Ohio Liquor Permit Renewals Due Soon

Depending on which Ohio county your liquor permit business is located in, your liquor permit may be due for renewal soon. The Ohio Division of Liquor has a map showing which counties are in which renewal cycle - here is a link to the map.

February renewals for Ohio retail liquor permits in Central and Eastern Ohio counties are now open and must be filed via the Ohio Permitting and Licensing ("OPAL") portal.  Please remember that while your permit may expire on February 1st, to avoid a 10% late filing penalty, February renewals need to be submitted no later than January 20th, 2026. If you do not already have access to your OPAL permit file, you should do so in advance as the process can take a few days.

The Ohio Division of Liquor Control is no longer mailing hard copy permits; instead, all Ohio liquor permits will be made available online via the Ohio Permitting and Licensing ("OPAL") portal.  

Upon renewing your permit, you may receive either an Authority to Operate (ATO) (which is to be treated like a traditional Ohio liquor permit certificate, to be printed and posted at location), a Tax Non-Renewal Order that takes effect on 2/2 if any outstanding taxes are not resolved before then, or a No Ability to Sell receipt if your permit is in safekeeping/closing at the time of filing the renewal. If you receive an ATO,  the ATO will allow Ohio liquor permit holders to continue to sell until the expiration date or otherwise notified by the Division of Liquor Control. 

For more information on how to file a permit renewal in OPAL and to see important dates regarding February permit renewals, please review the Ohio Division of Liquor Control's Permit Renewal Guide - Renewal Guide | Ohio Department of Commerce.