Retail licensees in Pennsylvania are aware of the general rule that alcohol sales must occur on a premises that is licensed by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB).
Restaurant licenses, hotel licenses, and eating place retail dispenser licenses that want to sell liquor away from their licensed premises can apply for and obtain an off-premises catering permit to hold a catered function on otherwise unlicensed premises.
A catered function is defined as “the furnishing of food prepared on the premises or brought onto the premises already prepared in conjunction with alcoholic beverages for the accommodation of a person or an identifiable group of people, not the general public, who made arrangements for the function at least thirty days in advance.”
A Catering Permit allows a licensee to hold up to 52 functions per year at an unlicensed premises. The annual fee for the permit is $500.00.
Last week the PLCB announced that retail licensees can now apply for their 2022 Catering Permit. The deadline to apply for a Catering Permit is March 1st of each calendar year.
Some instances where your business may require a Catering Permit include off-site events like weddings, food and drink festivals, food truck stops and concerts. If you are uncertain whether you will need a Catering Permit, or if your event details are not yet finalized, it is still recommended to apply. Late applications after the March 1st deadline are generally not accepted and will carry additional fees.
