Governor Hochul Signs Temporary Permit Legislation

Governor Hochul signed two bills into law this month that will help on-premises applicants navigate the process of getting – and staying open. The new laws extend eligibility for temporary permits to applicants for locations in New York City and doubles the duration of temporary permits from 90 to 180 days (at the same cost) helping business open more quickly and reducing the paperwork to remain open during the application review process.

With the liquor license application process typically taking 6 – 9 months, obtaining and maintaining a temporary permit is essential to the success of a new restaurant, tavern, or bar. But applicants in New York City subject to the 500-foot law that had not been licensed within the past two years were ineligible for a temporary permit until now. When temporary permits were first created by the legislature, a 90-day duration was adequate to cover the time required for the State Liquor Authority to review an application. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. Extending the duration of a permit to 180-days will reduce the paperwork for applicants and eliminate a headache during this challenging period for a new business. These changes will allow businesses to open faster, put people to work sooner, and to contribute to the economy while awaiting the Liquor Authority’s action on their pending applications.