Arizona Guide

Arizona Liquor Licenses and DLLC Compliance

Your liquor license is one of the most valuable things your business holds. Here is how Arizona licenses work, how to get one, and the rules that keep it in good standing.

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  • 12 Minute Read
  • Updated October 2026
  • A.R.S. Title 4
Arizona Liquor License Series 12 Restaurant
Food sales
At least 40% of gross revenueA.R.S. 4-205.02
Hours
Sales from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.A.R.S. 4-244
Renewal
Every year, or every 2 if eligibleA.R.S. 4-209
Records
Keep for 2 yearsA.R.S. 4-119
Status In Good Standing

Quick Answer

Arizona liquor licenses are issued by the Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC), with a recommendation from your city, town, or county. Most restaurants hold a Series 12 license, which requires at least 40% of gross revenue from food. Bars hold a Series 06 or 07, which are limited quota licenses you can buy and transfer. Every license must be renewed, and the DLLC can fine, suspend, or revoke it for violations.

In This Guide

  1. Who regulates you
  2. License types
  3. Quota licenses
  4. The application
  5. Interim permits
  6. The 40% food rule
  7. To-go and delivery
  8. Daily operating rules
  9. Renewals and changes
  10. Violations and coverage

Who regulates your liquor license

Arizona liquor law lives in Title 4 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. Three bodies share the job of deciding who gets a license and whether they keep it.

  • State agency

    The DLLC

    Issues and renews licenses, runs investigations and audits, and enforces Title 4 and its rules.

  • State board

    The State Liquor Board

    Holds hearings on contested applications and hears appeals of DLLC penalties.

  • Local

    Your city, town, or county

    Posts your application, hears from neighbors, and recommends approval or denial.

Every license also comes with responsibility for what happens on your premises. Read our Arizona dram shop guide for how that liability works and how liquor liability insurance protects you.

Arizona liquor license types

Arizona offers 21 license series. These eight cover most bars, restaurants, hotels, and event operators. The right series depends on what you serve, whether guests drink on site or take it home, and how much of your revenue comes from food.

  • Series 06 Quota

    Bar

    All spirits, on and off sale. Remote order and delivery, plus to-go cocktails.

  • Series 07 Quota

    Beer and Wine Bar

    Beer and wine, on and off sale.

  • Series 09 Quota

    Liquor Store

    All spirits, off sale only.

  • Series 10 Non-quota

    Beer and Wine Store

    Beer and wine, off sale only.

  • Series 11 Non-quota

    Hotel-Motel

    All spirits, on sale, for hotels and motels.

  • Series 12 Non-quota

    Restaurant

    All spirits, on sale, with at least 40% of revenue from food.

  • Series 14 Non-quota

    Club

    All spirits, on sale, for qualifying private clubs.

  • Series 15 Non-quota

    Special Event

    Temporary on and off sale for a specific event.

Only three can be bought and sold

The Series 06 bar, 07 beer and wine bar, and 09 liquor store licenses are the only transferable licenses in Arizona. Every other series is tied to its owner and location. A new owner of a restaurant applies for its own license.

A Series 06 bar license allows the widest range of service, including off sale.

Quota licenses and how to get one

Bar, beer and wine bar, and liquor store licenses are quota licenses. The state limits how many exist in each county, which is why they trade on the open market.

Quota series: 06, 07, and 09
3
New residents in a county that trigger one new license of each type
10,000
Of fair market value, paid as an issuance fee on a new license
100%

Two ways to get a quota license

  • Buy an existing license from a current holder and transfer it to your location. Arizona does not set the price.
  • Enter the DLLC's random selection for new licenses. New licenses issue as county populations grow past their July 1, 2010 levels, and winners pay an issuance fee equal to the license's appraised fair market value.

Because a quota license can be worth a significant sum, protect it. If one is revoked, its former holder cannot get a new license of that type until every lien on the old one is paid in full.

The license application, step by step

Every new license application goes through public notice and local review. Plan for it before you sign a lease or set an opening date.

Application timeline

  1. Day 1

    File your application with the DLLC. It goes to your city or town clerk, or the county board of supervisors outside city limits.

  2. 20 days

    The clerk posts a copy on the front of your premises. Residents and property owners within one mile can file written arguments for or against it.

  3. Within 60 days

    Your local governing body holds a hearing and recommends approval or disapproval to the DLLC.

  4. 15 days after

    Neighbors within one mile can file a protest with the DLLC, up to 15 days after the local action or 60 days after filing, whichever comes first.

  5. Board hearing

    If the local body recommends approval, a hearing is not required unless the DLLC, the board, or an aggrieved party asks for one.

What the DLLC will ask of you

  • Fingerprints and background information for the applicant, plus any controlling persons the DLLC requests
  • An agent, if the license is held by an LLC, corporation, partnership, or club
  • A designated manager for the premises, who must meet the same qualifications
  • Title 4 Basic and Management training for owners, agents, and managers before the license is issued
  • For a restaurant, an operating plan listing equipment, service items, and seating capacity

A license will not be issued or renewed for anyone convicted of a felony within the five years before applying.

Interim permits during a transfer

Buying a bar or taking over a restaurant does not mean closing while the paperwork moves. An interim permit lets you keep selling under the privileges of the license you applied for.

  1. 1

    Same series, same place

    Available when you apply for a license of the same series at the same premises.

  2. 2

    $100 fee

    Filed with your application. It is refunded if the DLLC refuses it or you withdraw.

  3. 3

    Up to 105 days

    Extended only if the DLLC extends its own deadline on your application.

Violations carry over

The DLLC can cancel an interim permit at any time for good cause, with no appeal to the board. Anything that happens while you operate on a permit can be charged as if you held the full license, so train your staff from day one.

Series 12 and the 40% food rule

A Series 12 restaurant license is only for a business that operates as a true restaurant. Arizona defines that as an establishment that earns at least 40% of its gross revenue from food. Takeout food counts toward the 40%, up to 15% of total gross revenue.

Food has to carry the business. The DLLC measures it in dollars, not plates.

How the DLLC audits it

  • After your first 12 months, the DLLC can require an audit of your records up to once a year.
  • Your first three months of operation are never audited.
  • The audit covers a 12 month period. Averaging 40% or more from food means you comply.

If an audit comes up short

  • Below 30%

    The DLLC deems the license surrendered or may revoke it.

  • 30% to 37%

    Six months to replace it with a bar or beer and wine bar license, or get DLLC permission to keep it.

  • 37% to 40%

    One year to raise food sales to 40%. If you fall short, six more months to convert or get permission.

Keep every food and liquor invoice for two years, and tell the DLLC before you change your seating capacity or the size of the restaurant.

Moving from a restaurant to a bar license?

Your coverage should change with it. We will review your liquor liability before you convert.

Get a Free Quote

To-go cocktails, growlers, and delivery

Arizona allows more off-premises sales than it used to, but each privilege has its own conditions.

Cocktails to go

  • Bars and liquor stores can sell mixed cocktails to go.
  • Since January 1, 2026, a restaurant needs a DLLC permit, and every to-go cocktail must be sold with menu food.
  • Containers hold no more than 32 ounces, are tamperproof sealed, and show a government warning and your name or logo.

Beer growlers

  • Containers up to one gallon, filled at the tap at the time of sale.
  • Sealed with a government warning label.
  • Restaurants need a permit, and growler sales cannot exceed 10% of liquor revenue.

Remote orders and delivery

  • Bar and restaurant licensees can take remote orders.
  • Deliver with your own staff or a registered alcohol delivery contractor, the same day.
  • Orders can be taken at any hour, but deliveries happen only from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

Limits to watch

  • Total off-sale, including cocktails, stays at or under 30% of your on-sale liquor sales.
  • A restaurant must stop all off-premises liquor sales when the kitchen stops regular food service.
  • Everyone who sells to-go cocktails under a restaurant permit must complete approved alcohol training.

Daily operating rules

Most violations happen during a normal shift. These rules apply every day you are open.

Last sale. No sales again until 6:00 a.m.
2:00 a.m.
Guests must finish. No drinking or possessing alcohol on premises until 6:00 a.m.
2:30 a.m.
How long you keep records, including your employee log
2 years

Drink and promotion limits

  • No drinking contests, and no unlimited drinks for a fixed price.
  • No more than 50 ounces of beer, one liter of wine, or four ounces of spirits in a drink served to one person at one time.
  • Do not advertise anything the law prohibits.

Keep these on the premises

  • A current employee log with each employee's full legal name, date of birth, address, and job duties.
  • All invoices and records for liquor purchases, sales, and deliveries, plus food records for restaurants and hotels.
  • Title 4 training certificates for owners, agents, and managers, which are valid for three years.

Checking IDs and refusing service to intoxicated guests are covered in depth in our Arizona dram shop guide.

Renewals and required notices

A license expires every year. Missing a deadline can put you out of business faster than any violation.

  1. Renew on time

    A late renewal adds a $150 penalty, and you cannot sell or buy liquor until it is renewed.

  2. 60 day cutoff

    A license not renewed within 60 days of the due date is terminated.

  3. Two-year option

    You can renew for two years if your location had no compliance penalties in the prior year.

  4. 30 day notices

    Tell the DLLC within 30 days of a change in your agent or your manager.

Put renewal dates, training expirations, and audit periods on one calendar, and give one manager the job of watching it.

Violations, penalties, and coverage

After notice and a hearing, the DLLC can suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew a license. Common grounds include:

  • Repeated acts of violence, or a serious act of violence, on the premises
  • Failing to protect guests or call police when you knew or should have known of the danger
  • Failing to keep records for two years
  • Taxes more than 120 days late and over $250
  • Leasing, selling, or transferring a license outside the law
  • Knowingly filing false information with the DLLC

Fines in place of, or on top of, a suspension

The DLLC can impose a civil penalty of $200 to $3,000 for each violation, and can order you or your staff to attend approved training. You can appeal to the State Liquor Board.

Many of the incidents that put a license at risk also lead to claims. Review these coverages together:

Explore coverage built for your type of business:

Find coverage in your market:

Sources

This guide is general information about Arizona law as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Talk with an Arizona attorney about your specific situation, and with your agent about your coverage.

FAQ

Arizona liquor license questions, answered

Straight answers to what Arizona bar and restaurant owners ask us most about getting and keeping a liquor license.

What liquor license does a restaurant need in Arizona?
Most restaurants hold a Series 12 restaurant license. It allows on-site service of beer, wine, and spirits if at least 40% of gross revenue comes from food.
Can I buy a liquor license in Arizona?
Only Series 06 bar, 07 beer and wine bar, and 09 liquor store licenses can be bought and transferred. Arizona does not set the price. All other series stay with their owner and location.
How long does an Arizona liquor license application take?
The application is posted for 20 days, and your local governing body has 60 days from filing to make its recommendation. A board hearing can add time.
Can I keep serving while my license transfers?
Usually yes. An interim permit lets you operate under the license you applied for, at the same premises, for up to 105 days. The fee is $100.
What happens if my restaurant falls below 40% food sales?
It depends on the audit result. Below 30%, the license can be surrendered or revoked. Between 30% and 40%, you get time to raise food sales or convert to a bar or beer and wine bar license.
Can Arizona restaurants sell cocktails to go?
Yes, with a DLLC permit since January 1, 2026. Each to-go cocktail must be sold with menu food, in a sealed container of 32 ounces or less.
What are Arizona's hours for selling alcohol?
Sales are allowed from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Guests must finish their drinks by 2:30 a.m.
What happens if I miss my liquor license renewal?
You pay a $150 late penalty and cannot sell liquor until you renew. A license not renewed within 60 days of the due date is terminated.

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