Liquor Licensing

  1. New  Licenses & Transfers
  2. Renew   License
  3. Modify  License
  4. Additional Permits
  5. Important Information and Links

Applying for a New License

There are both State and local fees associated with a new license application. These include a license fee, which is based on the type of license being applied for as well as an application fee. The State fees can be found on the first page of the application, while the local license fees can be found on the City of Aspen's liquor license fee schedule (PDF). Please note that the State has two new application fees based on the type of review. The application fee labeled "with concurrent review" allows the City Clerk to submit the application to the State before the Local Licensing Authority's hearing has taken place. This can slightly speed up the overall review process. 

Applications to transfer an existing liquor license to a new entity must be submitted to the City Clerk at least thirty (30) days before a public hearing can be held with the Local Licensing Authority (LLA). The LLA meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 9:00am in City Council Chambers. In addition to this timeframe the State usually takes between sixty (60) and ninety (90) days to process license transfer applications. 

The process to transfer an existing license is very similar to applying for a new license. To apply, the transferee must complete form DR 8404 (PDF) and submit it to the City Clerk along with all relative supporting documents. Please refer to the above section on new license applications for more information on these supporting documents and the related fees. Please note that applicants for a license transfer are not required to submit the Local License Petition. 

Temporary Permits

Once an application to transfer an existing license has been submitted to the City Clerk, the transferee may apply for a temporary permit in order to continue service under the existing license type while the transfer application is being processed by the local and State authorities. The initial temporary permit is valid for one hundred and twenty (120) days, but can be extended another sixty (60) days under certain circumstances. There is a $100 fee, payable to the City of Aspen, for a temporary permit. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Clerk's office at (970) 429-2687 or email mike.sear@aspen.gov