Liquor represents any type of establishment wanting to manufacture, sell or deal with alcoholic beverages. 

Businesses must first apply with the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC), authorized by Arizona Revised Statutes Title 4.  Once a business has completed all paperwork with DLLC, the application is then forwarded to the City of Tempe for background checks, police approval, fire approval, building safety, development services and, finally, Tempe City Council approval.  Note: the City of Tempe reserves the right to not issue the City of Tempe liquor license certificate if issues are found after the Council date with the background check, police approval, fire approval, building safety and development services.  This means the business may not sell alcoholic beverages even though the applicant has a State issued liquor license from DLLC.

Tempe City Code §4-1 to §4-9

Step One: :  Have the following documents ready or in process before applying 

• Apply with Arizona Department of Liquor (DLLC) for the appropriate liquor license.  DLLC will contact Tempe Tax & License to begin our steps in the process to issue a Tempe Liquor License.   View DLLC liquor license fees.

  APPLY WITH DLLC FOR A LIQUOR LICENSE

• A Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT or sales tax) License is required and must be renewed annually for the business

Restaurants and Bars include any business where articles of food, drink, or condiment are prepared or served to patrons for consumption on or off the premises. This activity includes bars, lounges, restaurants, caterers, street and mobile vendors and "fast food" establishments. 

Apply, File & Pay Transaction Privilege Tax at AZTaxes.gov link below:

Step Two: A Tempe Liquor License is required and must be renewed annually for the business and include information for all owners: 

If you need a Tempe Liquor License, you will need to renew before January 1 each year.  

First Time Users of the Tempe Online Licensing Portal:

1) Register for an Account

2) Email license@tempe.gov to have your application from DLLC linked to your registration/login.

Note: the City of Tempe reserves the right to not issue the City of Tempe liquor license certificate if issues are found after the Council date with the background check, police approval, fire approval, building safety and development services.  This means the business may not sell alcoholic beverages even though the applicant has a State issued liquor license from DLLC.

Step Three: Fingerprints are required for all applicants so a background investigation can be completed by Tempe Police Dept.  

Click Here to download City of Tempe Fingerprint Packet

If you are applying for a liquor license, we understand that you may have already submitted fingerprints to Arizona Department of Liquor. However, the City of Tempe Code requires that all applicants must submit fingerprints to Tempe Police.

Fingerprints may be obtained at any fingerprinting service company in the United States. Tempe Police Department offers fingerprint services to business license applicants free of charge. To check availability, please call Tempe PD Fingerprint Line at 480-858-2024. Please ensure you are following the proper procedure to submit the fingerprints. Refer to the City of Tempe Fingerprint Packet for further information.

Required items are as follows:

USDOJ FBI Fingerprint Card, FD258, blue and white in color.

$22 fingerprint fee (in the form of a cashier’s check or money order, made out to Arizona Dept of Public Safety) must be submitted with each person’s fingerprint card.

Licensing Fingerprint Form (this is on the first page of the fingerprint packet, and needs to be filled out by the fingerprint technician).

Enclose all items into a sealed envelope that can be mailed or dropped off to Tempe Police Department at the below address.

Mailed to:

Tempe Police Department

Attn: Licensing Unit

120 E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281

Questions on fingerprinting? Please call 480-350-5300

Tempe Liquor License Fees

$200 New license issuance fee per business  (non-refundable)

$500 New license application fee per business  (non-refundable)

$300 - $1,200 Annual license fee (see "What Are My Fees?" tab)

Total: $1,000 - $1,900 total for new license

*Reduce Annual License Fee by 25% when "issued" by the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC) on or after July 1  

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express by phone or in-person

We accept check by mail or in-person.  We do not accept cash.

View DLLC liquor license fees.

Application Processing Time

90-120 days (from time all documents received and includes time at DLLC)

New license application is forwarded to:

Tempe Police Department

Tempe Fire Department

Building Safety

Planning

Tempe City Council

Step One: A Tempe Liquor License is required to be renewed annually before January 1 for the business.

If you need a Tempe Liquor License, you will need to renew before January 1 each year.  Please note that DLLC renewal dates and fees may be different than Tempe.  Click the button below to reach Tempe Tax & License to renew:

CLICK HERE FOR TRAINING VIDEOS ON USING THE ACA LICENSING PORTAL

Step Two: A Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT or sales tax) License is required and must be renewed annually for the business before January 1:

Renew, File & Pay Transaction Privilege Tax at AZTaxes.gov link below:

Step Three: Renewal with Arizona Department of Liquor (DLLC) is required annually.

If you need a Tempe Liquor License, you will need to renew before January 1 each year.  Please note that DLLC renewal dates and fees may be different than Tempe.  Click the link below to renew with DLLC:

RENEW WITH ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR

Step Four: At Renewal, the starting point for "new" applicants begins with Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC); then fingerprints and background investigations are required by Tempe Police Dept.  Returning applicants do not need to resubmit fingerprints and background each year to Tempe.

Click Here to download City of Tempe Fingerprint Packet

If you are applying for a liquor license, we understand that you may have already submitted fingerprints to Arizona Department of Liquor. However, the City of Tempe Code requires that all applicants must submit fingerprints to Tempe Police.

Fingerprints may be obtained at any fingerprinting service company in the United States. Tempe Police Department offers fingerprint services to business license applicants free of charge. To check availability, please call Tempe PD Licensing Unit at 480-350-5300. Please ensure you are following the proper procedure to submit the fingerprints. Refer to the City of Tempe Fingerprint Packet for further information.

Required items are as follows:

USDOJ FBI Fingerprint Card, FD258, blue and white in color.

$22 fingerprint fee (in the form of a cashier’s check or money order, made out to Arizona Dept of Public Safety) must be submitted with each person’s fingerprint card.

Licensing Fingerprint Form (this is on the first page of the fingerprint packet, and needs to be filled out by the fingerprint technician).

Enclose all items into a sealed envelope that can be mailed or dropped off to Tempe Police Department at the below address.

Mailed to:

Tempe Police Department

Attn: Licensing Unit

120 E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281

Questions on fingerprinting? Please call 480-350-5300

Renewal License Fees & Late Penalty Fees

Annual license fee per business (due before January 1 each year).  Renewal dates with DLLC are different than Tempe Tax & License.

 *Late penalty fees are based on $100 or 15% of annual license fee, whichever is greater, plus 1% per each month late 

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express by phone or in-person

We accept check by mail or in-person.  We do not accept cash.

Renewal Processing Time

Less than 30 days (from time all documents received or if there are no changes)

New owners applications are forwarded to:

Tempe Police Department

Tempe New License Fees

*Reduce Annual License Fee by 25% when "issued" by the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC) on or after July 1  

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express by phone or in-person

We accept check by mail or in-person.  We do not accept cash.

View Arizona Dept of Liquor Licenses and Control's (DLLC) liquor license fees.

Tempe Renewal License Fees & Late Penalty Fees

Annual license fee per business (due before January 1 each year).  Renewal dates with DLLC are different than Tempe Tax & License.

 *Late penalty fees are based on $100 or 15% of annual license fee, whichever is greater, plus 1% per each month late 

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express by phone or in-person

We accept check by mail or in-person.  We do not accept cash.

Application Processing Time for New Applications

90-120 days (from time all documents received and includes time at DLLC)

New Applications, for new license or renewal, require fingerprints and background investigations for all new applicants.

Click Here to download City of Tempe Fingerprint Packet

If you are applying for a liquor license, we understand that you may have already submitted fingerprints to Arizona Department of Liquor. However, the City of Tempe Code requires that all applicants must submit fingerprints to Tempe Police.

Fingerprints may be obtained at any fingerprinting service company in the United States. Tempe Police Department offers fingerprint services to business license applicants free of charge. To check availability, please call Tempe PD Fingerprint Line at 480-858-2024. Please ensure you are following the proper procedure to submit the fingerprints. Refer to the City of Tempe Fingerprint Packet for further information.

Required items are as follows:

USDOJ FBI Fingerprint Card, FD258, blue and white in color.

$22 fingerprint fee (in the form of a cashier’s check or money order, made out to Arizona Dept of Public Safety) must be submitted with each person’s fingerprint card.

Licensing Fingerprint Form (this is on the first page of the fingerprint packet, and needs to be filled out by the fingerprint technician).

Enclose all items into a sealed envelope that can be mailed or dropped off to Tempe Police Department at the below address.

Mailed to:

Tempe Police Department

Attn: Licensing Unit

120 E. 5th St., Tempe, AZ 85281

Questions on fingerprinting? Please call 480-350-5300

Requirement to Renew Annually

Tempe Liquor Licenses expire annually by December 31. It is unlawful to operate a liquor establishment business in Tempe with an expired license.  Renewal applications must be filed before a license expires (NOTE: Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control renewal dates are different than City of Tempe.)

Requirement to Pay Taxes

Double check your Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT or sales tax) to stay on the tax payment schedule established with the Arizona Department of Revenue. You must submit your required filings on-time on the 20th of each month for the previous month's revenues.  You must also renew your Transaction Privilege Tax every year before January 1 . You can access your account online at AZTaxes.gov link here:

Requirement to Keep Contact Information Up to Date

If an owner's information changes, the licensee must contact Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control .  If there is a new owner being added to the license, then new fingerprints and a background check must be conducted by Tempe Police Dept.  There is no charge by Tempe Tax & License.  There will be a $22.00 fee for submitting new fingerprinting to Tempe Police for the background check. 

It is required that a special event liquor license application be submitted to the City of Tempe Special Events Office, for events where liquor will be sold or furnished.  A completed ADLLC form will also need to be submitted.

Step One: Complete Arizona Dept of Liquor License Control's Special Events Application

Step Two: Click Icon Below To Contact Tempe's Special Events Office

Events with liquor held on any ASU property must first start the process with ASU’s Risk Management Department.  Alcohol permits | Arizona State University (asu.edu)

"Our mission is to provide quality service to all Tempe taxpayers, and administer the tax code in a fair and equitable manner."