This guide from Mesadale Advances in Eagle Pass, Texas summarizes TABC's published steps for beer and wine permits. TABC decides every application; confirm current rules and fees with TABC before applying.
TABC Beer and Wine License Types for Eagle Pass, TX Restaurants and Stores
TABC's TABC license and permit types page lists several retail permits and licenses that cover beer and wine. In TABC's words:
- Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer's Permit (BG): authorizes the sale of wine and malt beverages for on- and off-premise consumption; restaurants serving beer and wine without spirits commonly look at this one.
- Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer's Off-Premise Permit (BQ): authorizes the sale of malt beverages and wine for off-premise consumption, the store-side counterpart.
- Retail Dealer's On-Premise License (BE): malt beverages for on-premise consumption.
- Retail Dealer's Off-Premise License (BF): malt beverages for off-premise consumption.
- Food and Beverage Certificate (FB): a subordinate certificate some permit holders need, tied to food service or the share of revenue from alcohol.
Which one fits depends on what you sell, whether customers drink on site, and the local option status of the address. TABC staff can confirm the right type.
Do You Need a TABC License to Sell Beer in Eagle Pass, TX?
Selling beer in Texas requires a TABC license or permit for that location. Whether a given type can be issued at an address depends on local option elections: TABC explains that voters in counties, cities or justice of the peace precincts decide which alcoholic beverages may be sold in their area. The certification step described below confirms the status of your address.
How to Apply for a Beer and Wine Permit From Eagle Pass, TX in AIMS
TABC directs new applicants to its Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS), which lists everything an application needs and lets you save your work. Paper forms remain available but, per TABC, take considerably longer. TABC's new-license page outlines the path:
- Complete AIMS onboarding and create an account.
- Choose the alcohol industry tier; a restaurant or store is a retailer.
- Register the business with the Texas Secretary of State and the Texas Comptroller.
- Get the required signs.
- Complete the application and obtain the city, county and state certifications, plus the public notice and publisher's affidavit where they apply.
- Submit the complete, signed and notarized application.
Paper applicants use the Initial Application (Form L-IA) and Required Certifications (Form L-CERT), along with business entity and personal history forms.
City Secretary and County Clerk Certifications for a Maverick County, TX Location
TABC's Required Certifications form (L-CERT) asks local officials to certify the location. For on-premise permits such as BG and BE, the city secretary certifies that the address is in a "wet" area for that permit and inside the city's boundaries; for a location outside city limits, the county clerk signs. The form cites a 30-day window for officials to certify after a request.
A business inside the Eagle Pass, TX city limits would start with the city secretary; one elsewhere in Maverick County, TX with the county clerk, whose office is listed on the Maverick County website. Confirm the office and any local fee before you go.
TABC Beer and Wine License Cost for Maverick County, TX Owners
The cost of a permit has several parts: the state fee shown on TABC's License and Permit Fees Chart, any local fee your city or county charges, and costs such as the public notice, a surety bond where required, signs and seller-server training for staff. TABC's renewal page notes that local fees are separate from the state fee.
Check the current fees chart on TABC's site rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere, since fees differ by permit type and change over time.
Renewing a TABC Permit From Eagle Pass, TX and Paying Local Fees
TABC handles renewals in AIMS. According to TABC, a business may renew up to 30 days before the expiration date, or up to 30 days after it with a late fee; after that window an original application is required. A business must stop licensed activities after expiration unless a renewal with fees is pending.
TABC also says renewal cannot go through until local fees and taxes are paid, and suggests contacting the local tax assessor-collector before renewing. Put both dates on the calendar a month ahead.
Funding the Costs Around a New Beer and Wine Permit in Eagle Pass, TX
The permit itself is paid for out of pocket, but the purchases around it often are not: a reach-in or walk-in cooler, a bar counter, glassware, a point-of-sale update and the first stock order. Equipment financing covers coolers and counters; a line of credit or working capital can carry the first orders. A kitchen with steady card sales can also weigh an advance, which is not a loan.
The restaurant loans page covers the rest of a kitchen's funding questions.
By Mesadale Advances · Updated