Florida Liquor Laws
Florida liquor license laws in relation to schools
Like other states, Florida has very strict laws and regulations which prohibit underage intake of alcohol or any liquor. It also prohibits the sale of alcohol in schools as well as the sale of liquor to anyone under 21 years of age. A vendor has to get a special permit from the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, in order to sell liquor. This condition assures that no minors are able to purchase alcohol. Many municipalities and counties also restrict the sale of alcohol near school property.
A liquor license is a permit which allows the vendor to sell liquor in Florida. The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco issues all permits. All providers or vendors of alcoholic beverages for any public location must acquire a permit to sell beer, wine or other liquor. In Florida, public schools are not eligible to apply for a liquor permit, even for private events. This clearly implies that public schools have no right or permission to serve alcohol on the school premises. However, vendors on a college campus can acquire a liquor license if that college permits the consumption of alcohol on campus and if the vendor can prove that he/she takes necessary precautions to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors. In the state of Florida, selling liquor near a public school is a risky business because vendors have to take care to ensure that they do not supply liquor to minors. It is unlawful to supply or sell liquor to a person under 21, even if that person is in the presence of a legal guardian or parent. The penalty for providing liquor to minors is $1000 for a first offense as well as suspension of the permit for seven days. The fine is increased to $3000 and permit suspension for thirty days for the second offense and if there is a third offense, the state of Florida may revoke the vendor’s liquor license altogether.
It is essential to maintain some sort of physical separation between schools and areas where liquor is sold. Zoning restrictions and local planning regulations provide local communities with controls over school areas adjacent to liquor outlets. Although there is no overall Florida state law that prohibits the sale of alcohol near schools, most municipalities and counties in Florida have formed their own individual legislation's to prevent this. Check with the local liquor licensing authorities to find out about more about their restrictions.
