Legal Blogs and Updates

As a result of the business disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are new important updates regarding New Jersey liquor license law.  

All municipally-issued liquor licenses for the 2019-2020 license term expire on June 30, 2020, unless renewed by the municipal issuing authority. In order for a license to be renewed by the municipal issuing authority, the licensee must file a renewal application, pay the required State fee, pay the required municipal fee, obtain an Alcoholic Beverage Retail License Certificate for Renewal (e.g., a tax clearance certificate) from the NJ Division of Taxation and be renewed by municipal resolution by June 30, 2020, to operate on July 1, 2020 for the 2020-2021 license term.

Similarly, State- issued liquor licenses and permits expire on June 30, 2020, unless renewed by the State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (State ABC).

Due to COVID-19, the State ABC has determined that many licensees may not be able to renew their licenses by June 30, 2020. 

As such, the Acting Director has issued an Order ( click here to review a copy of the Order ) extending the 2019-2020 license term for all municipally-issued licenses and State-issued licenses and permits that expire on June 30, 2020 until Wednesday, September 30, 2020.

This means that a holder of municipally-issued licenses and State-issued licenses and permits can operate their license without renewing it until Wednesday, September 30, 2020.

Pursuant to the Order, to renew a municipally-issued license for the term that will now commence on October 1, 2020, the licensee must:

1. file a renewal application with the municipal issuing authority;
2. pay the State ABC filing fee;
3. pay the municipal filing fee to the municipal issuing authority; and
4. obtain an Alcoholic Beverage Retail License Certificate for Renewal (e.g. a tax clearance certificate) from the NJ Division of Taxation.

Holders of municipally-issued licenses should file a complete renewal application by September 1, 2020 to give the municipal issuing authority adequate time to adopt a resolution renewing the license for the 2020-2021 license term. If the license is not renewed by municipal resolution on or before September 30, 2020, the licensee must stop selling and/or serving alcoholic beverages.

Pursuant to the Order, to renew a State-issued license or permit for the term that will now commence on October 1, 2020, the licensee must:

1. file a renewal application with the State ABC;
2. pay the State filing fee(s); and
3. satisfy any other applicable renewal requirements on or before September 30, 2020.

Holders of State-issued licenses and permits should file a complete renewal application prior to September 1, 2020 to give the State ABC adequate time to renew the license or permit for the 2020-2021 license term. If a State-issued license is not renewed by the State ABC by September 30, 2020, the licensee must stop selling and/or serving alcoholic beverages.