For those who applied for a quota license from August through September of 2021, the wait is finally almost over. Florida’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (DABT) will hold a public drawing to determine the entrants from the 2021 entry period who will be considered for available licenses.
Notably, this public drawing is limited to entrants from the following counties: Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia.
Details of the public drawing
The public drawing will take place on Tuesday, June 21st, 2022 at 9:00 AM in Tallahassee. While the physical location will remain closed to the public, those interested can watch the drawing live by registering for a webinar. This will be limited to the first 3,000 people who register.
The drawing will take place by double random selection. Prior to the drawing, a law enforcement officer will be present to verify the selected seed numbers. The computer program for the Quota Alcoholic Beverage License will produce a list of winners following the drawing.
After the drawing
After the list of winners is verified, the list will be made public and each winner will be made aware through a certified letter, mailed to them within five days of the drawing. These letters will also inform the winners of any other requirements they need to complete. Applications must then be completed and filed within 45 days.
What is a quota license?
Quota licenses are some of the most highly desirable licenses in Florida. They permit businesses to sell beer, wine and spirits. Quota licenses are required for nightclubs and bars that sell liquor but not food. While hopeful business owners can obtain a quota license through buying an existing license, this can prove to be extremely costly.
For this reason, the quota license lottery is popular – even if winning might be challenging due to the sheer number of applicants compared to licenses issued. The 2022 application period opens August 15, 2022. Those with questions on how to apply for a quota license or how to proceed after winning a quota license should speak with an experienced alcoholic beverage law attorney.