Hillsborough County Liquor Licenses for Sale

Types of Hillsborough County Liquor Licenses

It’s important to secure a Hillsborough County liquor license to sell alcohol legally as a business proprietor in Hillsborough County, FL. Located in west-central Florida, Hillsborough County boasts a population of nearly 1.5 million people. Most of the residents live in Tampa, Florida, the largest city and county seat of Hillsborough County. The area is also a popular vacation destination with attractions such as the Tampa Riverwalk, The Florida Aquarium, Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Other events take place all year long, but the Hillsborough County Fair draws a lot of locals and travelers to the area from early to mid-November with lots of entertainment and food. 

To sell alcohol legally at your Hillsborough County business, we offer online Hillsborough County liquor license auctions for the following permit types:

• 4COP: Permits restaurants and bars to sell all liquor -- beer, wine, and spirits -- for consumption on-premises in Hillsborough County.
• 3PS: Permits liquor stores to sell all liquor -- beer, wine, and spirits -- for consumption off-premises in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Each Florida liquor license grants the holder the right to sell in a specific Florida county, such as Hillsborough. Liquor licenses are not transferable between counties. They are, however, transferable between owners, which means you can legally buy or sell any Hillsborough County alcohol license.

How to Buy a Hillsborough County Liquor License

When purchasing a quota alcohol license in Hillsborough County, there are two ways to obtain an alcohol permit. The first way is to secure a liquor license in Hillsborough County from the Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (AB&T), and the second way is to acquire one through the secondary market using a liquor license broker such as Liquor License Auctioneers. 

Since the number of quota liquor licenses in Hillsborough County is limited, sometimes the only way to acquire an alcohol license is through the open market. You may have to hold out for an alcohol permit until someone is willing to sell a liquor license in Hillsborough County, FL. 

As the only online auction platform, we provide an innovative way to purchase Hillsborough County liquor licenses for your business. We’ve developed many connections over the years with business proprietors and lawyers. These connections have allowed us to provide exclusive Hillsborough County alcohol licenses on our bidding platform. No other liquor license brokerage can offer these alcohol permits for sale, which allows us to ethically price these Hillsborough County liquor licenses. If you are trying to purchase a specific type of Hillsborough County alcohol license, let us know, and we’ll track one down for you.

Follow these eight steps to transfer a Hillsborough County liquor license from a seller to a buyer.

1. Set a Price for the Liquor License: The seller chooses a price that includes the auction fee for the Hillsborough County alcohol license. This price for the alcohol permit is then offered to the buyer.
2. Create a Purchase Agreement: When the buyer agrees to pay the price set by the seller, both parties will sign a Purchase Agreement for the sale of the Hillsborough County liquor license.
3. Pay 10% of the Cost of the Liquor License Upfront: The party that is purchasing the Hillsborough County alcohol license must pay 10% of the alcohol permit cost and put it into an Attorney Trust Account. Once this amount is paid upfront, a closing date for the sale of the Hillsborough County liquor license will be set, and the alcohol permit will be removed from the auction.
4. Prepare the Bill of Sale & All Closing Documents: An attorney can help the seller compile all of the forms necessary to complete the sale of the Hillsborough County liquor license. These include the Closing Documents, the Bill of Sale, the Alcohol Transfer Affidavit, and any other documents required for the AB&T Application. When these forms are ready, the buyer can have their attorney or escrow agent place all of these forms and documents in escrow until the sale is closed.
5. Seller Pays Transfer Fees: Any other fees that are associated with the transfer of the liquor license in Hillsborough County will be paid by the seller and come from their proceeds.
6. Buyer pays the AB&T Annual License Fee: When the sale is closed, the annual fee for the Hillsborough County liquor license is prorated and due by the buyer or their attorney or escrow agent. The annual fee can be paid to the seller’s attorney in one of the following four ways, Cashier’s Check, Bank Wire, Attorney’s Trust Account, or a Bank Check.
7. Closing the Bill of Sale: When the sale is closed, the seller will have their attorney or escrow agent provide the buyer with the original Bill of Sale, the Affidavit of Transferor, and the Closing Statement for the Hillsborough County liquor license.
8. Submit Transfer of Liquor License Application Documents to AB&T: The buyer can have their attorney help them complete the documents and send them over to the AB&T. If the business location is not ready or hasn’t been approved to sell alcohol, the buyer can place the liquor license in escrow with the Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (AB&T). However, if the establishment has been approved to sell alcohol, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (AB&T) will send you a temporary alcohol license in Hillsborough County.

Our skilled alcohol license brokers can assist you in the following eight steps to secure a Hillsborough County liquor license. 

1. Secure the location: You must be able to show that you are leasing, renting, or purchasing the business establishment where you will be selling liquor.
2. Select your liquor license: Select which type of Hillsborough County alcohol license you’ll need for your business, and then choose whether you’ll attain it from the AB&T or an alcohol permit broker like Liquor License Auctioneers on the open market.
3. Survey the location: Employ a contractor to survey your business location. Liquor License Auctioneers may conduct this inspection for you.
4. Complete your AB&T Application: Before you send in your Hillsborough County liquor license AB&T Application for approval, the following forms and requirements must be submitted: completed service agreements, submit fingerprints, get zoning approval, pay a fee, provide a right of occupancy, originating agency identification number, Department of Revenue Approval, send a blueprint or sketch of the business establishment, complete all related-party personal information, register with Florida Division of Corporations, and get Health and Human Resources approval.
5. Submit your AB&T Application: Send your AB&T Application and all required forms and documents to the Hillsborough County division district office for approval.
6. Post the temporary initial license: If you paid a separate fee as a part of the AB&T Application, you’ll receive a temporary alcohol permit for Hillsborough County. This temporary liquor license must be posted at your place of business until you receive your official Hillsborough County alcohol license.
7. AB&T Application Review: The documents and forms, as well as the AB&T Application, will be reviewed and added to the AB&T data system.
8. Submit to investigation: The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (AB&T) will come to your business establishment and do a final inspection to make sure your business meets the standards to sell or serve alcohol legally and safely.
9. Receive the liquor license: When the AB&T Application and inspection have been approved, the DBPR AB&T will bill you for the cost of the alcohol license. After the payment has been received, the Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (AB&T) will mail you the official Hillsborough County liquor license. You are instructed to post the alcohol license at your business location.

Completing all nine of these steps will meet the requirements set by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (AB&T) for purchasing an alcohol license in Hillsborough County. If you want to receive your alcohol permit as soon as possible, you should check with the local municipal government to see if they have any additional stipulations that should be met before obtaining a liquor license in Tampa, Florida.

Since there is sometimes a lack of available Hillsborough County alcohol licenses, using an experienced liquor license broker to help you easily secure an alcohol permit is a good option. Choose Liquor License Auctioneers to work with alcohol permit brokers that uphold ethical business practices, price alcohol licenses fairly, and provide quality service such as helping you track down any type of Hillsborough County alcohol license you need. See all of our Hillsborough County liquor licenses for sale, updated in real-time on our auction platform, and purchase one now.