Texas Alcohol License Types — TABC Permit Guide

The most common permit for full-service bars and restaurants. Authorizes on-premise sale of all alcoholic beverages — liquor, beer, and wine — plus limited catering rights. Consolidates older sub-permits like Caterer's and Minibar after the 2021 reforms.

Allows on-premise sale of beer and wine only — no liquor or mixed drinks. Also permits sealed-container to-go sales. Popular with casual dining restaurants, brewpubs, and venues in areas with limited wet status.

Previously known as "Wine and Beer Retailer's Permit" — updated to match new "malt beverage" language.

Legacy beer-only on-premises license. Authorizes sale of malt beverages for consumption on-site and to-go. Common in jurisdictions that allow only beer.

Legacy license for areas allowing only beer. Most new establishments in wet areas use BG instead.

Allows a retail licensee (MB, BG, or BE holder) to brew malt beverages on-site and sell to customers for on- or off-premises consumption. Production capped at 10,000 barrels per year.

The standard liquor store license. Sells spirits, wine, and beer for off-premise consumption in sealed containers. Also permits tastings and limited delivery. Cannot sell for on-premise consumption.

Authorizes off-premise retail sales of wine and beer (no distilled spirits). Includes tastings and limited delivery. Commonly held by specialty wine shops or stores in areas not fully wet.

Allows off-premise (take-home) sales of beer and wine in sealed containers. The standard license for grocery and convenience stores in fully wet areas. Merged older beer-only and wine-only off-premise licenses after 2021.

Legacy beer-only off-premise license. Authorizes sale of beer in sealed containers for consumption elsewhere. Used in jurisdictions that don't allow wine.

Legacy license — most new stores in wet areas use BQ instead.

Allows a private club to store and serve all types of alcohol to members and guests for on-premises consumption. Primarily used by clubs in dry areas or membership-only settings.

Beer-and-wine-only private club permit. Used in partially wet areas that allow beer and wine but not spirits.

For qualified fraternal and veterans organizations. Grants the same alcohol service as a private club but exempts some membership rules (like minimum local residents).

Authorizes manufacturing of malt beverages in Texas, including import, transport, and sale to distributors or retailers. Smaller breweries below production thresholds may sell directly to consumers. Combines the older Brewer's Permit and Manufacturer's License as of 2021.

Authorizes manufacture, bottling, labeling, and sale of wine. Wineries may sell directly to consumers at the winery, ship to consumers, and sell to retailers and distributors. Can host festivals and events with TABC approval.

Allows manufacturing, rectifying, and blending distilled spirits and wines. Includes bottling, packaging, transporting, storing, and limited direct consumer sales up to statutory volume limits.

Authorizes wholesale distribution of malt beverages (beer/ale) in Texas, including import, transport, and sale to retailers. Absorbed older Importer's Licenses and Local Distributor's License in the 2021 reforms.

Authorizes wholesaling of distilled spirits and wine — purchase from distillers/wineries, sell to retailers. Includes import and transport authority.

Authorizes wholesaling of wine and malt beverages (no distilled spirits). Covers import and sale to retailers.

Allows qualifying craft brewers to distribute their own products directly to retailers, bypassing a distributor. Consolidates older DA/DB permits after 2021.

Allows a holder of a General Distributor's License (BB) to operate additional distribution branch locations.

Allows out-of-state brewers to sell and ship malt beverages into Texas to licensed distributors or brewpubs. Consolidates older Nonresident Manufacturer's License and Nonresident Brewer's Permit.

Authorizes out-of-state wineries to ship wine directly to Texas consumers in permitted quantities.

Allows out-of-state distilleries or wineries to sell and ship distilled spirits and wine into Texas to authorized importers. No longer covers high-alcohol beer (moved to BN in 2021).

Not a standalone license — paired with a Mixed Beverage Permit to indicate the venue derives significant income from food (max 60% from alcohol). Often required by local municipalities to operate as a restaurant and admit minors. Codified by 2021 law (SB 911).

Allows eligible on-premise retailers (MB, BG, BE, or Private Club) to serve alcohol until 2:00 AM. Without this certificate, standard service ends at midnight.

Allows a Package Store (P or Q) to also sell or wholesale liquor and wine to on-premise accounts (bars, restaurants) within the same county.

Allows third-party services to deliver alcoholic beverages directly to consumers on behalf of retailers. Introduced in 2019 and expanded in 2021 for the home delivery market.

Allows qualified nonprofits to sell, serve, or auction alcohol at temporary fundraising events.

Allows third-party agencies to conduct tastings and promotions of alcoholic beverages on behalf of manufacturers or wholesalers. New in 2021 to formalize marketing activities.

Allows airlines, cruise ships, trains, and buses to serve alcoholic beverages to ticketed passengers during transit. Consolidates older airline, railroad, and boat permits.

A specialty permit for a BG holder operating a water park along the Comal River. Allows broader alcohol sales across park property and inventory transfer between owned locations.

Very narrow in scope — tailored for specific Comal River water parks.

Allows common carriers (water, rail, air, motor) to transport alcoholic beverages in sealed containers within or across Texas. Consolidates older Common Carrier and Private Carrier permits.

Allows operation of a bonded warehouse to store distilled spirits and wine for producers and wholesalers under bond. Strictly storage — no retail sales.

Permits storing imported malt beverages (often from Mexico) for export out of Texas. Cannot sell within Texas.

Allows a permitted manufacturer (brewer, distiller, winery) to operate a regional warehouse to forward products to Texas distributors. New in 2021.

Allows the holder (usually a retailer or designated carrier) to deliver alcoholic beverages within a city or county.

Allows a business to transport and deliver alcohol for hire within city limits on behalf of licensees. Created in 2021, distinct from the E permit which retailers hold themselves.