How Much Is a Liquor License in Texas? 2026 Fees + Bonds
A Texas mixed beverage permit is $5,300 for two years. Every TABC on-premise fee, the local fees most guides get wrong, and the up-to-three bonds a bar posts.
Texas TABC Surety Bond
TABC conduct surety bonds,
TABC conduct surety bonds,
issued same day for bars and clubs.
The $5,000 conduct bond — $10,000 within 1,000 feet of a public school — for Mixed Beverage, Private Club, and beer & wine permits. Premium typically 1–3% annually on standard credit. Bond issued on TABC's form, ready for AIMS the same day.
- MB, N, NB, BG and BE permits
- $2,000 performance bond for Harris County beer & wine bars
- AIMS filing same day
What it is
The bond TABC requires before granting an alcohol permit.
The TABC conduct surety bond is a guarantee you file with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission when you apply for an on-premise alcohol permit. In it, you — the principal — promise the State of Texas, the obligee, that you "will not violate a law of the state relating to alcoholic beverages or a rule of the commission." The surety backs that promise with money.
The bond is $5,000, or $10,000 if your business is within 1,000 feet of a public school's property line (Alcoholic Beverage Code §11.11 for permits, §61.13 for the BE license). It is filed on TABC Form L-2-60.2, payable to the State of Texas at Austin, Travis County. A certificate of deposit or a bank letter of credit can stand in for all or part of it.
Restaurants with a Food and Beverage Certificate are exempt. The statute says the conduct bond "does not apply to the holder of a food and beverage certificate." If you apply for the certificate along with your permit, TABC waives the bond — and requires it if the certificate is denied.
Mixed beverage taxes are a separate matter handled by the Texas Comptroller, not TABC. Mixed beverage and private club permittees post two Comptroller bonds — gross receipts tax and mixed beverage sales tax — whether or not they hold a Food and Beverage Certificate. See Texas mixed beverage tax bonds. Planning the whole permit? Read how much a Texas liquor license costs.
Which bonds you need
Bonds by permit type.
| Your permit | TABC conduct bond | Comptroller tax bonds |
|---|---|---|
| MB — Mixed Beverage (bar) | $5,000 / $10,000 | Two — 67-102 + 67-105 |
| MB with Food & Beverage Certificate (restaurant) | Exempt | Two — 67-102 + 67-105 |
| N / NB — Private Club | $5,000 / $10,000 (exempt with FB) | Two — 67-102 + 67-105 |
| BG — Wine & Malt Beverage Retailer | $5,000 / $10,000 (exempt with FB) | None |
| BE — Beer Retailer On-Premise | $5,000 / $10,000 (exempt with FB) | None |
| P — Package Store | $10,000 only within 1,000 ft of a public school | None |
$10,000 applies within 1,000 feet of a public school's property line. Premium on a $5,000 conduct bond typically runs $100–$150 a year for standard credit.
Beer and wine bars in Harris, Bexar, Dallas and Tarrant counties also post a separate performance bond if they do not hold a Food and Beverage Certificate: $2,000 for the first bond, $4,000 after a forfeiture, then $6,000 (16 TAC §33.42). It is forfeited on the first suspension. We write both.
How to get bonded
Four steps, TABC-filed same day.
- 01
Identify permit & bond
Tell us the TABC permit type (MB, N, NB, BG, BE) and whether you are within 1,000 feet of a public school. We confirm the bond amount — $5,000 or $10,000.
- 02
Quote & sign
Soft credit pull. Exact premium quoted, electronic application and indemnity agreement.
- 03
Pay & issue
Credit card or ACH. Bond executed same day, sealed and ready to file.
- 04
AIMS upload
We help you upload the bond to TABC's Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS) as part of your permit application or renewal.
Legal requirements
Statute, agency, bond term.
Statute
Alcoholic Beverage Code §11.11 (permits) and §61.13 (BE license). Bond rules in 16 TAC §33.40–§33.41; Harris/Bexar/Dallas/Tarrant performance bond in §33.42. Food and Beverage Certificate exemption in §§25.13(f), 28.18(f), 32.23(f) and 69.16.
Issuing agency
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). Bond filed on Form L-2-60.2, usually with your application in AIMS.
Bond amount
$5,000, or $10,000 within 1,000 feet of a public school's property line. Each permit needs its own bond.
Term
Continuous until cancelled. Exemption after three years without a revocation, judged when TABC receives your second renewal application (§11.11(e); 16 TAC §33.41(d)). The surety may cancel on 30 days' notice; without a replacement, the permit terminates (§11.71).
Who can claim
The State of Texas, through TABC. Forfeiture on cancellation or three final violations before the exemption date; suits are brought in Travis County (§11.70).
Why Surety Bond Houston
Every on-premise permit, every credit tier, same day.
We know AIMS
TABC's online permitting system. We walk first-time applicants through bond upload and resubmission if TABC kicks anything back.
All three bar bonds
The TABC conduct bond plus both Comptroller mixed beverage tax bonds — one agency for the whole set, on the exact forms each agency requires.
Every credit tier
Preferred pricing for 700+ credit. Specialty markets for sub-620, past bankruptcies, and restaurant owners with complex financials.
Related bonds
Other license bonds we write for hospitality.
FAQ
TABC bond questions we hear weekly.
Which TABC permits require a conduct surety bond?
Under Alcoholic Beverage Code §11.11 and §61.13, the conduct bond is required of Mixed Beverage (MB), Private Club (N, NB), Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer's (BG) and Retail Dealer's On-Premise (BE) holders. The amount is $5,000, or $10,000 if the business is within 1,000 feet of a public school. Package store (P), wine-only (Q) and BQ permits post a $10,000 bond only when they are within 1,000 feet of a public school. Wholesalers and distributors do not post a conduct bond.
Does a restaurant with a Food and Beverage Certificate need the TABC bond?
No. The conduct bond law "does not apply to the holder of a food and beverage certificate" (Alcoholic Beverage Code §§25.13(f), 28.18(f), 32.23(f), 69.16). TABC Form L-2-60.2 waives the bond when you apply for the certificate with your permit, but requires it if the certificate is denied. A mixed beverage restaurant with the certificate still posts the two Comptroller mixed beverage tax bonds.
How much does a TABC bond cost?
Premium runs 1–3% of the bond amount annually for standard credit. A $5,000 Mixed Beverage conduct bond typically costs $100–$250 per year. Credit under 620 priced 3–7%.
Is the TABC bond the same as the mixed beverage tax bond?
No. The TABC conduct bond guarantees the licensee will follow the Alcoholic Beverage Code — no selling to minors, no sales during prohibited hours. Mixed beverage and private club permittees also post two separate tax bonds with the Texas Comptroller, not TABC: one for the mixed beverage gross receipts tax (Form 67-102) and one for the mixed beverage sales tax (Form 67-105), under Tax Code Chapters 151 and 183. We write all three; see our mixed beverage tax bond page for the Comptroller pair.
How long does the TABC bond last?
The bond is continuous — it stays in force through your permit renewals until it is cancelled or you qualify for an exemption. Under §11.11(e) and 16 TAC §33.41(d), you can drop it once you have held the permit three years or more, operated continuously at the location for three years, and had no permit revoked in the past five years. TABC checks this when it receives your second renewal application, so most holders carry the bond for about four years. Release is on request, not automatic.
How fast can I get a TABC bond?
Same-day for standard credit. A $5,000 or $10,000 conduct bond underwrites quickly. We issue the bond on TABC's form the same business day so you can submit it with your application in TABC's Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS).
What happens if a claim is filed against my TABC bond?
The bond is forfeited if your permit is cancelled, or once you have three final violations before your exemption date — warnings count toward the three (16 TAC §33.41(e)). TABC then tells the surety to pay the full bond amount within ten days. The surety pays and collects the money back from you.
Ready when you are
Get your TABC bond today.
On TABC's form, AIMS-ready, same day. Talk to a real Texas agent.