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Would you like to serve alcoholic beverages commercially? Then you need a liquor license. You can find out more here.

Would you like to serve alcoholic beverages? A liquor license is required for this.

Only the serving of non-alcoholic beverages is exempt from licensing. You also need a liquor license if alcoholic beverages are not offered within a purely gastronomic business, but as an ancillary service to another commercial enterprise (e.g. serving alcoholic beverages as part of a retail business - refreshment bar in a department store; tasting to increase the sale of alcoholic beverages).

If you intend from the outset to limit the serving of alcoholic beverages to a certain period (e.g. summer season, Christmas period, etc.), you can apply for a temporary liquor license.

The permit to serve alcoholic beverages is always issued for a specific type of business (e.g. pub, discotheque, etc.) and for specific premises.

If you would like to serve alcoholic beverages on an event-related basis (e.g. at town festivals, shooting festivals, funfairs and music events), you require a special permit, which you can obtain under simplified conditions. To do this, you must submit an "Application for temporary permission to operate a restaurant".

• Copy of identity card or passport with registration certificate, or presentation on site. Documents relating to the building in which the restaurant is located: Site plan, floor plan drawn to scale and sectional drawing, layout plan of the establishment (seating plan). If applicable, in duplicate
• Certificate in tax matters from the tax office in the place where you have lived or operated a business in the last three years
• Application for a certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority in accordance with Section 30 (5) of the Federal Central Criminal Register Act
• Application for an extract from the Central Trade Register for submission to an authority in accordance with Section 150 (5) of the Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act
• Negative certificate from the insolvency court of those local courts in whose district you have had a place of residence or a commercial establishment in the last three years
• Extract from the debtor register via the enforcement portal of the federal states in accordance with Section 882b of the German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO)
• Proof of instruction from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) on the main features of food law in accordance with Section 4 (1) sentence 1 no. 4 GastG
• For legal entities: Current excerpt from the commercial or association register or a copy of the partnership agreement or articles of association
• If the application is submitted by a representative: Power of attorney
• Residence permit, if applicable.

In order to be granted a liquor license, you must

• prove your personal reliability

This is checked on the basis of extracts from the Federal Central Register and the Central Trade Register.

• Prove your professional aptitude. This is done by submitting a certificate of instruction in accordance with § 4 Para. 1 Sentence 1 No. 4 GastG from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce or an exemption in accordance with No. 3.4 of the General Administrative Regulation on the Certificate of Instruction in conjunction with its Annex 3 to prove your professional suitability.
• Proof that the property-related requirements are met. For example, the premises must meet the requirements of the building regulations for the protection of the health and life of guests and employees as well as the requirements for toilets. In addition, the business must not have any harmful effects on the environment. Accessibility requirements are also checked.

The amount of the fee depends on the administrative effort and the respective administrative fee schedule of the respective country.

Once you have submitted the application and all documents are complete, the competent authority will check whether you meet all the requirements for the granting of the requested liquor license.

If you meet all the requirements, you will receive the permit.

You may only commence commercial activity once you have received the permit. At the same time as you start your business activity, you must register the trade with the authority responsible for trade notifications in accordance with § 14 GewO.

If the documents are complete, the application will be processed promptly.

You must have a restaurant license before you start operating. It is therefore necessary to submit your application in good time.

If the authority has not decided on an application for a permit to operate a business within a period of three months after receipt of the complete documents (Section 42 (2) sentence 2 of the Administrative Procedure Act), the permit is deemed to have been granted (Section 6a (1) GewO).

This also applies to procedures under the Catering Act as long as there are no state regulations (Section 6a (2) GewO).

You must notify the authority responsible for trade notifications in accordance with § 14 GewO of the start of the permitted activity.

You may not serve alcoholic beverages in your business without a permit.

• objection
• Administrative court action

• Licensing
• Serving alcoholic beverages requires a liquor license.
• A permit is also required if the serving of alcoholic beverages is only offered as an ancillary service to another trade (e.g. serving alcoholic beverages in the refreshment room of a department store).
• Only the serving of non-alcoholic beverages is exempt from licensing.
• Entitlement to a permit if there are no grounds for refusal under Section 4 (1) sentence 1 nos. 1 to 4 GastG.
• Permission is based on the type of business (in the case of pure serving: pub) and the premises.
• If prepared food is offered in addition to the serving of alcoholic beverages, a restaurant permit for a different type of establishment must be applied for
• A liquor license can be limited in time (e.g. for the summer season) or linked to ancillary conditions (e.g. compliance with emission control regulations).
• A permit must be applied for if alcoholic beverages are to be served on special occasions (e.g. as part of a specific event)

• Written form required: no
• Online procedure possible: yes
• Personal appearance required: no