Mayor Jones Launches Modernized Process for Small Businesses to Obtain Liquor Licenses

Starting today, small businesses in St. Louis will have a much easier time applying for a liquor license, allowing them to focus on operating and promoting their business rather than going through a lengthy signature-gathering process.

Earlier this year, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones signed BB 60, sponsored by Alderman Bret Narayan, which allows the City to streamline the process for restaurant/bars, microbreweries, brewpubs and taproom breweries. Under the new process, which went live today, these establishments can obtain a temporary 90-day license without having to first obtain a large number of signatures from neighborhood property owners, residents, and businesses.

"I opened a restaurant in the '90s, so I know firsthand how much work it takes to run a small business and how much time we spent going door to door collecting the signatures we needed to get a liquor license. I am thrilled that this new process will stop wasting small business owners' valuable time," said Mayor Jones. "Now, these businesses can open their doors with a temporary license and prove to their community that they deserve a permanent one. That's good news for small businesses, for job creation, and for building a more vibrant city."

Under the new process, applicants in good standing may renew their 90-day license once and will be eligible for a full license after six months when their temporary license expires. Both the initial temporary license and the full license require a public hearing before the Excise Commissioner.

To ensure that the public keeps its say in the liquor license process, publicly posted signs will be placed in the neighborhoods of applicant businesses, and hearing notices will also be posted online. Community members can scan the QR code on the signs or notification notice for updates on the hearing at any time. Those within 350 feet of an applying business will receive mailed notification of the initial hearing.

In these ways, the community retains its ability to weigh in on which businesses get a liquor license without businesses having to spend significant amounts of time going door to door.

To begin the liquor license application process, visit this web page.

A step-by-step explanation of the process follows:

1. An applicant submits their application online.
2. The application submission is automatically noted in the City's open data.
3. The applicant comes to the Excise Division office to pay the application fee and postage.
4. While in the office to pay fees, the applicant receives the placard from the Excise Division. The applicant receives notification cards and addresses the notification cards on site. The applicant returns these cards to the Excise Division. The Excise Division asks all applicants if they are going to use an agent for the hearing process. If so, the applicant completes the authorization form while in the office. The Excise Division reminds the applicant that notifications will come to them via email and they can check the status of their application online.
5. The applicant posts a placard in front of their establishment to notify the neighborhood of their intention to seek a liquor license and the applicant uploads the photo to their application.
6. Once the Excise Division sees that a placard posting has been added to an application, the Excise Division schedules the hearing for at least 30 days from when the placard was posted. Please note that a hearing will not be scheduled if a confirmation photo is not uploaded to the application by the applicant of the posted placard. The Excise Division notifies both the applicant and stakeholders regarding the hearing date. The Excise Division informs the applicant of any missing documents while reviewing the application. The Excise Division will send a notification card to all residents within 350 feet of the proposed establishment at least 10 days prior to the hearing date.
7. The Excise Division will verify with the Collector of Revenue's Office that no taxes are due.
8. The Excise Division will hold a hearing. The applicant (or their agent) will attend a public hearing on their license.
9. At the hearing, the applicant will learn if they are approved. If approved, the applicant will take their materials to the License Collector's Office to pay for their initial 90-day, license.
10. The Excise Division will determine if the applicant is approved for renewal. The Excise Division will notify the License Collector's Office that the applicant is cleared for one renewal at least 14 days prior to the expiration of the original license. This renewal will also last 90 days. The applicant will be required to pick up their renewed license at the License Collector's Office and pay.
11. The Excise Division will schedule the applicant for a final determination hearing and notify both the applicant and stakeholders. The applicant or their agent will attend a final determination hearing, a second public hearing, to evaluate if they should receive a full license. At this hearing, the applicant must present evidence that their food sales meet the appropriate threshold.
12. If the applicant is successful, the applicant will take the final determination notice from the Excise Division to the License Collector's Office and pay for their annual license.