Is a wine import/wholesale license fixed to a premise? If the business moves is it easy to update the license to the new location or does one have to get a new license.
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
I gather from your question that you are investigating licensing issues but do not currently hold one. I can give you only a general answer to your query. As a rule, alcoholic beverage licenses are linked to a physical premise. Individual states vary in their specific requirements, and some may insist on submission of a diagram and photographs of the space. Licenses can certainly be updated or amended in various aspects, subject to approval of the changes by the issuing authority. Some changes are easier than others. If a wholesale licensee in one state wishes to relocate to, or set up an operation in, another state, the business would first need to apply to that other state and identify the intended location. You can learn more about licenses by reading information on the federal website of the TTB, which issues the Federal Basic Permit (ttb.gov/forms/f510024), and the sites of the individual state alcoholic beverage control agencies. You may want to consult an attorney with specialized knowledge of state regulations before you make any final decisions.
