Disclosure: I run PourWire, which turns state liquor license and building permit filings into a daily list of restaurants and bars that are about to open. The numbers below come from that pipeline plus the states' own open data. The CSV is public under CC BY 4.0.

The question "how long does a liquor license take" has a different answer in every state, and most answers online are guesses. Here is what the filings say as of October 2026.

The short answer

Where Agency Typical time Measured on

Texas (5 metros) TABC median 24 days from submission to issue (middle half 18 to 34) 144 MB and BG applications filed since June 2026

New York City NY State Liquor Authority applications pending a median of 118 days (middle half 62 to 212); 32% over 6 months 920 restaurant and bar applications pending in the five boroughs

Los Angeles County California ABC median 67 days from application to issue (middle half 54 to 72) 23 issued type 41, 47 and 48 licenses filed since July 2026

How it was measured

Texas.…