Bartending License Requirements for Indiana

In Indiana, anyone who serves or sells alcohol is required to be certified by the state. Unfortunately, the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (ATC) for the state of Indiana makes this a very confusing process.

So we’re here to help but please bear with us as the ATC has a lot (too many in our opinion) of rules and requirements when it comes to how to receive a bartending license.

But don’t worry, we will walk you through everything you need to know – step by step – in order to successfully get started bartending in Indiana.

Overview

Before we get into the steps to become licensed though, we first need to cover Indiana’s Restricted Employee Permit Laws.

The Two Kinds of Server Permits and How to Choose Which One is For You

The Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission, requires alcohol sellers and servers to have one of two types of permits:

1. Restricted Permits: for 19 and 20 year olds
2. Unrestricted Permits: for individuals 21+

As you can see, the main difference between the two permits is based on age. Let’s quickly cover each.

Restricted Permits

Restricted permits allow employees who are 19 and 20 years old to serve alcohol in a restricted manner (get it?). If you are 21 years or older, you can go ahead and skip to the section below titled “Unrestricted Permits.”

In order to apply for a restricted permit, you will need to successfully complete an approved ATC server training program within 120 days of starting your job.

The state of Indiana allows servers to be certified either through an approved 3rd party trainer or for free through the State Excise Police. Training is available both online and in-person.

When a Restricted employee becomes 21 year of age, the employee must obtain an Unrestricted permit in order to continue to serve alcoholic beverages.

Unrestricted Permits

Anyone 21 years or older in Indiana who wishes to sell or serve alcohol must receive an Unrestricted Permit.

An Unrestricted Permit costs $45 to obtain regardless of if it is your first application or you are transferring from a Restricted Permit.

The unrestricted employee permit is valid for 3 years and must be obtained no later than 120 days from your date of hire.

For those that are applying for their “unrestricted” employee permit for the first time, follow this link to register for a new employee permit. The site will provide the application steps along the way.

Minimum Age To Sell and Serve Alcohol In Indiana

In order to work as a bartender in Indiana, you are required to be 21 years old.

Individuals aged 19 or 20 years old may serve alcoholic beverages to customers as long as they follow the rules as provided by Indiana’s Restricted Server Guidelines which we have simplified below.

Restricted Server Guidelines:

• Supervised: Restricted employees must be supervised by an employee who has been certified by the state’s server training program.
• May not act as a bartender: Restricted employees cannot serve any alcohol in a bar.
• No mixed drinks: Restricted employees are not allowed to draw beer from a tap or pour pre-mixed alcoholic beverages.
• Family areas only: Restricted employees are only allowed to serve in “family areas.”
• Garnishing: Restricted employees are allowed to garnish drinks prepared by a bartender.
• Uncorking wine: Restricted employees may uncork and pour wine at a dining table.
• Hotels: Restricted employees are allowed to work in a banquet room of a hotel.
• Restricted locations: Restricted employees cannot work in a pool room, arcade room, the concourse of a recreational center, or the stands of a sports arena.

A Note On Indiana’s Free Server Training

Indiana’s ATC offers a free online training program that meets all the requirements for server certification.

There are two ways to access this free training:

1. When applying online for a new employee permit, you are offered the option to complete the training during the application process. Here is the link to start the Employee Permit application process
2. If you have already applied for and have received your permit by using a paper application, follow this link Here to start the Online Training

Once the employee successfully completes the training program, the restricted employee should then submit an application to the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission with the certification attached along with the other required information.

Indiana Server Permit Renewals

If you are up for renewal for a bartending license in Indiana, simply follow this link. These certifications expire every 3 years.

If you are up for renewal and do not know your permit number, you can look it up HERE

Qualifications and Other Limitations

If you haven’t been living in Indiana for the past 10 years, you will have to provide an out-of-state driving record.

Also, if you have had any OWI or DUI charges within the past 10 years… this may affect your application process.