[City of Bloomington, Illinois] BYOB-2 Liquor License Application 12/2025

BYOB-2 LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION

BRING YOUR OWN BEVERAGE - NON-RESTAURANT/COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE

This application should only be submitted by businesses that are not restaurants and do not currently have a City liquor license. It allows those businesses to let customers who are 21 or older bring their own alcohol and drink it on the premises, subject to conditions provided in § 6-112A(2) of the Bloomington City Code.

License Term: May 1st – April 30th of each year

Qualifications & Conditions

To qualify for a BYOB-2 Liquor License, applicants must meet/adhere to the following:

Alcohol may be served complimentarily to patrons age 21+, meaning it is provided free of charge under the rules below and per § 6-112A(2)(b).
Alcohol service must be tied to the purchase or consumption (or potential purchase/consumption) of the business’s regular goods or services.
Each patron is limited to one of the following: (1) 750 mL of wine; (2) 36 oz of beer; or (3) 3 oz of spirits.
Alcohol service is restricted to the licensed premises only.
The business must have a maximum occupancy of 50 patrons.
Licensees may provide glassware, ice, and may uncork, pour, or serve alcohol.
Staff serving alcohol or checking IDs must be trained per state and local law.
Applicants must submit a bond and insurance certificate showing dram shop or equivalent liability coverage.
Underage possession or consumption (under 21) is strictly prohibited.
Video gaming is not permitted on BYOB-2 licensed premises.

Required Documents for Submission

The following documents must be attached to your application submission:

Certificate of Liquor Liability Insurance -- To be accepted, your Certificate of Liquor Liability Insurance (not the policy declarations page) must include all of the following:
- Insured Name — The applicant’s name must be listed as the insured. If the applicant is a corporation, the corporation’s legal name must appear here.
- DBA/Assumed Name (if applicable) — If the name you plan to use for your business is different from your legal business name, you must register that name with either the State of Illinois or McLean County.
- Establishment Address — The address of the location where alcohol will be consumed must be listed.
- Coverage Dates & Limits — The certificate must show the start and end dates of coverage as well as coverage limits (dictated by the State of IL Liquor Control Commission).
- BYOB Statement — A statement indicating that BYOB is covered for the premises (can be included in the “Description of Operations” box).
- Additional Insured — The City of Bloomington must be listed as an Additional Insured (can be included in the “Description of Operations” box).
- - Please ensure the phrase “only when required by written contract” or similar is not included as the license application is not considered a contract between the City and the applicant.
- Certificate Holder — The following must be listed in the Certificate Holder section (bottom left of the form):
- - City of Bloomington, 115 E. Washington St., Bloomington, IL 61701
$2,000 Bond – To be accepted, the bond must include all of the following details:
- Applicant Name — The applicant’s name must be listed. If the applicant is a corporation, the corporation’s legal name must appear here.
- Business Address — The address of the establishment or entity.
- Bond Amount — Must be in the amount of $2,000
- Bond number
- Term Dates — Start and end dates of the bond.
- Obligee (who the bond is for) — The following must be listed as the Obligee:
- - City of Bloomington, 115 E. Washington St., Bloomington, IL 61701
Premises Verification (Lease) - If the premises is owned, we will check internally, so no documents are required to be submitted. If the applicant premises is not owned by the licensee, an active Lease Agreement is required to be on file at all times and must include all of the following:
- Name of Entity or Person(s) under Ownership;
- Full Establishment Address (including applicable suite or unit #s); and
- Term Dates.
Financial Statement – If you're a new business, attach a statement of the owner's personal assets and liabilities with the application. If you're already operating, attach a statement of the business's assets and liabilities.
Computer Generated Site/Floor Plan – The attached plan must be labeled to indicate the following:
- All exits, entrances, restrooms, and other key features of the premises;
- Locations or areas where alcohol is intended to be stored, if applicable; and
- The entire area intended to be covered by the liquor license, if approved.
- - Be sure to include any outdoor or other relevant areas where alcohol is intended to be permitted.

If applicable, the following must be included with your application submission:

Articles of Incorporation (Corporation) or Articles of Organization (LLC) – Only applicable if the applicant is an LLC or a Corporation
McLean County Health Permit – Only applicable if the establishment is required to have one per the Mclean County Health Department. To find out if one is required for your business, contact the Health Department directly at (309) 888-5450 Ext. 6.
Document with Additional Information – For the BUSINESS OWNER/OPERATOR INFORMATION section of the application, if YES is answered to any question that asks for more details, a document that provides all required additional information must be attached. The document must list the question(s) as written in the application, name(s) of the person or entity involved, and include any relevant details, such as dates, jurisdictions, and reasons for ineligibility or nature of conviction(s). Failure to provide additional details may result in your application being sent back to you for corrections.

Required In Order to be Considered for Review

The items below do not require document submission; however, these additional requirements must be met. Please do not attach documents to show proof of the items below. They are checked internally and you will be contacted if anything additional is required to be submitted.

If the applicant is an LLC or a Corporation – Must be in Good Standing with the State of IL
All Applicable Tax Forms must be Submitted Online - Local Tax Information can be found by clicking this link. Types of Tax Forms that may be required are:
- Food/Beverage Tax - Required for all licensees who sell alcohol or food.
- Amusement Tax Forms - Required for establishments that will offer events where amusement is exhibitive in nature, meaning it is viewed in exchange for payment of a fee or charge. Includes Cover Charges or Tickets sold.
Items Owed to the City – The applicant/property must not owe anything outstanding to the City of Bloomington
- This includes tax amounts or forms of any type, utility billing amounts, legal fees, general billing amounts, or any amounts or reports due to the Development Services Department for Backflow Device testing or Cross-Connection Surveys.
$100 Application and Background Investigation Fees Paid - We do not take online payments at this time. The applicant will receive an email from City Clerk Department staff within 3 business days of submission with details on how to pay the fee. The fee must be paid by the deadline provided in the email in order to be considered for review.

Required Before a License Can be Issued

Inspections - A license cannot be issued unless both of the Departments listed below notify the City Clerk Department internally that inspections have passed.
- Development Services Department - Can be contacted at (309) 434-2509 Ext. 2 and then Option #3 to find out what inspections are required for your location.
- McLean County Health Department - Can be contacted at (309) 888-5450
BASSET Certifications - Any employee responsible for serving alcoholic liquor or checking identification is required to be appropriately trained in accordance with state law and local ordinance. A list of individuals who are BASSET Certified that includes all of the following information must be provided: (1) Name; (2) Title; (3) Certificate Number; and (4) Date Certified. Note that the actual certificates do not need to be submitted but should be held on site at all times in the event a State of Illinois or City of Bloomington

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08/24/2026

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