Licenses to sell alcohol fall into these major categories:

• Sales-by-Drink: These licenses are issued to retail establishments that primarily serve alcohol by-the-drink. Taverns and restaurants are typical liquor-by-the-drink license holders.
• Sales-by-Package: These licenses are issued to retail establishments that sell alcohol in the original package. Grocery stores and convenience stores are typical holders. Without a tasting license, alcohol cannot be consumed on the premises where package liquor is sold.
• Wholesaler: Wholesalers sell to retail liquor-by-the-drink and liquor-by-the-package license holders. Retailers may not purchase alcoholic beverages from any source other than a wholesaler (Costco & Sam’s Club are not liquor wholesalers) licensed by the City of Kansas City, MO.
• Manufacturer: Manufacturers make alcoholic beverages from original ingredients. In Kansas City, these include brewers of beer, distilleries, and wineries.

There are different classifications of liquor licenses and each classification is granted certain operating privileges. However, all classifications require certain standards be met to remain within their classification. Here are the classifications:

• Bar-restaurant – Means an establishment having a restaurant or similar facility on the premises which derives 30 percent or more of its annual gross sales from the sale of prepared meals and food made for immediate consumption as compared to the annual gross sales of alcoholic beverages sold for immediate consumption. For the purposes of determining whether an establishment qualifies as a bar-restaurant under the provisions of this chapter and calculating the amount and percentage of annual gross sales from the sale of prepared meals and food, any nonalcoholic components mixed or served in any alcoholic beverage shall be considered to be part of the alcoholic beverage and shall not be considered to be prepared meals and food.
• Caterer – means any establishment whose primary business is the preparation of food and drinks for consumption away from the licensed premises. A caterer must derive 50 percent or more of its annual gross sales from the sale of prepared meals and food consumed at other approved premises. For the purposes of determining whether an establishment qualifies as a caterer under the provisions of this chapter and calculating the amount and percentage of annual gross sales from the sale of prepared meals and food, any nonalcoholic components mixed or served in any alcoholic beverage shall be considered to be part of the alcoholic beverage and shall not be considered to be prepared meals and food.
• Concert venue – Means any establishment used for the presentation of live musical performances, pre-advertised to the public including pre-event tickets sales available through third party ticket vendors, and where total ticket sales exceed $100,000.00 per year.
• Convention hotel or motel – Means any hotel or motel containing not less than 100 transient guestrooms, having a meeting room or similar facility with a seating capacity of not less than 50 persons and having a restaurant on the premises.
• Grocery store – Means a retail business occupying a space that is at least 15,000 square feet, that primarily stocks a range of everyday items which includes but is not limited to groceries, snack foods, confectionery, toiletries, soft drinks, tobacco products, personal electronics, home essentials, and clothing, that derives at least 70 percent of its sales from products other than liquor.
• Microbrewery – Means a business whose activity is the brewing and selling of beer, with an annual production of 10,000 barrels or less.
• Package Liquor Business – A package liquor retailer sells alcohol in the original package to go. Businesses that sell package liquor include large retail grocery stores, convenience stores, variety stores, cigar and tobacco stores and smaller convenience stores that primarily sell package liquor. Without a tasting license, alcohol cannot be consumed on the premises where purchased. If all ordinance requirements are met, a business with a liquor-by-the-package license may apply for and be granted a Sunday license.
• Tavern – Means any licensed premises that sells liquor by the drink which derives more than 30 percent of its annual gross sales from alcoholic beverages.

There are two options:

1. Obtain the services of a caterer – Contact a any business that has a sales-by-drink license (bar-restaurant, caterer, tavern) that are located in Kansas City, Missouri. A sales-by-drink license holder is permitted to obtain a temporary catering license which allows them to sell alcohol at your event.
2. Obtain a non-profit special event license – If your organization is a church, school or civic, service, fraternal, veteran, political or charitable club or organization, you can obtain a license to sell beer and/or light wine.

Probably, but it depends on the following:

1. It is unlawful for any person to directly participate in the retail sale, delivery or dispensation of alcoholic beverages unless they hold a valid employee liquor permit issued by Regulated Industries Division. The term "directly participate in the retail sale, delivery or dispensation of alcoholic beverages," includes delivering, taking orders for, accepting payment for, mixing, serving or assisting in mixing or serving alcoholic beverages, but shall not apply to the preparation or mixing of samples for the purposes of conducting wine, beer or distilled spirit tastings, or any combination thereof. It is unlawful for any person to act in the capacity of but not limited to, bar manager, bartender, waiter, waitress, cashier, sales clerk, doorman, or other person responsible for checking identification cards to determine age unless the person holds a valid employee liquor permit.
2. A person is not required to hold a valid employee liquor permit if:
   (a) They directly participate in the delivery or dispensation of alcoholic beverages during a permitted non-profit event.
   (b) They directly participate in the delivery or dispensation of alcoholic beverages for a banquet that is located outside of a bar-restaurant or tavern space within a convention hotel or motel.
   (c) They directly participate in the delivery or dispensation of alcoholic beverages at a sports stadium which is primarily used for professional sporting events or at an arena used primarily for concerts and collegiate or professional sporting events.

Any person 21 years or older who qualifies after completing a criminal record check can obtain an employee liquor permit. A person who is 18 years or older who qualifies after completing a criminal record check can obtain an employee liquor permit to sell or serve alcohol on a limited basis.

City ordinances regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages include provisions so that property owners who are identified as eligible neighbors can vote on whether or not they support or oppose the issuance of a license, when applicable. Eligible neighbors include the owners of a minimum of 15 eligible property parcels that are wholly within or intersected by a radius of 250 feet from the proposed premises. For any premises that does not either intersect or include the boundaries of a minimum of 15 eligible property parcels within a radius of 250 feet, the radius is increased by segments of 100 feet not to exceed 1,500 feet until the premises is intersected by or within the boundaries of a minimum of 15 eligible property parcels. Regardless of how many parcels an individual may control or own, any individual real person may only submit one written response to the director and only one parcel owned or controlled by an individual shall be considered eligible. Learn more about this process.

The Regulated Industries Division provides applications and checklists for these licenses. These forms contain a complete list of all documents and tasks that are required by an applicant to receive each type of liquor license. The application fee schedule is also accessible. Application fees are non-refundable in the event an application is denied or if the applicant decides not to continue pursuit of a license.

At any given time there are 30-40 active applications being processed at the Regulated Industries Division. You can view the pending applications for licenses list on the Regulated Industries website, along with a brief summary of their current status.

Contact Regulated Industries at (816) 513-4561.