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Liquor Licensing

**Results to the Liquor Licensing Lottery held October 14, 2004**

About Liquor Licensing

The Department of Revenue administers Title 16, Chapters 1 through 6, Montana Code Annotated, otherwise known as the Alcoholic Beverage Code. The Alcoholic Beverage Code relates to the control, sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol Beverage Licensing areas of responsibility include processing new retail and wholesale alcoholic beverage license applications; transferring of existing licenses; license renewals; and winery registrations and permits. The section is also responsible for monitoring the activities of existing licensees and permit holders, and for responding to issues arising from that activity and related law, rule, policy and procedure. Liquor Licensing also includes a support services section.

Beginning April 1, 2002, Montana will have a new combined application form for liquor and gambling license.  The form, developed jointly by the Department of Justice and the Department of Revenue as part of a cooperative effort to simplify the licensing process, will make it significantly easier to apply for these licenses.  With the new form, Montana business owners will be able to apply for either licenses, or both licenses simultaneously.

Liquor Education Project

The Liquor Education Project "Let's Control It" campaign is designed to educate retailers on how to sell and serve alcohol responsibly, in an effort to help keep our citizens safe. The project promotes four key principles to help businesses operate within the constraints of the law, as well as protect their liabilities.  Those principles are:  eliminate selling to minors, eliminate secondary selling, eliminate selling to intoxicated customers and refuse altered/false identification.  There are 16 Montana Safe Kids / Safe Communities local coalitions statewide, which are the delivery system for the Liquor Education Project.  To locate a coalition near you, visit the Healthy Mothers / Healthy Babies website at http://hmhb-mt.org.

How to Request Liquor Licensing Information

Please refer the following requests to a liquor licensing specialist:

  • Name of secured parties on license
  • Who is the owner of a specific license
  • Areas where a license can float (in and out)
  • Availability of new licenses
  • Status of a license or pending application

Please submit a written request to Liquor Licensing for the following information:

  • Printout of current licenses for specific area of state

Contact the Liquor Licensing Bureau by calling (406) 444-6900, faxing (406) 444-0722 or mailing P.O. Box 1712, Helena, MT 59604-1712.

For all related downloadable forms, click here.

Liquor Licensing Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost for license fees? ARM 42.12.111 - Processing Fees, 16-4-501 MCA - License Fees

Processing Fees for New Applicants

  • All-Beverage License (wherever located), $200
  • Catering Endorsement, $100
  • On-premise Retail beer, $200 and Off-premise Beer, $100
  • Wine Amendment, $100
  • Combination Beer and Wine, $200
  • Wholesale Beer, $100
  • Brewers, $100
  • Restaurant Beer Wine:
    • $200 processing fee
    • Onetime application fee
      • Seating 60 or less, $5,000
      • Seating 61 to 100, $10,000
      • Seating 101 or more, $20,000

Processing Fees for Transfers

  • All-Beverage (including Veteran and Fraternal), $200
  • Retail On-premise Beer, $200 and Off-premise Beer, $100
  • On-premise Retail Beer and Wine, $200
  • Wholesale Beer, $100
  • Brewers, $100
  • Restaurant Beer/Wine, $200

License Fees

  • All-Beverage
    License, for establishment located outside of incorporated cities and towns and a distance of 5 miles therefrom, $400
    License, for establishment located in an incorporated city/town of less than 2,000 population and within a distance of 5 miles, $400
    License, for establishment located in an incorporated city/town with a population between 2,000-5,000 and within a distance of 5 miles, $500
    License, for establishment located in an incorporated city/town with a population between 5,001-10,000 and within a distance of 5 miles, $650
    License, for establishment located in an incorporated city/town of more than 10,000 and within a distance of 5 miles, $800
    Catering endorsement, $250
    Nationally recognized Fraternal Organization, fee same as a) through e), depending on population
    Nationally Chartered Veterans Organization, $250 - $650, fee depends on population and is assessed at $150.00 less than fees a) through e)
    Original Resort License, $20,000 one-time fee
    Airport, $250
    Passenger Carrier, $300
  • Beer
    On premise retail beer sales, $200
    Off premise retail beer sales, $200
    Brewers, $500
    Brewers storage depot, $400
    Wholesale beer, $400
    Wholesale sub-warehouse, $400
    Nationally Chartered Veterans Organization, $50
    Nationally Recognized Fraternal Organization, $200
  • Wine
    Amendment to existing on-premise beer license, $200
    Off premise wine, $200
    Catering endorsement for on-premise beer/wine, $200
  • Restaurant Beer/Wine
    License, $400
    Catering endorsement for Restaurant Beer/Wine, $200
  • Airport Beer/Wine
    License, No fee