Liquor License (NYS SLA) — New York City

Overview

NYC restaurant alcohol licensing runs through the NY State Liquor Authority (SLA), applied via NY Business Express, with on-premises options including restaurant beer, restaurant wine, and restaurant liquor (full). Start 4–6 months ahead; approvals commonly take 3+ months.

Two Decisive Location Rules (check before signing a lease)

• 200-Foot Law: no on-premises liquor license within 200 ft, on the same street, of a school or place of worship (no SLA discretion). Beer/wine-only is exempt.
• 500-Foot Law: in NYC, a liquor license generally can't issue if there are 3+ existing on-premises liquor licenses within 500 ft, unless the SLA finds it in the public interest after a 500-Foot Hearing. Beer/wine-only is exempt.

Applicants must give the local Community Board 30 days' advance notice before filing, post notice at the premises within 10 days of filing, and publish in a newspaper. Use the SLA LAMP mapping tool to check distances.

What SpoonSeal tracks

The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.