Obtaining a liquor license in Texas can be a lengthy process, and it may include some rather interesting stipulations, such as signage requirements. These are a few of the unexpected sign requirements you may encounter. These signs can be printed from home or picked up from a TABC office.
Sixty-Day Sign
Before and during your liquor licensing application process, you must post a sign for 60 days that states you will provide alcoholic beverages. This sign alerts the neighborhood that alcohol will be served in the area. The TABC may waive this requirement if you plan to open your business in a location that had served alcohol within the prior two years. Therefore, prior to your application submission, prepare any paperwork that shows alcohol was served.
Public Complaint Sign
Not only are you required to post that your business sells alcohol, but you are also required to post the name and phone number of a person who will receive formal complaints. For example, if a patron has a complaint about your bar, restaurant or lounge, including their observation of over serving or serving minors or complaints about your service or beverages, that patron should have access to a sign that provides the information they need to lodge a formal complaint.
Weapons Sign
If your establishment sells alcohol, but its sale is less than 50% of your income, your sign will state that weapons are not legal in your establishment without a concealed license. The possession of a concealed weapon in a business that receives more than 50% of its revenue from alcohol sales is a felony. Therefore, these types of businesses must post a sign that explains this. Therefore, while restaurants or hotels will have different weapons signs than bars and nightclubs.
Health Risk Signs
When you purchase alcohol from a store, the packaging, bottles or cans have clearly printed health warnings. However, in bars or restaurants, alcoholic drinks do not typically have their original packaging. Therefore, your businesses must post signs that state the health risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
Other Signage Requirements
Restaurants, bars and cocktail lounges and retail stores that sell alcohol are all required to post signs. However, their sign requirements may differ. For example, off- and on-premise retailers that sell to customers require different signs. Forced labor signs may also be required.
Prior to completing your liquor license application, identify the signs your establishment is required to post. You may be surprised at the signs you must post.
