- Agency
- Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, plus the local liquor office for the city or county
- Paperwork
- A new license application by the buyer, or a change of ownership filing when the owners of a licensed company change
- The clock
- Start before the sale date, since review can take weeks and the new owner generally cannot serve until the license is in place
Watch for: Closing on a bar with a plan to keep serving under the old license. State law treats licenses as personal to the licensee, with only narrow exceptions.
The general rule
Missouri's liquor law says licenses are not transferable or assignable except in the cases the law lists. Those exceptions are narrow, such as a licensee who has died or partners who continue after one leaves.
A buyer of a restaurant or bar should therefore expect to apply for their own license instead of taking over yours.
Who handles what
The state agency is the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Cities and counties also license liquor sales, so there is usually a local application as well. The local office depends on where the business sits.
Because the local rules differ between the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County and other towns, ask the local office what it requires and how long it takes.
Selling shares of a licensed company
When the owners of a licensed corporation or LLC change, the Division has a separate checklist for a change of entity ownership. It uses its own form and fee schedule.
This path differs from a sale of assets to a new company. Your attorney can tell you which one fits your deal, and the answer often depends on whether the buyer is taking the entity or only the business assets.
Plan the timeline
One licensing guide estimates the process can take 60 to 90 days. Treat that as a rough guide and confirm with the offices. Your sale agreement should address what happens if the license is not ready on the closing date.
Some buyers and sellers use a short transition arrangement while the application is pending. This is a legal question, so ask your attorney before you try it.
Health permits and other approvals
Food permits also tend to require the new owner's application, and local health departments set their own timing. Confirm with the office that covers your location before you set a closing date.
Items for the sale agreement
- Closing conditional on the buyer receiving its license
- Who pays application fees
- What the seller does with inventory if closing is delayed
- Who cancels the seller's own license after closing
Related steps
Lease approval often runs alongside licensing, as covered in our page on selling a restaurant, bar or taproom. State sales tax is a separate matter in tax clearance and successor liability. Then see what your company is worth.
This page is general information and not tax or legal advice. Confirm the process and timing with your attorney, the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and your local liquor office.