How to get a restaurant liquor license in Washington (2026)

Selling beer, wine or spirits can lift a restaurant's average check, but the license takes time, and in Washington the process surprises owners who expect to apply to a single office. This guide explains the structure, the steps and the planning to do early. It is a general overview, and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, which regulates alcohol in the state, is the place to confirm every requirement, form and fee.

Who issues a liquor license in Washington?

The Liquor and Cannabis Board licenses alcohol sales, but applications begin through the state Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service. A liquor license is an endorsement on your business license, and you complete a Liquor and Cannabis Board addendum along with the business license application. You must complete the business license application even if you already have a business license for another purpose. This two-step structure is why many applicants first contact the wrong office.

What types of license does a restaurant use?

The Board groups licenses into retail and non-retail. Restaurants, taverns, clubs and grocery stores are retail. Breweries, wineries, distilleries, distributors and importers are non-retail. Spirits, beer and wine are not separate categories; each retail license states which products it allows and what conditions apply. The Board publishes a retail fee and description sheet that lists each license, what it allows and what it costs each year. Read it before choosing, because the right license depends on your menu, your service and whether you want to sell spirits.

How far ahead should you apply?

Plan for several months before your planned opening date, and ask the Board for its current timing. The application involves background checks, a review of your premises, a notice period during which the public and local authorities can comment, and an inspection. If your opening depends on alcohol revenue, build that time into your lease negotiation, your hiring plan and your opening date. A late license can delay revenue even after your kitchen is ready. Many owners open with food first and add alcohol when the license arrives, which keeps the doors open and the staff working. Tell your landlord, your lender and your staff what date you expect and what you will do if it slips.

Who can apply?

Applicants are checked for criminal history and financial backing. Ask the Board whether any residency or business-structure requirements apply to you before you choose how to set up the business.

What does it cost?

Senate Bill 5786 raised liquor licensing fees by 50 percent. Older guides may show outdated amounts, so use the Board's current fee sheet. Budget for the license, the business license, background checks, a possible legal review and the staff training the law requires. Add a cushion for inventory, because stocking a bar takes cash before the first sale, and for glassware, a point-of-sale setup and signage. A realistic plan lists these costs next to the extra margin you expect from drinks.

What training do staff need?

Washington requires alcohol servers and sellers to hold a mandatory alcohol server permit, issued after a training course, within 60 days of hire. Check the Board's rules for who needs one. Your managers should know how to check identification, refuse service and handle a guest who has had too much. Keep permit copies in your records.

What if you buy an existing restaurant?

Buying a business with a liquor license is not the same as buying the license. A change of ownership or a change in the people who govern a company requires its own filing with the Board, and the license does not transfer automatically. Include the licensing steps in your purchase agreement and timeline. Serving alcohol without a license, serving minors or violating license conditions can lead to fines, suspensions or loss of the license, so train staff, check identification every time and keep a written policy. Ask a lawyer who knows Washington licensing to review the purchase agreement before you sign.

How should you plan the application?

Follow a checklist.

• Read the Board's license descriptions and choose the license before you design the menu and the bar.
• Confirm local zoning allows alcohol service at your address.
• Prepare ownership and financial documents early.
• Start the Business Licensing Service application and the Board addendum together.
• Plan your opening date around the review time.

Ask the Board's licensing staff for a pre-application conversation if you can.

Can you fill the room without leaning on the bar?

Alcohol helps margins, but a dining room fills because guests want your food. Mosey is a food-first app where diners search by dish and mood, rate what they ate and keep lists, and where independent restaurants and cafes get tools for their own page, menu and regular guests. If you want your kitchen to bring people in before the license is approved or whether or not you serve drinks, being found by the dish is what Mosey is built around.

More guides for your business:

• Restaurant marketing on a small budget in Washington
• Washington food worker card: who needs one and how to get it
• Washington minimum wage and no tip credit for restaurants (2026)

More in the US guides for food businesses.