Licensing Board
We grant and regulate various types of alcohol and food licenses for restaurants, nightclubs, and other establishments in Boston.
What we do
Our board issues and regulates:
- alcohol and food
- hotels, inns, and lodging houses
- fraternities and dormitories
- billiards, pool and sippio tables, and bowling alleys
- fortune teller licenses within Boston
The Licensing Board also holds hearings about applications and violations. Hearings are typically held on Tuesdays (violations), Wednesdays (transactional), and Thursday's (voting). Learn more about the Licensing Board.
- Advisory regarding the smoking of tobacco products within a licensed premises. Read the advisory.
- Advisory regarding Duty of Licensees to notify and cooperate with Police issued April 19, 2024. Read the Advisory.
- Bottle Service: The Board has issued an Advisory regarding bottle service. Read the Advisory. Licensees may request Bottle Service with this application then submit it online.
- Alcohol Petition Online Form: For alcohol-related petitions and transactions, submit your application through the Licensing Board's new online form. You may email alcohol@boston.gov with questions. Please note: Do not submit renewal applications on this form.
- Non-Alcohol Online Form (New Licensees and Amendments): For Common Victualler, Fortune Teller, Bowling/Pool, and Changes to non-alcohol licenses, submit your application through the Licensing Board's new online portal. You may email LicensingBoard@boston.gov with questions. Please note: Do not submit renewal applications on this form.
Contact
-
1 City Hall Square
Room 809Boston, MA 02201-2035 -
Office hours by AppointmentMonday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Licensing Board information
The Licensing Board grants and regulates various types of alcohol and food licenses for restaurants, nightclubs, and other establishments in Boston.
Licensing Board informationApply for or make changes to a license
Renewals
- Please note: To completely submit your renewal application, you will be required to submit an application on the below application links and also submit payment online.
- Pay for your Alcohol, Package Store, Common Victualler, and Entertainment licenses online. The license number (for example, LB-###### or CAL-######) is located at the top right of your license or renewal application. Verify the total amount before paying! If submitting back-to-back payments, due to browser issues, a previous payment fee may appear again, you can select "remove fee" to remove the duplicate payment.
| License Type (Click for instructions) | Renewal Period | Online Renewal Form | Contact Email |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Victualler (No Alcohol) 2024 | October 1, 2023 - October 31, 2023 (Late fee: Double current bill start November 1st) | ||
| BYOB 2024 | October 1, 2023 - October 31, 2023 (Late fee: Double current bill start November 1st) | ||
| Innholder (No Liquor) 2024 | Nov. 1, 2023 - Nov. 31, 2023 (Late fee: $20/month) |
Innholder (No Liquor) Online Renewal Portal (Renewal applications will be mailed to you at the end of October) |
|
| Pool/Billiards 2024 | Nov. 1, 2023 - Nov. 31, 2023 (Late fee: $10/month) |
Pool/Billiards 2024 Online Renewal Portal (Renewal applications will be mailed to you at the end of October) |
|
| Lodging/Dormitory House 2024-2025 |
April 1, 2024 - April 30, 2025 (Late fee: $10/month) |
RenewLodging@boston.gov | |
| Entertainment 2024 |
November 1, 2023- December 15, 2023 (Late fee: $50/month) |
Entertainment Online Renewal Portal (Renewal applications will be mailed to you at the end of October) |
Entertainment@boston.gov |
| Fortune Teller 2024-2025 |
April 1, 2024 - April 30, 2024 (Late fee: $10/month) |
Email Renewal Application Application and Documents to LicensingBoard@Boston.Gov |
LicensingBoard@boston.gov |
If your licensed premise has any seats, the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) is requiring all licensees to get a valid Inspection Certificate. Invoices are mailed and emailed for the building permits two months before the expiration date.
If you need an invoice or to schedule an inspection, please contact your building inspector. There is a list online of all the inspectors' contact information, including phone and email. If you are having issues contacting your inspector, you can reach out the building supervisors. The best time to schedule an appointment for inspection is at 1010 Mass. Avenue (5th floor) at 8 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 4 p.m. when the inspectors are in the office.
Once your inspection has passed, send an email to the following people and they can send you a scanned copy of the updated Certificate:
Upcoming Hearing Dates
- May 1 (Transactional)
- May 1 (Voting at 1 p.m.)
- May 21 (Violation)
- May 22 (Transactional)
- May 23 (Voting)
- June 4 (Violation)
- June 5 (Transactional)
- June 6 (Voting)
- June 25 (Violation)
- June 26 (Transactional)
- June 26 (Voting) - 1 p.m.
- July 9 (Violation)
- July 10 (Transactional)
- July 11 (Voting)
- July 30 (Violation)
- July 31 (Transactional)
- August 1 (Voting)
- August 6 (Violation)
- August 7 (Transactional)
- August 8 (Voting)
- August 20 (Violation)
- August 21 (Transactional)
- August 22 (Voting )
- September 10 (Violation)
- September 11 (Transactional)
- September 12 (Voting)
- September 24 (Violation)
- September 25 (Transactional)
- October 1 (Violation)
- October 2 (Transactional)
- October 3 (Voting)
- October 29 (Violation)
- October 30 (Transactional)
- October 31 (Voting)
- November 12 (Violation)
- November 13 (Transactional)
- November 14 (Voting)
- December 10 (Violation)
- December 11 (Transactional)
- December 12 (Voting)
Resources
Resources
Contact
-
1 City Hall Square
Room 809Boston, MA 02201-2035 -
Office hours by AppointmentMonday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
