The government cost of a New York liquor license depends on the license class, the location and the license term. Under the SLA’s fee chart checked October 13, 2026, a standard two-year on-premises liquor application carries a basic license fee plus filing fee totaling $1,992 to $4,552; a two-year restaurant wine application totals $580 or $1,060. Those amounts exclude temporary permits, additional bars, bond premiums, professional fees and the costs of opening the business. [1]
The phrase “liquor license cost” often combines three different budgets: the amount paid to the SLA, the cost of preparing and supporting the application, and the cost of carrying the business until it can legally operate. Keeping those budgets separate makes quotes comparable and prevents the state fee from being mistaken for the entire project cost.
This article addresses common full-term retail licenses. Seasonal licenses, manufacturers, wholesalers, private clubs and specialized venues need their own fee calculation.
In this article Location groups · Fee table · Temporary permits · Other costs · Legal fees · Budget checklist
Use the correct geographic fee column
The SLA chart uses four location groups. It does not simply charge one uniform “NYC fee” and one “upstate fee.” Staten Island, for example, is in a different column from the other four boroughs.
| Group | Location listed in the SLA chart |
|---|---|
| A | New York, Kings, Bronx and Queens counties |
| B | Richmond County; the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers |
| C | The cities of Albany, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Niagara Falls, Schenectady, White Plains and Utica |
| D | All other areas |
Use the actual municipality and county of the premises. A White Plains postal address, a general regional description or the name of the nearest large city should not substitute for confirming the business’s legal location. The fee schedule itself is the controlling reference for its column assignments. [1]
Current fees for common retail applications
The following figures are basic license fees for the full listed term, before the separate filing fee. The chart was checked October 13, 2026; the SLA’s displayed revision is June 12, 2026. [1]
| License class and term | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OP 252, on-premises liquor, 2 years | $4,352 | $3,072 | $2,432 | $1,792 |
| RW 341, restaurant wine, 2 years | $960 | $960 | $480 | $480 |
| TW 344, tavern wine, 2 years | $1,152 | $1,152 | $540 | $540 |
| EB 141, eating place beer, 3 years | $960 | $960 | $480 | $480 |
| L 222, liquor store, 3 years | $4,098 | $2,562 | $1,536 | $1,536 |
| W 322, wine store, 3 years | $1,920 | $960 | $435 | $435 |
For these rows, add a $200 nonrefundable filing fee for OP and L, and $100 for RW, TW, EB and W. The basic fee is not an annual figure. A three-year beer license and a two-year wine license can have the same basic dollar amount while covering different periods.
Common grocery-store examples are statewide in the current chart: an A 122 beer license for a first or second location has a three-year basic fee of $330 plus a $100 filing fee; an AX 122 beer/wine-products license has a three-year basic fee of $594 plus $100. The chart has higher basic fees and different codes for third and subsequent locations. Check the applicant’s location count rather than automatically using the least expensive row. [1]
“Wine products” on a grocery license does not mean ordinary table wine. Similarly, a liquor-store license does not authorize beer sales. Selecting a cheaper but unsuitable class can undermine the business model rather than reduce the cost of obtaining the needed license. [2] [3]
What the state-fee totals look like in practice
These examples assume one ordinary full-term main license, no additional customer bars and no special fee adjustments. They are arithmetic examples, not quotes for a particular application.
| Example | Basic fee | Filing fee | Main application total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan restaurant, full liquor, 2 years | $4,352 | $200 | $4,552 |
| Brooklyn restaurant, wine, 2 years | $960 | $100 | $1,060 |
| Staten Island restaurant, full liquor, 2 years | $3,072 | $200 | $3,272 |
| White Plains restaurant, full liquor, 2 years | $2,432 | $200 | $2,632 |
| Nassau County restaurant, full liquor, 2 years | $1,792 | $200 | $1,992 |
| Queens liquor store, 3 years | $4,098 | $200 | $4,298 |
| Nassau County liquor store, 3 years | $1,536 | $200 | $1,736 |
Nassau County falls in group D under this chart because none of its municipalities appears in the other groups. Do not extend that example to every suburb: Yonkers, White Plains and other named cities have different treatment. [1]
How much does a temporary operating permit add
A temporary retail permit has its own fee and eligibility requirements. Under ABC Law section 97-a, the initial fee is $128 for retail beer licenses and $640 for other retail licenses. The initial statutory period may be up to 180 days. Thirty-day extensions cost $64 for beer permits and $96 for other permits, subject to approval. [4]
The current SLA application gives these additional details: it lists the $128 category for retail on-premises beer and grocery or drug-store applications, permits requests for up to three 30-day extensions together, and requires additional fees for additional bars. Its “other retail” fee is multiplied by the number of bars. Use the current form and the actual licensed layout to calculate the remittance. [5]
For a one-bar Manhattan full-liquor restaurant, the main application total of $4,552 plus one $640 temporary permit produces an initial SLA subtotal of $5,192. That subtotal still excludes bond premium, publication, fingerprinting, legal work and every building or business expense.
For a one-bar Brooklyn restaurant wine application, the corresponding subtotal is $1,700: $960 basic fee, $100 filing fee and $640 temporary permit. A restaurant wine license is not in the $128 beer-permit category simply because it also permits beer.
New wine and liquor stores cannot obtain a temporary permit through the new-business route. A qualifying transfer of an existing licensed store is different. Do not include temporary-operation revenue in a new liquor store’s financial forecast without identifying an available legal basis. [4]
Which additional costs are easy to miss
Additional bars. Under the SLA’s schedule, an additional customer bar ordinarily adds the same basic license fee as the main license plus a $20 filing fee, subject to stated exceptions. Separate temporary-permit charges can also apply. A design change that adds a second customer bar can therefore materially change the alcohol-licensing budget. A service station or portable private-event bar requires analysis of its actual use; the word “bar” on a drawing is not the entire legal test. [1] [6] [5]
Bond premium. A bond’s stated penal sum is the amount of the undertaking, not necessarily the cash premium paid to obtain it. Ask the provider for the premium and required term, and use the bond form required for the application. Do not enter the bond’s face amount as though it were automatically an SLA fee. [7]
Publication. Covered original on-premises applications require newspaper notices. The number and type of newspapers depend on the county. Newspaper charges are vendor costs, and prices can vary; obtain a quote from the proper designated publications. The liquor-license publication obligation is also separate from any publication obligation associated with forming an LLC. [8]
Fingerprinting and document preparation. The SLA’s electronic fingerprinting instructions currently list $107.50 per required submission, paid through IdentoGo/Idemia. Identify which people must be fingerprinted before multiplying that charge by the investor count; currently licensed individuals need not be fingerprinted again under those instructions. Document retrieval, translations and professionally prepared plans remain separate expenses. [9] [7] [12]
Premises and local approvals. Construction, professional design work, lawful-occupancy issues, health permits, outdoor-dining authorization, insurance, security and sound control can be substantial. They are not all charges for the liquor license, but they can affect whether the business can obtain or use it.
What should a legal-services quote identify
There is no government-set legal fee for preparing an SLA application. Compare the scope of work before comparing dollar amounts. A straightforward restaurant wine application, a contested full-liquor application and a new liquor store requiring a public-convenience-and-advantage presentation involve different work.
Ask whether the quote includes site eligibility, entity and funding review, application preparation, community-board work, the 500-foot submission, temporary permits, deficiency responses and satisfaction of conditional approval. Separately identify transaction documents, lease negotiations, additional appearances, reconsideration and litigation. Do not assume those services are included merely because the engagement is described as “liquor licensing.”
An itemized engagement should also say who pays government and third-party charges, when payments are due, and what happens if the project changes. A flat fee can make the legal budget predictable only if both sides understand what that fee covers. No legitimate fee purchases guaranteed approval or special influence over an agency decision. The SLA’s own application warns applicants against promises of influence. [7]
How should you budget for the waiting period
The carrying cost of a space can exceed the filing charges. Build a cash-flow scenario using your own rent, payroll, insurance, utilities and financing obligations, and separate expenses incurred before opening from those incurred during temporary operation.
For illustration only, if a business carries $12,000 a month in rent and other fixed premises expenses, a two-month delay adds $24,000 before considering lost sales. This is not an estimate of a typical New York business. It shows why resolving a location obstacle or an incomplete funding record can matter more financially than a small difference in the license fee.
Do not treat a temporary permit as certainty or assume it allows the final hours and entertainment program. A shorter permitted operating day can alter the revenue model even when the business is legally open.
Renewals refunds and changes need separate calculations
A license is issued for its stated term. Renewal costs are a future obligation, and the renewal notice and current fee schedule should be checked when renewal approaches. Do not assume that the initial total, including temporary permits and one-time professional work, repeats unchanged at every renewal. [10]
The filing fees in the schedule are nonrefundable, and the temporary-permit form identifies its charges as nonrefundable. Whether some portion of another payment can be returned depends on the particular application, payment and statutory process. Obtain a specific refund calculation before treating money as recoverable. [1] [5]
A class change, removal, additional bar or alteration may require another application and fee. Budgeting should follow the proposed transaction, not an informal assumption that an existing license can simply be “moved” or “upgraded” for free. [11]
A practical budget checklist
- Confirm the license class and permitted products.
- Verify the precise location group and full license term.
- Add the filing fee separately from the basic license fee.
- Count additional customer bars and assess temporary-permit eligibility.
- Obtain actual quotes for bond premium, publications and other vendors.
- Define the legal engagement and excluded work in writing.
- Model carrying costs through both temporary and final approval scenarios.
- Keep renewal and future-change expenses outside the initial opening subtotal.
For a project-specific estimate, provide Rodriguez Law with the address, proposed license class, floor plan, number of bars, ownership structure and whether you are opening a new business or buying an existing one. Those facts make an estimate meaningful.
General information only. Fees and requirements can change; confirm the current application cover sheet and SLA schedule before remitting payment.
Sources and official resources
Original source-check date: October 5, 2026. Retail fee table, geographic examples and fingerprint charge checked and updated October 13, 2026. Follow the linked governing text and current agency materials.
[2] SLA, Grocery Store/Drug Store License Quick Reference, beverage privileges and business requirements
[8] Alcoholic Beverage Control Law § 110-a(1)-(5), newspaper publication and proof
[10] SLA, Renew Your License, renewal procedure and class-specific terms
