Tennessee: Where can you buy liquor?
Tennessee sells liquor through privately owned package stores licensed by the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
A retailer's license lets a private store sell spirits in sealed packages for use off the premises. Grocery stores can be licensed to sell wine, but spirits are sold under the package store license, and the law limits overlap between the two. The state does not buy or sell liquor itself.
What the law says
Any person, firm, or corporation desiring to sell alcoholic spirituous beverages, including beer and malt beverages, to patrons or customers, in sealed packages only, and not for consumption on the premises except for conducting tastings pursuant to § 57-3-404(h)(2), shall make application to the commission for a retailer's license, which application shall be in writing and verified, on forms herein authorized to be prescribed and furnished; and the commission may, subject to the restrictions of this chapter, issue such retailer's license.
Sources
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-204 (FindLaw) Mirror of official text · codes.findlaw.com
- Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission Official · tn.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission
- Phone
- 615-741-1602
- Website
- tn.gov
How bordering states compare
- Alabama State wholesale, private storesAlabama's ABC Board runs its own liquor stores and sells liquor at wholesale, and it also licenses private stores to sell liquor.
- Arkansas Private licensed storesArkansas issues permits to private retailers to sell liquor for off-premises drinking; the state does not sell liquor.
- Georgia Private licensed storesGeorgia licenses private retail package liquor stores to sell distilled spirits to consumers; the state does not sell liquor.
- Kentucky Private licensed storesKentucky licenses private package stores to sell distilled spirits; the state does not buy or sell liquor.
- Mississippi State wholesale, private storesMississippi is the only wholesaler of liquor, and privately owned package stores buy from the state and sell to the public.
- Missouri Private licensed storesMissouri licenses private businesses, including grocery stores, drug stores and general merchandise stores, to sell bottled liquor.
- North Carolina Government-run storesNorth Carolina sells liquor only in ABC stores run by local government ABC boards.
- Virginia Government-run storesVirginia sells liquor only in state-run Virginia ABC stores; private stores may sell beer and wine but not spirits.