Texas Package Store Permit and Liquor Store License - We Handle Every TABC Filing

Selling alcohol off-premise in Texas means working inside a retail permit system that is strict, hierarchical, and city-by-city different. Package stores (liquor stores) need a Package Store Permit. Grocery stores need a Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit, and they cannot sell distilled spirits under it. Wine-only shops use a Wine-Only Package Store Permit. Beer-only retailers use a Retail Dealer’s Off-Premise License. On top of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) state fee, most off-premise retailers also owe city and county surcharges of up to half of the statutory state fee as of August 31, 2021. Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency handles every permit, every city filing, and every county form so your store opens on time.

Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency provides the expertise you need to navigate the complexities of local, state, and federal compliance for alcohol laws.

How Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency Can Help

Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency is an attorney-operated firm based in Houston, working with liquor stores, grocery chains, and wine shops in all 254 Texas counties. We handle the full retail permit stack: Package Store Permits, Wine-Only Package Store Permits, Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s Off-Premise Permits, Retail Dealer’s Off-Premise Licenses, Local Distributor’s Permits, and the city and county filings that come with every off-premise application.

We handle the entity formation, the TABC application, the local city and county permit filings, the surety bond, the publication notice, and the TABC follow-up. Once the permit is issued we stay with you for renewals, location transfers, change-of-ownership filings, and ongoing compliance reviews.

Types of Licenses and Permits Required

Depending on your business type, as well as what sort of alcoholic beverages you sell or plan to sell, there may be several types of permit or license that may be applicable to your situation. Below we go through the most likely for your package or retail store to fall under:

Package Store Permit (P): This permit is necessary for stores selling liquor for off-premise consumption.

Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit (BQ): The permit most grocery stores and supermarkets use to sell beer and wine for off-premise consumption. This permit does not allow the sale of distilled spirits. Two-year fee is $1,900. Off-premise BQ holders also typically owe a city or county surcharge of up to half of the statutory state fee as of August 31, 2021.

Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s Permit (BG): The on-premise sister permit to the BQ. Required if your store has an attached bar area, tasting room, or cafe where customers consume beer or wine on the licensed premises; a Package Store Permit holder may not hold one. Two-year fee is $1,900. Most pure off-premise retailers do not need this permit.

Wine-Only Package Store Permit (Q): For specialty wine shops and boutique wine retailers that only sell wine for off-premise consumption. Two-year fee is $1,600. This is the right permit for most Texas wine shops that do not also carry liquor.

Retail Dealer’s Off-Premise License (BF): For beer-only off-premise retailers. At $1,100 for two years, this is the cheapest retail off-premise permit Texas offers. Uncommon for grocery stores (which typically want wine too), but a good fit for beer specialty shops and ice houses that only sell beer to go.

Local Distributor’s Permit (LP): An add-on for Package Store Permit holders that want to distribute liquor wholesale to bars, restaurants, and private clubs holding Mixed Beverage or Private Club permits inside the same county. Adds a new revenue stream beyond walk-in retail. We evaluate fit and file both permits together when it makes sense.

Types of Businesses

You may be unsure if your business falls under TABC governance, but if you sell or serve alcohol in the state of Texas then you will likely need some type of permit or license. Below are some specific types of store that need the correct licensing:

Package Liquor Stores: Specialized stores which sell a wide range of spirits, wines, and beers, primarily for off-premise consumption. This type of store may offer on-site tastings, as well.

Typical permit: Package Store Permit (P).

Grocery Stores with Alcohol Sales: Grocery outlets that sell beer and wine for off-premise consumption. Texas law limits grocery store alcohol sales to beer and wine only.

Typical permit: Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit (BQ). Grocery stores in Texas cannot hold a Package Store Permit (P) for the grocery premises and cannot sell distilled spirits under any other retail permit.

Boutique Wine and Beer Shops: Specialty stores focused on curated selections of wines and craft beers, catering to niche markets and connoisseurs.

Typical permit: Wine-Only Package Store Permit (Q) at $1,600 for two years for wine-only shops, or BQ for shops that carry beer and wine.

Supermarkets with Alcohol Departments: Larger supermarket chains that have dedicated sections for the sale of alcoholic beverages. They may also offer on-premise tastings.

Typical permit: BQ for off-premise beer and wine sales. If there is a tasting bar or wine bar inside the store, add a BG permit for the on-premise area.

Drug Stores Selling Alcohol: Drug stores and pharmacies that include alcohol sales as part of their retail offerings.

Typical permit: BQ. Same beer and wine only limitation as grocery stores.

Online Retailers Delivering Alcohol: E-commerce platforms that sell alcoholic beverages for delivery. This type of business will additionally need to adhere to specific licensing for online sales and delivery.

Can Texas Grocery Stores Sell Liquor?

No. Under Texas law, distilled spirits can only be sold off-premise by a retail store with a Package Store Permit (P). Grocery stores, supermarkets, and drug stores cannot hold a Package Store Permit for the store premises and cannot sell liquor there. They are limited to beer and wine under a Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit (BQ). This is the reason every liquor store in Texas is a separate premises, not a section inside a Kroger or an H-E-B. If you want to sell liquor off-premise, you must open a dedicated package store, and ownership is capped at 250 locations for any single chain under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency evaluates your business model, confirms which permit fits, and files it in the right order.

Texas Package Store Hours and Sunday Sales Rules

Texas package store hours are set by state law and they are shorter than most other retail businesses. Package stores (liquor stores) may sell liquor between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Package stores must be closed all day on Sundays, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If one of those holidays falls on a Sunday, the closure extends to the following Monday.

Grocery stores holding a Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer’s Off-Premise Permit (BQ) have different hours. Beer and wine may be sold Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to midnight (1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning), and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to midnight. The store itself can stay open longer, but it cannot ring up beer or wine transactions outside those windows.

Local ordinances in some Texas cities and counties restrict hours further, and wet/dry status also varies by precinct. Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency verifies local option status as part of every retail application so there are no surprises after your permit is issued.

Compliance and Regulation Management

Off-premise retailers in Texas have to manage compliance across several moving parts: age verification and refusal-of-sale procedures, store-hour compliance, signage requirements, local-option rules for wet and dry precincts, and the three-tier system limits that bar retailers from holding manufacturer or wholesaler interests. Violations carry administrative fines, permit suspension, and in serious cases criminal penalties under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code.

Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency can assist you by ensuring ongoing compliance, such as the correct signage in your storefront and the proper training of staff, as well as managing your license renewals.

Navigating Local Zoning and Regulations

Off-premise retailers have to navigate Texas local-option law before they even sign a lease. Cities and counties can be wet, dry, or partially wet, and each area’s local option status determines which permits are allowed. Distance requirements add another layer: many Texas cities and counties prohibit retail alcohol sales within 300 feet of schools, churches, and public hospitals, with variance procedures handled through the city or county governing body. On top of that, off-premise retailers also owe city and county alcoholic beverage surcharges on top of the TABC state fee (up to half of the statutory state fee as of August 31, 2021). With years of experience throughout the state, Ranger Texas Liquor Licensing Agency verifies local option status, distance compliance, and local surcharge obligations before your application goes to TABC.