The city of Boston’s Office of Small Business and the Licensing Board recently organized a liquor license information session aimed at aiding entrepreneurs in Mattapan. This initiative is part of a broader effort to disseminate knowledge about the application process for liquor licenses in the community.
Since the legislation passed in September 2024, the city has already approved 37 applications out of the 225 liquor licenses designated for minority neighborhoods over the next three years, according to the Boston Herald.
During the session, the executive secretary of the Boston Licensing Board, Danny Green, highlighted two primary categories of liquor licenses available in Massachusetts: ‘on-premise’ and ‘off-premise’ licenses.
An on-premise liquor license allows patrons to consume alcoholic beverages at the location where they purchase them, such as a restaurant, club, or hotel. In contrast, an off-premise liquor license permits the sale of alcoholic beverages that are consumed in another location, typical examples include liquor stores or convenience stores.
Green noted that both liquor license types have a set quota established by state law, meaning that Boston cannot exceed this limit. He emphasized that new liquor licenses for on-premise establishments are now accessible throughout the city.
A significant aspect of the liquor licensing process is that many of these licenses are geographically restricted, meaning they can only be issued to establishments located in specific zip codes within Boston. These neighborhoods include Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, South End, and West Roxbury.
Green clarified that while these liquor licenses are primarily available to establishments that prepare food on-site, it does not strictly require applicants to be classified as restaurants.
Another important point concerning these geographically restricted liquor licenses is that they cannot be sold if a business relocates; instead, the license returns to the board to be reissued.
Further, the legislation introduces community space licenses designed for outdoor spaces, non-profit organizations, and small theaters with a seating capacity of under 750. Additionally, transferable, non-restricted alcohol licenses are also made available for the first time, although the board has yet to begin issuing these.
Green mentioned that the total quota for transferable, non-restricted liquor licenses has increased by 12, reflecting the city’s efforts to expand business opportunities for qualified entrepreneurs.
In light of a lower than expected number of approved liquor license applications, Green and his office have organized information sessions throughout the city to raise awareness and encourage entrepreneurs to consider applying.
The application process involves a considerable amount of paperwork, but Green reassured attendees that his office is prepared to support entrepreneurs through every stage of application completion.
In addition to accessing the application online, prospective business owners must also finalize their business structure documents with the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office and have a specific location identified for their business prior to applying, which could involve securing a lease, a deed, or a letter of intent.
Once these preliminary steps are completed, applicants need to provide a signed query authorization form for a state background check for anyone identified as an officer, director, or shareholder. Although the city does not conduct any background checks itself, having a criminal record does not automatically disqualify someone from obtaining a liquor license unless the individual has a narcotics conviction, which is an absolute barrier under state law.
For other types of past convictions, applicants have the opportunity to include an affidavit with their application explaining their circumstances since their conviction.
Importantly, Green stated that the individual responsible for daily operations of the business is not required to be a U.S. citizen to hold a liquor license, as the legislation accommodates immigrant visa holders, green card holders, or those with work authorization in the U.S.
Additionally, applicants must submit a detailed floor plan of their proposed location and documentation called the entity vote, which shows that they have the authority to file the application.
The fee for applying for one of the new liquor licenses is comparatively nominal, totaling around $470, according to Green. However, once a liquor license is granted, recipients will incur an annual fee ranging from $2,000 to $3,000, depending on the type of license and the capacity of the establishment.
Alongside completing the application, entrepreneurs are also required to engage in the community process facilitated through the Office of Neighborhood Services. Community engagement specialist Jeremie Bembury will guide applicants through this initial process.
Once contact is established, Bembury will send an email detailing the necessary steps to initiate the community process. His office will assist in identifying potential meeting dates that do not conflict with other significant neighborhood or city events.
After establishing a few possible dates, the Office of Neighborhood Services will provide this information to the applicant, who then selects the most convenient date for their community meeting. Applicants must take the responsibility to physically distribute flyers or send them through the mail at least seven days ahead of the scheduled meeting, as well as submit photographic evidence of this outreach to the Licensing Board.
Once the community process is completed, and all required application documents are submitted, Green’s office will consider the application finalized. Following this, a transactional hearing is required to occur within a 30-day window to remain compliant with the law. These hearings are generally held on the first and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 10 a.m. via Zoom.
Green explained that the Liquor Licensing Board determines who receives a liquor license based on the critical legal standard of public need. Key factors the board considers include whether the area already has a substantial number of existing liquor licenses, the uniqueness of the proposed concept, potential community concerns related to the applicant’s proposed license, and the entrepreneur’s overall reputation within the community.
After the city’s approval process, the board sends all applications to the state for further investigation and background checks. The state will communicate with the board regarding whether the application has been approved, rejected, or if additional information is required.
If the Licensing Board votes to grant a license and one is available, they will forward the application to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for final review. Following the commission’s approval, both the applicant and the Licensing Board will receive notification via email confirming the approval.
Subsequent to this approval, the Licensing Board will inform the applicants that they are required to submit several documents, including a Building Inspection Certificate from the Inspectional Services Department, a Place of Assembly Permit (if the capacity exceeds 49 persons) from Fire Prevention, proof of liquor liability insurance, as well as the Licensing Board’s corresponding fee.
The next round of liquor license applications will close on May 23, and for ongoing assistance, the board provides bi-weekly office hours on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The next scheduled office hours will occur virtually on April 30.
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