For many businesses, finding out that review of their retail or on-premises license application may take weeks can be distressing news, especially when it disrupts operating plans. If timing is crucial, a temporary license may be the solution. The SLA may approve the operation of the business on a temporary basis pending the issuance of a retail or on-premises license to a new applicant. The cost to do this is in the $1,000 to $2,500 range with filing fees and legal costs. For many businesses, this cost is a small price to pay to avoid an interruption of business operations for several weeks or months.

To obtain a temporary license, you will need a temporary license application and in many cases, a liquidator’s permit. It is strongly recommended that you also use the attorney/self-certification process to expedite you application processing. The temporary permit is valid for only 30 days. In some cases, this may be renewable for an additional 30 days, but it is not wise to rely on such administrative options, since they are discretionary and not always a viable alternative. It is also noteworthy that each of these administrative options requires a separate application and a separate check for the filing fee.

If you are looking for an option that allows you to continue business while waiting for the results of your pending retail/on-premises liquor license application, then consider applying for a temporary permit. Engaging an attorney for these services is preferable, as well. It may be worth the extra cost to expedite the process.