licensed premise must be in a “wet” area located in a county with a population of 300,000 or less that borders Mexico. License may only be issued to the holder of a customs broker's license.

TEMPORARY LICENSE (BH)
The holder of a temporary license may sell beer to the ultimate consumer for consumption on or off the premises where sold. A temporary license may be issued for a period of not more than four days and shall be issued only for the sale of beer at picnics, celebrations or similar events. The license may only be issued to a retail dealer's on-premise license or a wine and beer retailer's permit.

TEMPORARY WINE AND BEER RETAILER'S PERMIT (BH or HP)
The holder of a temporary wine and beer retailer's permit may sell to the ultimate consumer for consumption on or off the premises, beer, malt liquors, and wine containing alcohol in excess of one half of one percent by volume but not more than 14 or 17 percent by volume (depending on type of local option election). A temporary wine and beer permit may be issued for a period not to exceed four days and shall be issued only for a picnic, celebration or similar event. The permit may be issued only to a BG, MB, or to a nonprofit historic preservation organization that has been in existence for at least 30 years. (HP Code is used if permit is issued to a nonprofit historic preservation organization.)

TEMPORARY - SPECIAL THREE-DAY WINE AND BEER PERMIT (SB)
Authorizes the holder to sell to the ultimate consumer for the on-premise consumption of wine, beer and malt liquor containing alcohol in excess of one-half of one percent by volume but not more than 14 or 17 percent (depending on type of local option election) by volume. A Special Three-Day Wine and Beer Permit may be issued to a nonprofit charitable, civic, or religious organization for the temporary serving of wine and beer at a picnic, celebration, or similar event sponsored by that organization.

TEMPORARY PERMIT - CHARITABLE AUCTION PERMIT (CA)
Authorizes the holder to conduct an auction where the sale of the type of alcoholic beverage to be auctioned is authorized by a local-option election. The permit may be issued only to an organization exempt by an I.R.S. 501(c)(3) and may be issued only one per calendar year. Term is for a maximum of five days.

WINE AND BEER RETAILER'S PERMIT (BG)
Permit authorizes the holder to sell for consumption on or off the premises where sold but not for resale, beer, ale, malt liquor and wine not more than 14% or 17% (depending on type of local option election). Requires adequate seating area for customers.

WINE AND BEER RETAILER'S OFF-PREMISE PERMIT (BQ)
Permit authorizes the holder to sell for off-premise consumption only, but not for resale, wine, beer, and malt liquors containing alcohol in excess of one-half of one percent (1/2 of 1%) by volume and not more than 14% or 17% of alcohol by volume (depending on type of local option election).