“…since liquor licensing is a subset of administrative law, it is fraught with exceptions. For example, there are states that have a combined quota and direct issue system, depending on the sort of place that the applicant is attempting to license. California and Florida are such states. And in virtually all states, hotels are exempted from the quota – that is, while restaurants and bars and the like must purchase licenses from existing owners, hotels (typically if they meet certain minimum requirements, such as a minimum number of rooms and they offer meals) – are able to obtain direct issued liquor licenses (rather than pay those potentially exorbitant prices for quota licenses).”
RJ O’Hara, president of Flaherty & O’Hara, recently authored a featured article in Hotel Executive explaining how liquor licensing became so complex and confusing, and outlining implications for the hospitality industry. Read the full article: “The Challenges Involved in Obtaining Liquor Licenses for Hotels.”