Liquor License FeedTennessee liquor license types, in plain words
What each ABC license or permit allows, in the statute's own words, with a note on who usually holds it. Every filing on the Tennessee page is labeled this way.
LBD Restaurant · LBD Limited Service · LBD Caterer · Retail Food Store Wine · Retail Package Store · LBD Hotel-Motel · LBD Wine Only · LBD Club · LBD Special Legislation
Restaurant, full bar (LBD Restaurant)
A restaurant liquor-by-the-drink license allows you to sell liquor, wine and high-gravity beer … for consumption on-premise.
A sit-down restaurant with at least 40 seats where meals are most of the sales.
Bar or small restaurant, full bar (LBD Limited Service)
A limited service restaurant Liquor-by-the-Drink license allows you to sell liquor, wine, and high-gravity beer … for on-premise consumption.
A bar, taproom or small place where drinks, not meals, are most of the sales.
Caterer or event hall, full bar (LBD Caterer)
A catering license allows you to sell liquor, wine, and high gravity beer at various locations
A caterer with its own catering hall, serving drinks at events.
Grocery or convenience store, wine to go (Retail Food Store Wine)
allows businesses such as grocery stores and convenience stores to sell wine for off-premises consumption.
A grocery, big-box or convenience store with at least 1,200 square feet of floor space.
Liquor store (Retail Package Store)
A Retail Package Store license allows you to sell liquor, wine and beer at a retail package store
A liquor store selling sealed bottles to go.
Hotel bar or restaurant (LBD Hotel-Motel)
A hotel-motel license allows you to sell alcohol, wine and high gravity beer in a hotel-motel
A hotel's bar, restaurant or room service.
Restaurant, wine and high-gravity beer only (LBD Wine Only)
A wine only restaurant license allows you to sell wine and high gravity beer at a restaurant
A restaurant pouring wine but no spirits.
Private club, full bar (LBD Club)
A private club license allows you to sell liquor, wine and high gravity beer on the premises of the club
A members' club, such as a country club or lodge.
Venue licensed by its own act (LBD Special Legislation)
may be issued to restaurants, hotels, private clubs, and other establishments that are eligible under Tennessee law.
An arena, theater, museum, resort or similar venue the legislature named in its own act.
Source: https://www.tn.gov/abc/licensing/liquor-by-the-drink-licenses.html, https://www.tn.gov/abc/licensing/retail-food-store-wine-license.html, https://www.tn.gov/abc/licensing/retail-package-store.html, checked 2026-11-04.
Selling to bars and restaurants in Tennessee? Get new Tennessee filings free every Monday, or see plans.