Temporary Liquor Permit

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a "Private Party"?

  • A Private Party should not be open to the public or advertised in any way.

  • The “sale” of alcoholic liquor is made by a licensed retailer or caterer directly to the host of the party before or after the event.

  • There is no cover, admission charges or rental fee.

  • There is no indication of pre-payment should be required to enter (i.e., tickets sold for the event, donation required, fundraiser, etc.)

  • The party space is separate from all other areas open to the public.

  • There should be no promotion of specific alcoholic liquor brand.

If I hire a "Licensed Bartender" for an event, does that make it legally allowable?

  • Not generally. Unless the “licensed bartender” has a liquor license, this does not count and a temporary permit or licensed caterer would still be needed. The licensed bartender may be BASSET certified, but that does not help with the liquor license portion.

If I hire a caterer with a liquor license from a city outside of Aurora, do they need a Temporary Liquor Permit?

  • Yes. Entities licensed outside of Aurora are required to have a permit to legally serve/sell within the City of Aurora. The application for a Temporary Liquor Permit may be accessed below.

What are my options for serving alcohol at my event?

  1. Apply for a Temporary Liquor Permit through the City of Aurora. The temporary permit is required in order to receive a State Permit.

  2. After receiving the Temporary Permit from the City of Aurora, apply for a Temporary Permit through the State of Illinois. There are four different options for State Temporary Permits.

    1. Apply as a Private Business. Fee as of December 2019 is $750 for a one-time event.

    2. Partner with a local business who has a liquor license. Fee as of December 2019 is $150 for a one-time event.

    3. Hire a catering company with an existing local and state license. If the catering company is from outside of Aurora, they need to apply for a Temporary Permit to legally serve in Aurora.

    4. Partner with a non-profit agency for your event. Fee for non-profits is $25 as of December 2019 for a one-day event.

  3. All options require dram-shop insurance and BASSET Certified Trainers.

Temporary Liquor Permit (Section 6-10)

Access the temporary liquor permit application here (PDF).(PDF, 242KB)

Required information

  • $25 per day fee (maximum of 4 consecutive days)

  • Dram Shop Insurance (Liquor Liability Insurance) to the maximum amount covering the day(s) of the event.

  • State Liquor License

  • BASSET Training Certificates

  • Any other documents the local liquor commissioner may request pursuant to state or local liquor control laws, rules and regulations.

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