All restaurants and bars are required by law to have valid liquor licenses if they plan to sell alcohol in their establishment. The state’s liquor control board has the authority to either approve or deny a given application.

If the establishment fails to comply with the state’s liquor laws, has failed to pay its licensing fees or has been the subject of numerous complaints, the state can revoke that license.

So what happens if you have had your liquor license in Dallas, TX revoked? There are still some options available that will allow you to once again sell alcohol at your business. Here’s a brief overview of those options.

Paying licensing fees or fines

If the issue is that you have failed to pay your licensing fees or taxes by a specific date, the solution will likely be relatively simple. In some situations, the state of Texas may grant you a grace period, giving you extra time to make the licensing payment.

If your license is denied, contact TABC to determine what needs to be done to bring your license current. If there are any fines or penalties required of you, you’ll need to pay them. You can download just about any form you need from the TABC website to resolve the issue.

Excessive complaints

If your license was revoked because there have been numerous complaints about your establishment or because there was a change in your city’s ordinances, you can petition for a hearing in front of the license board to get your liquor license reinstated. At the hearing, you’ll plead your case. You might be required to bring legal counsel with you, but even if you aren’t, it can be worthwhile to retain an attorney anyway.

Until your license is reinstated, you cannot sell alcohol in your establishment, so it is important to arrange this hearing as soon as possible and be prompt throughout the entire process.

Zoning issues

Your establishment might be located in an area that does not permit the sale of alcohol. Even if you are granted a liquor license by the state, local municipalities do have the right to override that permission and prohibit you from selling alcohol in the area. While this is not quite the same thing as having a license denied or revoked, there are still similar steps you can take to correct the issue.

You can, for example, petition the city or municipality to put a rezoning ordinance on the ballot for the next election, and leave it to the neighborhood’s residents to decide if alcohol sales will be allowed. Some specific ordinances do not ban alcohol sales for establishments that get more than half their revenue by selling food, which could play a role in your case depending on the type of establishment you operate.

Criminal issues

If your license was denied or revoked because you committed a felony, your only option is to partner with another person who is able to hold a liquor license. If you are listed as an owner of the establishment, the state might still deny the application.

For more information about your options if your liquor license in Dallas, TX is denied, contact the team at LaBarba Permit Service today.