New York · NY · Food & drink
New York: Where can you buy liquor?
Private licensed stores
New York liquor is sold by privately owned liquor stores licensed by the State Liquor Authority; the state does not sell spirits.
A retail liquor store license allows sales for drinking off the premises. The licensee may not run any other business in the store beyond a short list of items such as ice, corkscrews and lottery tickets, which keeps liquor out of supermarkets. One person can hold only one such license.
Conditions
- One retail liquor store license per person
- No other business on the licensed premises, with listed exceptions
What the law says
Any person may make an application to the appropriate board for a seven day license to sell liquor at retail not to be consumed upon the premises where sold.
Sources
- N.Y. Alcoholic Beverage Control Law § 63 Official · nysenate.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- New York State Liquor Authority
- Phone
- 518-474-3114
- Website
- sla.ny.gov
How bordering states compare
- Connecticut Private licensed storesConnecticut issues package store permits to private stores to sell liquor; grocery stores get a separate beer permit.
- Massachusetts Private licensed storesMassachusetts liquor is sold by privately owned package stores licensed by cities and towns; the state does not buy or sell spirits.
- New Jersey Private licensed storesNew Jersey liquor is sold by privately owned stores holding a plenary retail distribution license; the state does not sell liquor.
- Pennsylvania Government-run storesPennsylvania sells bottled liquor in state-run Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores operated by the Liquor Control Board.
- Vermont Private agency storesVermont sells liquor only through 802Spirits agency stores: private businesses under contract with the state, selling state-owned liquor at state-set prices.