Renewal retail establishment liquor permit application

Step 1.Application process

• Applications for retail establishment liquor permits are filed with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection no later than 30 days before the date of a desired event. The director of the Department could exercise discretion to waive the 30-day requirement in instances where an applicant has, within the previous two years, been qualified for a retail establishment liquor permit.
• Applicants must list each day alcohol will be served.
• Applicants cannot change the days without at least 15 days' notice to local and state licensing authorities.
• An application cannot be denied solely based on a proposed location's proximity to public or private schools or the main campus of a college, university or seminary.

Step 2.Conditions

• A permit holder cannot, directly or indirectly, sell alcohol, serve alcohol for more than four hours in a 24-hour period, serve alcohol more than 24 days per year, or serve or distribute alcohol between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. A permit holder cannot allow anyone younger than 18 years old to sell or dispense alcohol or allow anyone 18 to 20 years old to sell or dispense alcohol unless supervised by another person on the premises that is 21 years old or older.

  A permit holder can serve no more than:

  • 12 ounces of malt liquor in any one drink
  • 5 ounces of vinous liquor in any one drink (5 ounces of vinous liquor can be mixed with non-alcoholic beverages for larger drinks by volume but not alcohol content)
  • 1½ ounces of spirituous liquor in any one drink (1.5 ounces of spirituous liquor can be mixed with non-alcoholic beverages for larger drinks by volume but not alcohol content)
  • 12 ounces of pre-mixed alcohol beverage in any one drink

  To be eligible for the retail establishment liquor permit, a business must:

  • Primarily sell goods or services to the public
  • Operate out of a physical building in Colorado
  • Derive less than 50% of gross sales from food sales
  • Have no more than 25 employees
  • Have no more than $5 million in retail sales per year
  • Not sell firearms, motor vehicles, marijuana, gasoline or diesel fuel
  • Not educate K-12 students or provide child care; and
  • Not be a convenience store

Step 3.Gather all required documents

Make sure you have everything from the "Required documents" section below.

Important notes to keep in mind about your documents:

• All materials must be digital files saved as a .pdf or .jpg. Do not include any other file types. The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection cannot accept other file types.
• Use numbers or letters but not characters such as symbols (/ ? < > \ : * | “ ^) or spaces that could cause complications.
  • For example:
    • Good file name: drivers-license-name-2022.pdf
    • Bad file name: last name/ id.pdf
• In some cases, you might need to combine documents and upload them in a single .pdf. You can use a free, online tool to merge documents into a single file.
• Legal documents must be signed, dated and executed. All pages of large legal documents (such as a lease) must be included in the application.
• All materials must be legible.
• Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Step 4.Submit an application

To submit your renewal application, please go to this renewal online application, fill it out and submit online.

Make sure you have all required documents and information ready when you start your application. If you need to gather the information during the application process, you can save and resume at a later date.

After applying, you will receive an invoice to pay fees. You cannot pay fees until you have received an invoice. Visit the online payment process page or watch the "How to pay online" video for more information.

• Make sure you have a bank account, Mastercard, Visa, or Discover card to pay online.

Step 5.Pay required fees

State fees:

$93.25 made payable to the Colorado Department of Revenue

Local fees:

$103.75 made payable to the Manager of Finance

Step 6.City application review and next steps

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection tries to conduct an initial review of a complete application within seven business days. The review process might take longer if it is incomplete or requires police review (if applicable).

• All application-related communications will be sent through email, from DLCPNotifications@denvergov.org. Do not respond to these emails as this inbox is not monitored.
• If the application is incomplete, the applicant will receive a "notice of deficiency" email. This allows 14 days for corrections. License endorsement requests and incidents on a background check need police review.
• All applications will be closed if they are not completed within 12 months.

Step 7.License issuance

After all the steps below are complete, fill out this contact form to let the Department know you want your license emailed. Include the business file number (BFN), and the name and address of the business.

• All required documents are complete and submitted (if applicable).
• Fees are paid in full.
• All required inspections are passed (if applicable).

The licensee should read "Once you have your license" below and follow the requirements.

Step 1.Application process

• Applications for retail establishment liquor permits are filed with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection no later than 30 days before the date of a desired event. The director of the Department could exercise discretion to waive the 30-day requirement in instances where an applicant has, within the previous two years, been qualified for a retail establishment liquor permit.
• Applicants must list each day alcohol will be served.
• Applicants cannot change the days without at least 15 days' notice to local and state licensing authorities.
• An application cannot be denied solely based on a proposed location's proximity to public or private schools or the main campus of a college, university or seminary.

Step 2.Conditions

• A permit holder cannot, directly or indirectly, sell alcohol, serve alcohol for more than four hours in a 24-hour period, serve alcohol more than 24 days per year, or serve or distribute alcohol between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. A permit holder cannot allow anyone younger than 18 years old to sell or dispense alcohol or allow anyone 18 to 20 years old to sell or dispense alcohol unless supervised by another person on the premises that is 21 years old or older.

  A permit holder can serve no more than:

  • 12 ounces of malt liquor in any one drink
  • 5 ounces of vinous liquor in any one drink (5 ounces of vinous liquor can be mixed with non-alcoholic beverages for larger drinks by volume but not alcohol content)
  • 1½ ounces of spirituous liquor in any one drink (1.5 ounces of spirituous liquor can be mixed with non-alcoholic beverages for larger drinks by volume but not alcohol content)
  • 12 ounces of pre-mixed alcohol beverage in any one drink

  To be eligible for the retail establishment liquor permit, a business must:

  • Primarily sell goods or services to the public
  • Operate out of a physical building in Colorado
  • Derive less than 50% of gross sales from food sales
  • Have no more than 25 employees
  • Have no more than $5 million in retail sales per year
  • Not sell firearms, motor vehicles, marijuana, gasoline or diesel fuel
  • Not educate K-12 students or provide child care; and
  • Not be a convenience store

Step 3.Gather all required documents

Make sure you have everything from the "Required documents" section below.

Remember:

• All materials must be printed and legible.
• Do not use staples in the documents.
• Legal documents must be signed, dated and executed. All pages of large legal documents (such as a lease) must be included in the application.
• Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Step 4.Submit an application

Applicants can mail their application with fees to:

City and County of Denver
Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
201 W. Colfax Ave., Dept. 206
Denver, CO 80202

• Make checks payable to Manager of Finance
• Include a current email address in case the Department needs to reach out with questions.
• If renewing, include your business file number.

Step 5.Pay required fees

State fees:

$93.25 made payable to the Colorado Department of Revenue

Local fees:

$103.75 made payable to the Manager of Finance

Step 6.City application review and next steps

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection tries to conduct an initial review of a complete application within seven business days. The review process might take longer if it is incomplete or requires police review (if applicable).

• All application-related communications will be sent through email, from DLCPNotifications@denvergov.org. Do not respond to these emails as this inbox is not monitored.
• If the application is incomplete, the applicant will receive a "notice of deficiency" email. This allows 14 days for corrections. License endorsement requests and incidents on a background check need police review.
• All applications will be closed if they are not completed within 12 months.

Step 7.License issuance

After all the steps below are complete, fill out this contact form to let the Department know you want your license emailed. Include the business file number (BFN), and the name and address of the business.

• All required documents are complete and submitted (if applicable).
• Fees are paid in full.
• All required inspections are passed (if applicable).

The licensee should read "Once you have your license" below and follow the requirements.

Step 1.Application process

• Applications for retail establishment liquor permits are filed with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection no later than 30 days before the date of a desired event. The director of the Department could exercise discretion to waive the 30-day requirement in instances where an applicant has, within the previous two years, been qualified for a retail establishment liquor permit.
• Applicants must list each day alcohol will be served.
• Applicants cannot change the days without at least 15 days' notice to local and state licensing authorities.
• An application cannot be denied solely based on a proposed location's proximity to public or private schools or the main campus of a college, university or seminary.

Step 2.Conditions

• A permit holder cannot, directly or indirectly, sell alcohol, serve alcohol for more than four hours in a 24-hour period, serve alcohol more than 24 days per year, or serve or distribute alcohol between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. A permit holder cannot allow anyone younger than 18 years old to sell or dispense alcohol or allow anyone 18 to 20 years old to sell or dispense alcohol unless supervised by another person on the premises that is 21 years old or older.

  A permit holder can serve no more than:

  • 12 ounces of malt liquor in any one drink
  • 5 ounces of vinous liquor in any one drink (5 ounces of vinous liquor can be mixed with non-alcoholic beverages for larger drinks by volume but not alcohol content)
  • 1½ ounces of spirituous liquor in any one drink (1.5 ounces of spirituous liquor can be mixed with non-alcoholic beverages for larger drinks by volume but not alcohol content)
  • 12 ounces of pre-mixed alcohol beverage in any one drink

  To be eligible for the retail establishment liquor permit, a business must:

  • Primarily sell goods or services to the public
  • Operate out of a physical building in Colorado
  • Derive less than 50% of gross sales from food sales
  • Have no more than 25 employees
  • Have no more than $5 million in retail sales per year
  • Not sell firearms, motor vehicles, marijuana, gasoline or diesel fuel
  • Not educate K-12 students or provide child care; and
  • Not be a convenience store

Step 3.Gather all required documents

Make sure you have everything from the "Required documents" section below.

Remember:

• All materials must be printed and legible.
• Do not use staples in the documents.
• Legal documents must be signed, dated and executed. All pages of large legal documents (such as a lease) must be included in the application.
• Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Step 4.Submit an application

Applicants can come to the office to submit their documents. Customers seeking in-person customer service should make an appointment. To make an appointment, visit the appointments website. The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection office is at 201 W. Colfax Ave., on the second floor of the Wellington Webb Municipal Building.

Customers can pay their fees after they receive an invoice. Visit the online payments process page for more information.

• Make sure that you have a bank account, Mastercard, Visa, or Discover card to pay online.

Applicants are encouraged to pay their fees online, but in-person payments are available. After receiving an invoice, customers can go to the Community Planning and Development cashier counter on the second floor of the Wellington Webb Municipal Building. Cashiers are available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Cash, checks (payable to "Manager of Finance"), Visa, Mastercard, and Discover card are all accepted.

Step 5.Pay required fees

State fees:

$93.25 made payable to the Colorado Department of Revenue

Local fees:

$103.75 made payable to the Manager of Finance

Step 6.City application review and next steps

The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection tries to conduct an initial review of a complete application within seven business days. The review process might take longer if it is incomplete or requires police review (if applicable).

• All application-related communications will be sent through email, from DLCPNotifications@denvergov.org. Do not respond to these emails as this inbox is not monitored.
• If the application is incomplete, the applicant will receive a "notice of deficiency" email. This allows 14 days for corrections. License endorsement requests and incidents on a background check need police review.
• All applications will be closed if they are not completed within 12 months.

Step 7.License issuance

After all the steps below are complete, fill out this contact form to let the Department know you want your license emailed. Include the business file number (BFN), and the name and address of the business.

• All required documents are complete and submitted (if applicable).
• Fees are paid in full.
• All required inspections are passed (if applicable).

The licensee should read "Once you have your license" below and follow the requirements.