There are very specific rules for opening and operating bars in South Carolina. Our Mount Pleasant, SC alcohol license lawyer knows how even the most simple and common mistakes on licensing applications and forms for the SCDOR can cause delays or even penalties. Viva Beverage Law focuses on helping bars and other types of businesses to apply for and maintain the alcohol licenses they need to stay up and running.
After working as counsel for the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR), attorney Lauren Acquaviva opened our firm in 2019 to help businesses with all of their alcohol licensing needs. Since then we’ve helped manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, bars, and restaurants with obtaining and keeping their licenses in good standing as well as helping businesses when their licenses are being scrutinized or threatened by the SCDOR
Below we’ve compiled a few tips as a starting off point for people who are interested in becoming bar owners.
Determine The License You Need
South Carolina offers several types of alcohol licenses. Your business’s particular activities and model determine which one, or ones, you need. If you are planning to serve both beer and wine and liquor at your bar, you will need a beer and wine permit along with several others, depending on the other kinds of alcohol you serve. If you accidentally apply for the wrong license, this can cause significant delays not to mention having to fill the lengthy applications out again. We can help with filling out the applications for you or reviewing them when you are done doing this yourself.
Gather Your Documents
There are lots of documents that need to be submitted and their requirements fulfilled when you apply for licenses from the SCDOR. These include the lease for the space you are putting your bar in, your business license, and zoning approval from the City of Mt. Pleasant. One of the most common reasons that alcohol licenses are denied is because of incomplete or incorrect documentation. The SCDOR provides a list of docs you need to submit but if like many people, their instructions aren’t easy to follow, it can be helpful to review prior approval letters or consult an alcohol license lawyer who has handled these types of applications before.
Post Your Application Notice Promptly
When you are applying for an SC alcohol license, you are required to post a notice of it on the door (or other place easily visible to the public) of your bar space. You also need to run a notice in a local newspaper once a week for three weeks. During this time, the post on your door needs to remain visible. Individuals and entities such as schools and churches also have the right to protest your proposed license during this time. If this happens, a good bar license lawyer can help you to make sure that your license gets approved.
If you are getting ready to open a bar and need any sort of alcohol licensing help, contact Viva Beverage Law today to find out how Attorney Lauren can start assisting you.