Temporary Event Authorizations

This page outlines the requirements for certain license and permit holders and nonprofit organizations to conduct alcoholic beverage sales, service and samples during events at temporary locations in Texas.

Holders of a Distiller’s and Rectifier’s Permit may conduct or participate in events at a temporary location if they timely submit the File and Use Notification (FUN) Form to TABC.

• Form: L-FUN – File and Use Notification
• Eligibility: Licensed distilleries may submit the FUN form to TABC and provide samples of their products for consumers at their temporary event without TABC’s pre-approval if the event meets all of the following criteria:
  • Distiller intends to only provide samples or tastings (not sales) of distilled spirits at the event.
  • Event is a festival, farmers market, celebration, or similar event following Alcoholic Beverage Code Section 14.09.
  • Owner of the property where the event will occur has authorized the event. 
• Submission requirements: Eligible distilleries may submit the FUN form to TABC at any time before they participate in the temporary event. There are no filing fees or late filing fees.
  • Download and complete the general FUN form from the link above.
  • Leave questions 8-12 blank when filling out the current form. However, TABC will soon launch a distiller-specific FUN form that distillers will be required to answer completely. The form will be available on this page.
  • Submit the completed form to the TABC email address indicated on the form. In the future, distillers will be able to submit their temporary event forms through AIMS. TABC will announce that functionality when it is launched.
• Approval: After submitting the FUN form to TABC, you may begin the activities identified in the form at the location identified in the form (i.e., you do not need to wait to receive approval from TABC). A FUN form covers a period of up to four consecutive days. If you need approval for more than four days, submit a separate FUN form to TABC for each four-day period for which you need approval. You should submit all of these separate forms for the same event to TABC at one time.
  • Note: The samples a distiller provides at the temporary event may come from the distiller's inventory, but the distiller’s removal of liquor from their inventory for a temporary event is considered a “first sale” transaction, and they must pay excise taxes on those removed products.

Licensed on-premises retailers (like holders of a Mixed Beverage Permit and Wine and Malt Beverage retailers) and wineries may conduct or participate in events at a temporary location if they timely submit to TABC one of the forms listed below.

• Form: L-FUN – File and Use Notification
• Eligibility: Licensed on-premises retailers and wineries may submit the FUN form to TABC and conduct alcoholic beverage sales and service to consumers at their temporary event without TABC’s pre-approval if the event meets all of the following criteria: 
  • Event is private (not open to the public).  
  • Estimated attendance is limited to 500 people maximum.  
  • Estimated wholesale value of alcohol provided or sold is less than $10,000.  
  • Event is not sponsored by a member of the manufacturing or wholesale tiers. 
  • Owner of the property where the event will occur has authorized the event.
• Submission requirements: Eligible on-premises retailers and wineries may submit the FUN form to TABC at any time before they participate in the temporary event. There are no filing fees or late filing fees.
  • Licensed on-premises retailers and wineries can use the Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS) to submit FUN forms to TABC. New AIMS users must first create an account, and licensed businesses that are first-time AIMS users must claim their business in the system before submitting their forms. Learn more.
• Approval: After submitting the FUN form to TABC, you may begin the activities identified in the form at the location identified in the form (i.e., you do not need to wait to receive approval from TABC). A FUN form covers a period of up to four consecutive days. If you need approval for more than four days, submit a separate FUN form to TABC for each four-day period for which you need approval. You should submit all of these separate forms for the same event to TABC at one time.

• Form: L-TEA – Temporary Event Approval
• Eligibility: Licensed on-premises retailers and wineries must submit the TEA form to TABC for all other events that don’t meet the FUN criteria. 
• Submission requirements: There is no filing fee if you submit the TEA form to TABC at least 10 business days before the start date of the event.
  • Licensed on-premises retailers and wineries can use the Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS) to submit TEA forms to TABC. New AIMS users must first create an account, and licensed businesses that are first-time AIMS users must claim their business in the system before submitting their forms. Learn more.
• Late submission fees: If you submit the TEA form to TABC less than 10 business days before the event, you must pay the following late filing fees for TABC to process your form:
  • $300 if received nine to seven business days before the event. 
  • $500 if received six to four business days before the event. 
  • $900 if received three business days to one business day before the event. 
• Approval: You must wait to receive approval from TABC before you can sell and serve alcoholic beverages at the temporary event. TEA event approvals cover a period of up to four consecutive days. If you need approval for more than four days, submit a separate TEA form for each four-day period for which you need approval. You should submit all of these separate forms for the same event to TABC at one time at least 10 business days before the event starts.

A nonprofit entity is defined by Section 30.01 of the Alcoholic Beverage Code as a:

• Nonprofit corporation.
• Nonprofit charitable, civic or religious organization.
• Political party or political association supporting a candidate for public office or a proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution or other ballot measure.
• Fraternal organization with a regular membership that has been in continuous existence for more than five years.
• Person or group of persons who are subject to recordkeeping requirements under Chapter 254 of the Election Code.

• Forms: 
  • L-NT – Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event
  • L-NT-AUC – Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event Auctions
• Eligibility: Nonprofits that meet the “nonprofit entity” definition in Section 30.01 of the Alcoholic Beverage Code must apply for a Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event Permit (NT) using the L-NT form above before they can conduct alcoholic beverage sales and service at a temporary event. The NT Permit lasts for up to 10 consecutive days. If the nonprofit would also like to conduct an auction of alcoholic beverages to raise money to support the stated purpose of the permit holder, they must also file the Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event Auctions form above.
• Submission requirements for NT Permit: Apply with TABC at least 10 business days before the start date of the event and pay an application fee of $50 per day of the event.
  • Nonprofits without a license can use the Alcohol Industry Management System (AIMS) to submit FUN forms to TABC. New AIMS users must first create an account.
• Late submission fees: If you submit your NT Permit application less than 10 business days before the event, you must also pay late filing fees of $300-$900 for TABC to process your form. 
• Approval for NT Permit: You must wait to receive approval of your permit from TABC before you can sell and serve alcoholic beverages at the event. Additionally, an NT Permit lasts for up to 10 consecutive days. If you need TABC approval for more than 10 days, you need to submit a separate NT Permit application for each 10-day period for which you need approval. You should submit all of these separate applications for the same event to TABC at one time at least 10 business days before the event starts.
• Additional requirements for auctions: In addition to submitting a Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event Permit application to conduct alcoholic beverage sales, if a nonprofit also wants to auction alcoholic beverages at the temporary event, they must also submit the Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event Auctions form above. The nonprofit may submit their Auctions form to TABC at any time before the auction. There are no filing fees. The nonprofit does not need TABC’s pre-approval of the Auctions form to hold the auction, but it does need approval of the NT Permit application.

If a nonprofit plans to conduct an auction of alcoholic beverages and will not be selling alcoholic beverages at the temporary event, the nonprofit only needs to submit a completed Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event Auctions form. This form serves as a file-and-use notification and does not require approval from TABC before you can hold your auction. There are no filing fees.