Texas · Alcohol Licensing · Official Lookup Guide
Texas liquor license lookup: what the TABC Public Inquiry system can tell you.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission publishes a Public Inquiry system for licenses and permits. This guide explains what it covers, the filters it offers, and which questions it answers and does not.
The TABC Public Inquiry system at apps.tabc.texas.gov/publicinquiry is the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's public tool for license and permit holders. TABC says it can show pending, active and inactive licenses and permits, licenses and permits with administrative violations, retailers on the credit law delinquent list, and public complaints against holders. You can create lists by location, type, status and original issue date.
What the Public Inquiry system covers
TABC's page says the system lets you search by license and permit number, look up license and permit holders, create lists of licenses and permits, and check status. It names pending, active and inactive statuses.
The page describes filters for location, type, status and original issue date, and a status date filter for lists of inactive licenses and permits. It does not state how often the data is refreshed, so treat the live result as the record.
Open the TABC Public Inquiry system
The lookup runs on TABC's own site. TNAADO republishes no license data and receives nothing you type.
What you can find
According to TABC, the Public Inquiry system lets users look up license and permit holders and numbers, find licenses and permits with administrative violations, find retailers on the credit law delinquent list, and view public complaints against holders and related violations. The page says users can create lists of results.
Status and what it means for you
TABC says the system shows pending, active and inactive licenses and permits. For a bar, restaurant or store you are about to deal with, the status field is the first thing to read. TABC's page does not define each status in detail, so use the system's own labels and ask TABC about anything unclear.
Filters worth knowing
The page lists location, type and status as filters and original issue date for lists of licenses and permits, plus status date for lists of inactive ones. That makes the system useful in two ways: checking one known license, or building a list, for example every inactive license of one type in an area.
Violations, complaints and the credit law list
TABC names three accountability views: licenses and permits with administrative violations, public complaints and related violations, and retailers on the credit law delinquent list. These are reasons to open the official system rather than rely on a summary, because they change and this page does not carry them.
A worked example (hypothetical)
Sam (made up) is buying a bar and wants to confirm what license it holds. This describes no real business.
Sam opens TABC Public Inquiry and searches by the license number from the seller's paperwork, then reads the status. Next Sam builds a list with location set to the same county and the same license type, to see how many comparable licenses are active and whether any show administrative violations. Sam also checks the credit law delinquent list for the retailer. Because TABC does not state a refresh schedule on its page, Sam asks the seller for the current status and does not treat the lookup as a guarantee that a license can be transferred.
What this page does not cover
- It does not run the lookup or store what you type; there is no form on this page.
- It does not copy or republish license records, owner names or complaints.
- It does not explain license types, fees, eligibility or the application process.
- It does not say whether a license can be transferred to a new owner.
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedThe TABC lookup only lists licenses that are active today.
What the source saysTABC's page says the system covers pending, active and inactive licenses and permits, with a status date filter for lists of inactive ones. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
Where do I look up a Texas liquor license?
On the TABC Public Inquiry system, linked from this page.
What can I search for?
TABC says license and permit holders and numbers, licenses and permits with administrative violations, retailers on the credit law delinquent list and public complaints against holders.
Which statuses appear?
TABC says the system shows pending, active and inactive licenses and permits.
Can I build a list instead of checking one license?
Yes. TABC says users can create lists, filtering by location, type, status and original issue date, with a status date filter for inactive ones.
Does the lookup tell me whether a license can be sold?
No. TABC's page describes a record lookup, not a transfer decision. Ask TABC about transfers.
How current is the data?
TABC's page does not state a refresh schedule, so rely on the live result and confirm important facts with TABC.
Does TNAADO verify licenses?
No. This page explains the official system and links to it. It does not look anyone up or collect anything.
Sources
Retrieved
- TABC: Public Inquiry
- TABC: Public Inquiry System (search tool)
- TABC: Public Inquiry data tool update (2022)
- TABC: Home
Official government pages only. Each link was opened on the retrieval date and the facts above were read from it. The official site is the authority.
Unofficial guide — not a verification tool
This is an unofficial guide to a public government service. TNAADO is not affiliated with Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, does not search or verify anything for you, does not copy or proxy any register, and sends nothing you type to its servers. Nothing here is an official verification, legal or financial advice. Details above were read from the official websites on 26 October 2026 and can change; always rely on the official site.