NYSLA Licenses & New York Compliance

A fourth-generation New Yorker, Lindsey is passionate about working with alcohol beverage businesses in New York.  She provides ongoing support to New York-based wineries, breweries, cideries, distilleries, importers, and wholesalers. She regularly represents clients ranging from local family-owned businesses to larger corporate entities before the New York State Liquor Authority (“NYSLA”).

NYSLA is the state agency responsible for issuing licenses for and regulating wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, wholesalers, and importers doing business within New York. The NYSLA also oversees license renewals, brand label registration (for products sold and/or distributed in New York State), price posting, and enforcing New York State alcohol beverage regulations.

New York has experienced significant growth in its beverage alcohol industry in part due to the introduction of new licenses as well as an expansion of legal privileges brought about by legislative changes.

Because New York now offers a wide variety of different licenses for wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, distributors, and importers — well over 30 in total — it may not be clear which licenses your business qualifies for in this increasingly byzantine system.

As a strategic partner, Lindsey Zahn P.C. can advise on the distinctions between NYSLA licenses and help identify which license is best suited for your business model. 

The firm can also use its experience advising and representing clients before the NYSLA to assist your company in drafting the application to avoid the common pitfalls that are by no means evident to those not intimately familiar with the application process.

NYSLA Licenses & New York Compliance: Services

Among other services, the firm can also assist with the following:

• Determining which products require brand registration with the NYSLA and advising on additional documentation that may be required to process the brand registration;
• Advising your company on potential ownership changes and drafting required documentation to alert NYSLA of ownership changes;
• Guiding your team through an alteration application for either a major or minor change;
• Adding additional licenses to your base NYSLA license post-approval; and
• Serving as outside counsel to ongoing compliance or licensing matters or questions.

Recent Representations

Some recent representations include:

• Managed all aspects of licensing for a farm winery, farm brewery, farm cidery, and a farm distillery
• Completed a Petition for Removal with respect to a distillery and brewery relocating from one space to another
• Oversaw a renewal application for a wine wholesaler in New York State
• Assisted with a New York distillery and wholesaler licensee with ownership changes
• Advised a brewery of various brand registration and labeling requirements in the state
• Represented a sake client before the NYSLA in regard to lab sample analysis requirement
• Assisted a client with respect to compliance on third-party marketing services.

For more information about how Lindsey Zahn P.C. can help your company, please contact us at lindsey@zahnlawpc.com.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.