Alcohol Beverage License

If your business will be selling or providing Alcohol, you will need to secure an Alcohol Beverage License. You must be a resident for 30 days or your business must be registered with the South Carolina Secretary of State (SOS) for 30 days. You will also need to disclose your ownership on the application.

To apply, you must have already secured your premises for your permanent location. To receive an alcohol permit, you will also need a retail sales license. Applications take about six to eight weeks to process.

You can apply for any ABL license or permit on MyDORWAY, the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR)'s free online portal. You can also apply in person at an SCDOR district office or by mail.

You must include the nonrefundable filing fees.

Temporary ABL licenses are only for taking over an existing location with an open, active, and in good standing license.

Any person engaged in retail sales in South Carolina is required to obtain a Retail License. To secure an Alcohol Beverage License (ABL), you must have a South Carolina Retail License. The retail license must be active, in good standing, and for the location address that is applied for on the ABL application. 

You can apply for a license with the Business Tax Application on MyDORWAY.

A Retail License is $50, non-refundable. 

  • No – If the same taxpayer continues to operate at the same location where the Retail License was registered (unless the Retail License is revoked by the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR). 
  • Yes – If the ownership of the business changes, making the previous owner's Retail License invalid. The new owner would need to apply for a new Retail License in their name. 

NOTE: If you have not made sales for 24 consecutive months, South Carolina law requires a taxpayer to surrender their Retail License.

ABL: Application Processing Time 

The normal process time for Alcohol Beverage Licensing (ABL) applications takes about six to eight weeks. Part of the application process is an inspection of the physical location by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Once an application and fees are received, the application is assigned to an analyst in ABL and a SLED agent to complete the physical inspection. To alleviate any delays, please read all of your MyDORWAY correspondences and/or phone calls from ABL and SLED. 

If you have assumed control of a business that sells beer, wine, or liquor, you must apply for your own permit. While your application is being considered by the SCDOR, you can apply for a 120-day temporary license. You must apply for the 120-day temporary license at the same time you submit the application for the permanent license. This license allows you to continue selling beer, wine, or liquor for 120 days while your permanent license application is under SCDOR review. 

The fastest and easiest way is online through MyDORWAY or at a local South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) district office.

Find information about ABL application supporting documents on the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) website.

In some cases, the applicant can receive their licenses earlier than six to eight weeks. Most times, this is dependent on how quickly the applicant responds to any requested calls or correspondences.