You open the mail, or check AIMS, and your TABC license expired last week. Don’t panic, but don’t wait either. An expired license changes what your business can legally do, and the clock on your options is short. Here’s what happens if your TABC license expires and how to recover.
Short answer: If your TABC license expires, you must stop licensed activities, including selling alcohol, unless your renewal and fees are already pending with TABC. You can still renew up to 30 days after expiration by paying a late fee. After 30 days, you can’t renew. You must file a brand-new original application.
What Changes the Day Your License Expires
Your license lasts two years and expires on its second anniversary. When that date passes, your authority to sell alcohol ends with it. A business may not use the privileges of a license after it expires.
In practical terms:
- Alcohol sales stop. Selling after expiration means selling without a license.
- The business can stay open for food, retail, or other non-alcohol sales.
- The clock starts. You have a short window to fix it.
The one exception is a renewal application that’s already pending with TABC, with fees paid. In that case, you may continue licensed activities while it processes.
Your Options by Timing
These windows come from TABC’s renewal rules.
| When You Act | What You Can Do |
|---|---|
| Before expiration | Renew normally in AIMS, up to 30 days ahead |
| 1 to 30 days after expiration | File a late renewal with a late fee, and stop licensed activities until it’s pending |
| More than 30 days after expiration | You can’t renew. File a new original application |
What Happens During the 30-Day Grace Period
The grace period isn’t a free pass. You can renew, but you pay a late fee on every license and add-on you hold. If you carry a Mixed Beverage Permit plus a Late Hours Certificate and a Food and Beverage Certificate, each one carries its own late fee.
Meanwhile, you can’t sell alcohol until your renewal is pending. Every day of delay is a day without bar revenue, and most bars can’t afford many of those.
What Happens After 30 Days
Once the 30-day window closes, your license is effectively gone. TABC won’t accept a renewal. You must start over with an original application, and that means:
- New local certifications from your city and county
- A new filing through AIMS
- A review period of roughly 60 to 90 days
- The 60-day public notice sign, unless your location qualifies for an exemption
TABC doesn’t require the sign if the location held an on-premises license within the previous two years. A recently expired license may help here, but confirm it before you count on it. Where county permits apply, you may need to reapply locally too.
The Legal Risk of Selling on an Expired License
Selling alcohol without a valid license violates the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. TABC has stated the penalty can reach up to one year in jail and a fine between $100 and $1,000. On top of that, TABC can seize the alcohol itself.
Beyond the penalties, an unlicensed sale can complicate your standing when you reapply. Don’t gamble on a quiet weekend.
What to Do Right Now If Your License Expired
- Stop selling alcohol. Do this immediately, even if it hurts.
- Check the date. Confirm exactly how many days have passed.
- Pay any local fees and taxes. TABC can’t process a renewal until you do.
- Log in to AIMS and file the renewal, selecting every add-on certificate.
- Pay the renewal and late fees.
- Call TABC if you’re near day 30. Ask what you can still do.
- Resume sales only when your renewal is pending or approved.
Our full guide on how to renew a TABC license walks through each AIMS step.
If You Missed the 30-Day Window
You have to file an original application. It’s frustrating, but it’s fixable. Our Alcohol License Acquisition service handles the full process, from local certifications to the AIMS filing, to get you back to selling as quickly as the rules allow. TABC’s sign requirements page explains the notice rules you may face.
How to Never Let It Happen Again
- Put the expiration date on a shared calendar
- Assign two people to track it
- Start renewal as soon as the 30-day window opens
- Pay local fees early
- Renew every add-on certificate at the same time
- Keep your bond current
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my TABC license expires?
You must stop licensed activities, including alcohol sales, unless your renewal and fees are already pending.
Can I renew an expired TABC license?
Yes, for up to 30 calendar days after expiration, with a late fee.
What if my TABC license expired more than 30 days ago?
You can’t renew. You must file a new original application.
Can I still sell alcohol after my license expires?
No, not unless your renewal application and fees are already pending with TABC.
Is there a late fee?
Yes, and it applies to each license or add-on you renew late.
Can my business stay open without alcohol?
Yes. You can keep operating for non-alcohol sales while you fix the license.
Will I need a new 60-day sign?
Possibly. TABC exempts locations licensed for on-premises consumption within the previous two years, so confirm your situation.
What are the penalties for selling on an expired license?
Up to one year in jail and a fine between $100 and $1,000, plus seizure of the alcohol.
An expired TABC license ends your right to sell alcohol the same day. You have 30 days to renew with a late fee, and after that you start over. Acting fast, and building a renewal system so it never happens again, protects your revenue.
License already expired? Schedule a free consultation with Texas Alcohol Consulting and our TABC Licensing team will get you back on track.