Guide to Mobile Bartending & TABC Permits. Are you thinking about getting a TABC permit for your mobile bartending service? In this guide we will go over what to expect and how to determine the right fit for you! It should be noted Hernandez & Associates is a Liquor license service that helps business owners to apply for TABC permits in the great state of Texas.
What is a Mobile Bartending Service?
A Mobile bartending service is a business which you can hire that can bartend at an event. This could be a wedding, birthday, anniversary, you name it. For instance you are holding an event which you want to have alcoholic beverages. The service will serve your party goers so you all can enjoy yourselves. They may also offer specialized drinks, Party planning, or Equipment rentals (E.g., Margarita machines).
Why Would You Need a Permit?
Now that you understand what a mobile bartending service is, let us get into why this business owner would ask about getting a TABC permit.
Most of the time the mobile bartending service will get the client to purchase the alcohol for them. Why you ask? For example if the mobile bartending service purchased the alcohol and then resold it to the client, there was an exchange in money for services rendered, or even a tip jar was placed at the event this would be considered by TABC selling alcohol without a permit.
Therefore, for the bartending service to be compliant with TABC they would need to have the client purchase it for them.
The next natural question would be then why doesn’t a mobile bartending service apply for a TABC permit? Well Hernandez & Associates is here to answer that question.
First, we need understand that TABC is going to view this business as a bar and will require all the same location requirements. Meaning they will be looking for you to have a permanent Brick and Mortar location that is not a Residence (e.g., A house), and that the location will fit all the distance requirements from schools, daycares, churches, etc.
In addition to the location requirements, we will need to discuss the cost of the TABC permit. If the Mobile bartending service plans on selling mixed drinks with distilled spirits, they will likely need a mixed beverage permit. If you would like to see a complete list of permits check out our PAGE on all TABC Permits here. Furthermore, the cost associated with the TABC permit can change depending on the city and county the business is located in. For this example, let’s just focus on the State fees for the permit not including city and county fees. In that case you would be looking at approximately $10,000 including the Bonds for the Mixed Beverage Permit.
What Do I Need?
Equally important, if you would like to open a mobile bartending service, we put together a short list of what the clients that have reached out to us usually already have for their mobile bartending businesses. Specifically, these businesses do not have TABC permits they are looking to add a permit to their existing business. This is what most of them tell us they already have:
- TABC Seller Server Training Certificate
- Some sort of LLC or other entity* (Consult your attorney or CPA to find out what’s best for you)
- Business Liability insurance*
*We really advise this for all businesses. We can connect you to our associates if you have further questions.
“you can start a Mobile Bartending service without a TABC permit…”
Finally, you can start a Mobile Bartending service without a TABC permit you just won’t be able to provide/sell the alcohol. The reason we wanted to put this guide together as stated earlier is because we do have a lot of future business owners ask what it would take or if they could add it to a current business.
Hopefully this guide will point you into the right direction if you are looking to get a TABC permit for a mobile bartending service.
Remember we love when business owners get creative with how they do business, however TABC has rules and regulations, so we do our best here at Hernandez & Associates to make sure our clients are compliant with those rules and regulations!
When you are ready to apply for your next TABC permit contact us using this link!
Have you seen any of our video check them out linked here.
Updated 9/22/2022